Non Verba Sed Facta. Not Words but Deeds. Is valued. Is a member of a thriving, happy community. Is helped to achieve his/her personal best

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2 Non Verba Sed Facta Not Words but Deeds St. Catherine s is a Catholic School where every pupil, regardless of individual faith: Is valued Is a member of a thriving, happy community Is helped to achieve his/her personal best Is given a wide range of opportunities to develop individual talents Is prepared for the challenges of adult life Is helped to understand and fulfill his/her responsibilities to self, family and society We strive to be a school that lives by the values set out in the Gospels, promotes the dignity of every individual and is committed to excellence. * All quotes from ISI report 2006

3 As St. Catherine s enters an exciting new phase of its development, I am delighted to say that the attributes which first drew me here are still very much in evidence and, indeed, are thriving. St Catherine s combines nearly 100 years experience of Independent education with a modern curriculum that prepares our pupils for success in the 21st Century. We are a Catholic school where every person is a valued member of a happy, vibrant community, a community that is completely inclusive and comprised of pupils from many different faiths and ethnic backgrounds. It is very important to us that all our pupils are happy, confident and inspired to meet challenges; we strive to help and guide each pupil to achieve his/her personal best in all aspects of school life. The Prep Department, which takes girls from 3 to 11 years of age and boys from 3 to 7 years of age, can only be described as a vibrant learning environment. We have increased the department s facilities with our excellent redevelopment and extension of the existing building, which opened in January It is here that the firm foundations are laid to build a solid future for our pupils and equip them for the challenges and opportunities awaiting them in the Senior School. The girls certainly rise to the challenges posed by public examinations. I am proud of the value that is added to their achievements as they progress through the School and that their academic predictions are consistently exceeded. This is born out in their excellent results amongst the best in the borough! In partnership with parents, we strive to produce well educated, confident, balanced young people who are outward looking and are able to meet the challenges of adult life with common sense, integrity and resilience. Those who visit us often remark on the warm, caring and friendly atmosphere and the self confidence and enthusiasm of our pupils. We are extremely proud of that and hope that you will come to visit us and have the opportunity to experience it yourselves. 1

4 Pastoral To build self-esteem, self-motivation and self-discipline The School motto Not words but deeds epitomises our beliefs. We see the School as a community sustained by the activity of all its members staff and pupils at work and play. We continuously strive to build up self-esteem, self-motivation and self-discipline in a framework of wise pastoral care. The Form Tutor manages the daily routines of the pupils and is the first point of contact for parents. Heads of KS3 and KS4 monitor very closely the academic progress of the pupils as well as providing guidance with any concerns. PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) focuses on life skills and personal development in a changing society and is an integral part of the curriculum throughout the Senior School. Weekly timetabled provision allows the Form Tutor to encourage pupils to discuss issues of a global nature as well as personal concerns. As part of the PSHE programme, pupils are carefully counselled in the GCSE options available to them and Careers Education begins in Year 9; the School has very close links with local careers services. 2

5 Most importantly, as members of the school community the girls contribute to an environment where opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are possible. These include - planning, leading and participating in liturgies, assemblies and class prayer; taking responsibility for ensuring that the values and principles of the Mission Statement inform day to day activities by exercising leadership through the Prefect system, the work of the school council and sharing in decisions and consultation over whole school policies (e.g. Behaviour, Anti Bullying); participating with adults in joint activities such as charity work and school cultural events such as performances; respecting the uniqueness, worth and development of others; participating in retreats and in reflection. The quality of pastoral care is outstanding * 3

6 Curriculum To draw out the very best performance At St Catherine s teaching and learning are at the core of every pupil s development and one of our greatest strengths is our teachers commitment - a commitment to provide individual, tailored support, to draw out the very best performance from each pupil. At all stages pupils are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for managing their time and workload, and to develop appropriate study skills and revision techniques. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum of Arts, Humanities and Science subjects based on, though not confined to, the National Curriculum. Along with Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Physical Education, Religious Education is a formal, timetabled subject for all classes throughout the school. We have a fully resourced ICT department where our students are encouraged to develop high standards of computer literacy to assist them throughout their school life and well beyond. Pupils in all year groups are given work that gives them the opportunity to display their knowledge, skills and understanding of a subject * 4

7 We combine the best of a traditional curriculum with a modern approach to teaching and have an excellent academic record. All of our pupils are encouraged and enabled to work hard and achieve their maximum potential. Here at St Catherine s we can proudly say pupils academic predictions are consistently exceeded. Well-structured schemes of work, detailed planning and suitable resources provide good progression in learning * 5

8 Creative expression Nurturing a culture of creativity While academic success is a high priority, we believe that school is about a great deal more. We aim to nurture a culture of creativity and help develop self-expression as well as providing pleasure and enjoyment and very importantly - fun! At every age our young musicians, actors and dancers have many opportunities to develop their imagination and creativity and our pupils achieve high standards in Music, Drama and Art. Music plays an important role at St Catherine s and includes a programme of events at every level throughout the school. These range from major concerts to informal performances. Senior Orchestra, String Group, Wind Band, Senior Choir, Chamber Choir and Gospel Choir all give opportunities for everyone to participate. 6

9 St Catherine s has a strong commitment to Drama and there are numerous opportunities for pupils of all ages to become actively involved in school productions and drama clubs. Pupils from St Catherine s are regularly selected to perform roles in theatre, television and film productions. Art and Photography are both popular subjects and girls achieve considerable success at all levels, often being numbered in the top ten in the country at GCSE level. Pupils have opportunities to discover their talents, express themselves and grow in confidence. There are regular visits to Art Galleries and Exhibitions locally, nationally and further afield. Throughout the school pupils respond well to teachers. They are strongly motivated * 7

10 Extra-curricular Balancing work and play St Catherine s commitment to an all-round education demands a proper balance of work and play. Extra-curricular activities, therefore, play a significant role in the life of the school. We firmly believe that being part of a team strengthens our pupils sense of self and responsibility and helps equip them for life beyond school and education, part of our undertaking to provide a complete education. There is a strong tradition of sporting excellence and opportunities are provided for participation in competition at all levels. The school achieves considerable success each year at regional, county and national level. Sports include Netball, Hockey, Rounders, Tennis, Athletics, Swimming and Gymnastics. A wide range of other activities is offered each year and pupils are encouraged to participate in at least one per term: Dance and Cheerleading; Public Speaking; Football; Judo; Chess; Craft; Badminton; Language and Science clubs are just some of the options available. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is very popular among the girls 8 in Years 9, 10 and 11.

11 In addition each pupil belongs to one of four Houses (Bronte, Cavell, Nightingale and Pankhurst) and many inter-house events and competitions evoke a keen sense of loyalty to one s house and a desire to participate and support. Pupils can learn a variety of orchestral instruments and have the opportunity to join either Junior or Senior Orchestras and many girls sing in one of the various choirs. During the school year a number of choral and orchestral events are planned which involve both Senior and Junior Choirs and Orchestras. Throughout the year there are several trips and expeditions both locally and further afield which the pupils are encouraged to participate in. These range from visits to London theatres, such as the Globe, to international field trips to countries such as Iceland, the Czech Republic and Canada. The school has an excellent reputation for its successes in Music, Drama, Sport and Duke of Edinburgh * 9

12 The Preparatory Department Fostering confidence and learning THE EARLY YEARS The Nursery class accepts children at the age of three, Reception class at age four. During these vital early years we aim to provide a warm, supportive and nurturing environment encouraging the children to explore the world around them, develop their confidence and extend their skills. We help the children to develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and for others as well as a degree of independence and autonomy. Great emphasis is placed on nurturing self-confidence and self-esteem. Our team of well qualified, experienced and committed staff guides the children through the Foundation Stage curriculum covering the six broad areas of the Early Learning Goals. These are: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication, Language and Literacy; Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy; Knowledge and Understanding of the World; Physical Development and Creative Development. In the Reception class, greater emphasis is placed on reading, writing and numeracy skills as the children progress through the year. Both our Nursery and Reception classes have the benefit of specialist teaching in PE, Swimming and Music. ICT 10 skills are introduced as a foundation to later learning and from Nursery pupils have weekly lessons in the networked ICT suite, which gives each child access to his/her own computer.

13 KEY STAGE 1 In Year 1 and Year 2 the pupils encounter the full range of National Curriculum subjects with particular emphasis placed on the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. Other timetabled subjects include Religious Education, Geography, History, Music, Art and Design Technology, ICT, PE and Swimming as well as Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Confidence is fostered in all pupils through participation and performance in curricular and extra-curricular activities such as role play, class assemblies and school productions. Pupils have the benefit of two swimming lessons a week in the school pool as well as games and gymnastics. KEY STAGE 2 As the pupils in the Preparatory Department progress, the school provides further opportunities for the development of their interests and talents. In Year 3, French is added to the curriculum with two lessons each week. A wide range of After School Clubs offer activities such as Chess, Dance, Gymnastics, LAMDA Speech and Drama and Swimming. In these ways, independence, confidence and self-discipline are developed both in and out of the classroom. By Year 6, pupils are encouraged to become independent learners as they prepare for entry to the Senior School. Class trips are a feature of the experiences the pupils enjoy in every school year. In Year 5 and Year 6 pupils benefit from a residential trip in the Summer Term; Year 5 pupils travel to an activity centre on the Isle of Wight and those in Year 6 support their French language learning by spending a week in France. 11

14 St Catherine s - in quotes Parents comments St Catherine s provided our daughter with a structured, secure, caring and extremely happy environment. Alison Edwards Our daughter flourished at St Catherine s with all the available options offered to her. Celia Tomlinson St Catherine s is a caring school which nurtures each child individually. Very high standards are achieved without too much pressure. My daughters have been very happy there. Nicola Jackman Past Pupils comments It has been 26 years since I was at St Catherine s and the school was everything I imagined it should be, a sense of belonging and teachers that left a lasting impression to shape the values I have learned to hold dear. Time has flown by, but that s OK because the values I hold are timeless. I loved being a St Catherine s girl. Justine Walmsley 12

15 I was incredibly pleased to be offered a place at St Catherine s as I felt I was following in my mother s footsteps as she and her twin sister also attended the school. I enjoyed the forbidden trips with my fellow pupils to the Grotto, trembling with excitement. They would lead me through the historic tunnel whilst I firmly shut my eyes convinced I would see the ghost of Alexander Pope! Becky Hubbard Pupils comments As soon as you come you re part of the family: everyone fits in, no one gets left out. Serena Sekhon St Catherine s is full of loving, kind people who are always there to give you a helping hand. Roisin Leopold We reach for the stars but take others with us. Mathilde Deschamps I love it here! We are pushed to our limits so we achieve our best and our full potential! Charlotte Alder

16 CROSS DEEP TWICKENHAM MIDDLESEX TW1 4QJ School Office: Fax: Registered Number: Registered in England Charity Number: