PITTVILLE SCHOOL Albert Road Cheltenham GL52 3JD Headteacher Mr R Gilpin

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1 PITTVILLE SCHOOL Albert Road Cheltenham GL52 3JD Headteacher Mr R Gilpin

2 Welcome to Pittville Pittville School is a vibrant, forwardlooking and rapidly improving Foundation school in Cheltenham. It is our belief that every young person has gifts, talents and abilities and it is our aim to recognise and unlock each child's potential and therefore maximise their life chances. Our priority is to work in partnership with parents and students to help them achieve the very best possible success. We firmly believe that each student should be challenged intellectually, creatively, personally and socially in preparation for their future life We recognise that good relationships are at the heart of the best education. To support high quality learning we ensure the school is a well organised, happy, calm, respectful and disciplined environment. We uphold the traditional values of discipline, courtesy, good manners and respect. At Pittville School high standards of behaviour and appearance are expected both in and out of the classroom. We do not tolerate anything or anyone that prevents learning from taking place or brings the school into disrepute. Pittville is a smaller than average school with approximately 600 students. We are a true comprehensive school and celebrate our diversity. We are proud of our calm, friendly atmosphere. Because of our size we are able to offer a level of personalised learning and pastoral support that is just not possible in some larger schools. In September 2013 Pittville was inspected by Ofsted. The inspectors recognised the improvements we are making as a school. Teaching continues to improve, our curriculum has been reviewed and supports our students to progress at the age of 16 and all performance measures have started to rise. The inspection team praised our students and commented on how students enjoy school and have an appetite for learning and they (the students) are receptive to their teachers, get along with one another and behave well.. Our aim is to improve still further and we will not compromise in our pursuit of excellence in academic standards and pastoral care and guidance. These are exciting times at Pittville. We look forward to welcoming you to Team Pittville where every child really does matter.

3 classrooms are notable for their calm atmosphere and good behaviour.. Ofsted 2013 I am absolutely delighted with my daughter s report. It is scary when starting secondary school but I am pleased with the effort and enthusiasm that has been put in. students enjoy school and have an appetite for learning Ofsted 2013 students work constructively together because they get on well with one another.. Ofsted 2013 Joining Year 7 They are well supported as they move from primary to secondary school, then nurtured by an effective tutor system. Ofsted

4 Our Transition Manager will make visits to primary schools to help all new students in Year 6 settle into the 'Big School.' Our induction evening, taster days and staggered September start will enable the new Year 7's to find their way around school and feel confident about joining. A number of staff and older students regularly work in the primary schools on community arts or sports projects. Equally, there are many opportunities for younger students to visit us to participate in sporting, arts events or design and technology days. This enables younger students to become familiar with Pittville School to ensure that the move to secondary school is a smooth and enjoyable experience. the attitudes to learning displayed by students are good.. Ofsted 2013 We would like to say how delighted we are with our son s first year at Pittville. He is growing in confidence and is happy. We couldn t ask for more.

5 Care & Guidance A form tutor looks after each student and is the first point of contact for parents/carers. Tutors meet daily to discuss ideas about how school life can be improved with their tutor groups. All staff recognise the importance of effective pastoral and academic care and guidance in supporting young adults. The house system extends our pastoral support: it is a focus for a range of exciting and challenging competitions that involves all curriculum areas. Each house gives students a strong sense of identity within our school community. Students regularly meet in their house for assemblies where the focus is on developing positive values and celebrating achievements. There are three houses, Abbott, Aston and Livingstone. Each house has a head of house, an assistant head of house and a pastoral support manager. We have an active student parliament which represents all year groups in the school. The parliament meets regularly. We expect all students to do well at Pittville and there is a reward system for academic achievement, behaviour, good effort and attendance. In addition, the Performing Arts faculty has a discrete rewards system for acknowledging participation in public events. Occasionally some students may need extra help and care. Access to mentors, welfare officers, support staff and, if necessary, outside agencies bring specialist knowledge and expertise to our work, consolidating the progress students make. Parents & Partnerships they (the students) are receptive to their teachers, get along with one another and behave well.., Ofsted 2013 A distinctive feature of Pittville School is the strength of partnership that exists between home and school. Not only do we keep parents fully informed by our reporting and tutorial systems, but also involve parents/carers as supportive partners in their child's education. We recognise that we cannot work in isolation and that for all our young people to achieve, an effective partnership and team effort between the school, home and students is essential. We urge all our parents/carers to support their children and the school in the education process. A regular newsletter is produced which is distributed via the students. (If you do not receive yours, check blazer pockets and school bags!). These newsletters are designed to provide regular updates for parents about what is happening in school. Our website is a valuable source of information for parents and pupils. Use it to see our contact details, the school calendar, upcoming events, uniform lists and much more. We are always delighted to meet parents/carers to assist in supporting their children through the educational process or to offer advice and guidance as required.

6 Assessment, Recording and Reporting of a Student s Achievement Students' work is regularly assessed against a range of criteria. Routine assessment of a student's work is vital to ensure that the teacher knows the student well. Assessment is an on-going process which includes the marking of classwork, homework and internal exams at Key Stage three. This range of assessment strategies enables staff to carefully monitor student performance throughout the academic year. The school's reporting system consists of one parents evening for each year group, with two grade cards per year for years 7-10 with three for year 11, plus a written report in each year. In addition, for Year 7 there will be a further parents evening session with tutors, to allow parents and staff to discuss how well students have settled in and the progress they are making during their first term. The progress of each student is carefully tracked and monitored. Parents are kept informed of the progress students are making towards their targets. progress has started to accelerate in the last year.. Ofsted We believe our reporting system provides a comprehensive overview of a student's achievement during their time with us in school. The organisation of learning We want every one of our students to achieve, succeed and become active, productive members of our rapidly changing world. Pittville offers a broad, balanced curriculum with high quality and creative teaching, where there is a strong emphasis on developing independent learning. The curriculum is planned with the interest, needs, aptitudes and diversity of our students in mind. At Key Stage 3, students are generally organised into ability sets in Maths, English, Science, French, Geography and History and in mixed ability groups for all remaining lessons. We want to ensure that all students are able to progress on to the next stage of their education at 16 and therefore we offer different pathways to students. Students are carefully guided as to which pathway to follow. Pittville offers the full range of traditional GCSE qualifications as well as some vocational qualifications. Much learning takes place outside the classroom and Pittville offers opportunities for focus, arts and activity days, as well as field trips and residential visits both home and abroad. In addition to the subject-specific content delivered in lessons, there is an underlying skills-based or competency curriculum which underpins learning. These Learning for Life skills encourage students to think beyond the actual knowledge they are gaining to reflect on how they are learning. A clear understanding of their own learning processes allows students to transfer these skills to different contexts, giving them greater confidence and independence. At both key stages students follow Personal, Social, Cultural and Health Education which empowers students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to make healthy and safe life choices, to develop positive relationships and respect diversity. In addition, we provide students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare them to play a full and active part in society, respecting national, religious and ethnic identities. The acquisition of effective literacy skills is a whole school priority. There is a delivery programme of key skills to support writing organisation, grammar and spelling. All lessons, where appropriate, refer to these whole school targets, consolidating the work of the English department. Staff in all departments are trained to promote effective reading and writing, maximising the potential of all students to access the curriculum in every subject.

7 Exam Results We are delighted that our results have improved on last year and that the progress our students are making is very pleasing. Our best entry results show that 40% of students achieved 5 A*-C with English and maths. We saw a significant increase in our English language results and improvements in art, product design, catering and Business studies. We also saw an improvement in further maths with 90% of students achieving an A*-C. In Year 10 83% of students who took GCSE statistics achieved an A*-B grade. We are particularly pleased with our Value Added measure which is the highest it has ever been. The school has come out well with a positive showing on the new Progress 8 measure which is being brought in by the government in There were some terrific individual results and we are delighted for all our students who have worked so hard to achieve the results they need to go on to the next stage of their education. As Ofsted commented in September 2013, The school is well placed to move forward and The attitudes to learning displayed by students are good. They want to do well in school, concentrate on their studies and are prone to few distractions. Students work constructively together because they get on well with one another and their teachers.

8 Enrichment Opportunities We believe that if students take part in extra activities outside the school day they will gain in confidence and enhance their self-esteem. With this in mind, we offer a wide range of opportunities for all students before, during and after school including clubs, societies, sports practices and fixtures, music, dance and drama performances. Whether a student's interest is playing sport, using ICT or developing their learning in science or art there are plenty of activities to occupy their time, start a new hobby or make new friends from different age groups. At particular times we support educational trips that help enrich the curriculum, such as outdoor pursuits, geography field trips, residential theatre trips or Gifted and Talented visits, to name but a few. In the summer term all students have the opportunity to participate in Activities Week. Performing arts feature strongly in their choices but there are also popular sports and recreational clubs, a thriving fitness programme. Ofsted

9 GREASE Drama Performance at The Bacon Theatre

10 Science Fair Poetry Slam

11 School Trips /15 Disneyland Paris July 2015 Harry Potter

12 Drayton Manor Rewards Trip The annual rewards trip is based on behaviour, attendance and attitude to learning.

13 Student Voice Pittville's greatest strength is its students. They are loyal, keen to do well and are great ambassadors for the school. We have an active student parliament which is involved in the organisational structure of the school and helps to decide how to make the school better. Our students' opinions are important to us and we listen to what they have to say. They actively participate in staff recruitment, teaching and learning training, peer mentoring, lesson observations, Youth Parliament, fundraising and in helping around the school and the wider community. The student parliament reports back to the school leadership team and the Governing Body. Through their school parliament they have a voice in driving school improvements. Ofsted We think you are right to be proud of your school. Ofsted Just as last year, the demeanour of your students is the most impressive factor. We bought a house in the catchment because of your school. Carry on the wonderful work.

14 Getting to school On foot There are two pedestrian entrances to the school, the main entrance on Albert Road and the other in Cakebridge Road. This latter entrance provides an easy route from Prestbury Road and the Pittville and Lynworth areas. By bicycle Students must lock their bicycles in the inner bicycle sheds during the school day. The school cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. From time to time, the local community police officer comes into school to check cycles and give advice. We ask parents to ensure that bicycles are roadworthy. By car Parents can drop off their children in Albert Road or in Cakebridge Road (there is a rear entrance to the school). The school operates a parents car park next to the school s tennis courts (opposite East Approach Drive) between 3.00pm and 3.15pm each day for collecting your child. Parking on Albert Road is not permitted. Our parking scheme is approved by the local police. How to contact us? Further information is available on our website Telephone or by achieve@pittville.gloucs.sch.uk