The Pursuit of Limitless Learning: 2023-24 Priorities

Dear Parents,

Dear Parents,

Following our tricentennial celebrations, it is an opportune time for me to share with you our ambitious and determined strategic framework for the upcoming five years. This document also shares with you the priorities for this upcoming year so you can follow the journey of each strategic area.

After the splendid celebrations for the School’s tercentenary anniversary in 2022, it is time to turn the page, and with 300-years of history and traditions behind us, see what the first five years of this new era will look like.

Ambitious in scope, this plan will ensure that our children have the skills and strategies to cope with an ever-increasingly complex world, not just academically. These formative school years are so vital, therefore, I want our children to receive the very best pastoral support.

Working with the parent body, we intend to sharpen our focus on equality, diversity and inclusion: not through celebration days or weeks, but everyday. Jules and I are honoured to lead a school of such diversity. ‘Respect’ is preached as a key value at BCS; and we need parents to champion equality, diversity and inclusion too.

With sustainability being another of our new prime aims, we must simultaneously be educators and role models. A strategic audit will take place, whereupon we will work closely with the children and staff, maintaining a clear focus on targets that are SMART and achievable.

The range of our provision of co-curricular activity has expanded impressively over the past six years to become leaders in the sector. We will continue to develop these activities and opportunities for children, and keep our collective ear bent to the pupil voice to ensure the programme reflects their needs and interests.

Our social impact targets are firmly set to continue building on successes such as the Outreach Programme, which supports and elevates our position in the Birmingham area. It is an important aspect of life at BCS, giving our children a sense of pride as they work alongside other schools in the area.

Leadership and Governance is, of course, a key factor in any educational establishment. Striving to become stronger and more reflective, we will drive this five-year plan with vigour and determination.

But to propagate and embed these aims throughout the School, we must be focused and determined as a collective community.

As a development of our vision of 21st century education one that is firmly based on traditional values - I commend the following strategic framework to you.

The Senior Leadership Team and the Governors have defined nine strategic priority areas in this document, covering all aspects of School life from wellbeing to communication with parents. I believe these aims give us direction, the intention to innovate and the confidence to achieve.

Underpinning these new aims, is the priority of keeping your child, and all our children, safe. This remains at the forefront of everything we do. In my role as Chair of Governors, I am invigorated by this new strategy and the whole governing body will be actively involved with its implementation. I am delighted that pupil-safety is not only prioritised in the Spiritual and Wellbeing section, but throughout the whole framework, from Learning & Teaching to Estates.

It really will be a joint effort from Governors, staff, parents and pupils to achieve what we have set out here, and I have every faith that the School will prosper immensely over the next five years.

Karan Gilmore Chair of Governors

Noel Neeson Headmaster

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LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE 5 YEAR AIMS •

To maintain and build upon the strong traditions of the School.

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To maintain, at the core of governance, financial probity and integrity in decision making.

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To recruit and develop top quality governors, teaching and support staff to achieve the School’s aims.

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To maintain an optimum number of pupils whilst preserving the ‘family feel’ of the School and ensuring that individual needs are met.

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To continue to focus on ways of enhancing the regional and national reputation of the School.

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To continue to build an engaged and happy workplace where all staff can thrive.

LE GO ADER VER SH NA IP & NC E

2023-24 PRIORITIES

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To achieve recognition for the School’s commitment to staff wellbeing via the ‘Nourish the Workplace’ accreditation.

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Place submissions for a range of national awards to recognise the School’s success.

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Increase the number of events to help preserve the ‘Family feel’.

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Integrate GAP students into the running of the School.

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Successfully recruit a Governor with a business background.

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Provide opportunities for pupils to reflect on their experiences through pupil voice.

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SPIRITUAL & WELLBEING 5 YEAR AIMS •

To provide clear spiritual guidance to the pupils, upholding our fundamental Christian principles whilst embracing and respecting all faiths.

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To ensure that the BCS Values remain at the heart of everything we do.

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To continue to actively promote the safeguarding and wellbeing of all pupils.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

Increase pupil and parents’ understanding of Child-on-Child abuse.

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Formulate and embed the new rewards and sanctions Policy in Prep.

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To improve the breaktime provision for pupils.

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To increase the pupils’ awareness of cultural differences and cultural traditions.

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To use termly Bounce Together data to enhance further the pastoral provision.

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To embed CPOMS as a central feature of the ‘whole school’ commitment to safeguarding and wellbeing.

SPIRITUAL & WELLBEIN G

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LEARNING & TEACHING 5 YEAR AIMS •

To empower BCS pupils to be respectful, curious and resilient lifelong learners.

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To provide first-class, high quality learning and teaching experiences to meet the needs of all pupils.

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To strengthen the pupil-parent-teacher relationship, celebrating the holistic achievements and next steps for each child.

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To cultivate The BCS Blue, ensuring it continues to reflect our expansive, progressive curriculum.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

Investigate how emerging technologies, including generative AI and AR, can support teaching and learning.

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Utilise the capabilities of technology to enhance further the learning experience of the children.

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To develop further the Performing Arts provision.

LEARN & TEACHING ING

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ESTATES 5 YEAR AIMS •

To maintain our existing facilities to meet the evolving needs of the School community.

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Identify and prioritise additional multi-purpose, first class facilities which augment our current provision.

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Remain fully compliant with new and existing health and safety regulations across all aspects of the School.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

To commence work on the multi-purpose Atrium in the Viney Building.

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To complete the refurbishment of the Year Group Hubs.

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To complete the refurbishment of the music rooms on the first floor of the Viney building.

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To complete the necessary stages of planning for the development of a second AstroTurf facility.

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Improve the energy efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of the Viney Building.

ES TAT ES

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CO-CURRICULAR 5 YEAR AIMS •

To further enhance our activity provision in School to maximise the development of the whole child.

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To remain ambitious in our delivery of trips and enrichment activities.

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To engage actively with parents to promote local clubs, organisations and activities that could support the development of the whole child.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

To achieve an award for the sporting provision of the School.

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Develop the chess provision at the School.

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To establish a cyclical programme of major trips for Prep children to include UK and international residentials with a variety of subject foci.

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Raise parental awareness of external local events and clubs that could benefit the wider development of the children.

CO-CUR RICULA R

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SOCIAL IMPACT 5 YEAR AIMS •

Pioneer a multi-dimensional bursary programme to optimise limitless learning opportunities for children in Birmingham.

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To develop a long-term partnership programme with the maintained sector to further support the local community.

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To ensure year groups in Pre-Prep and Houses in Prep engage with social impact initiatives.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

Develop the use of BCS facilities for the benefit of the local community.

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Share CPD opportunities with the local maintained sector.

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Further develop the Pre-Prep charity initiatives.

CT L IMPA SOCIA

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION 5 YEAR AIMS •

Demonstrable equality in experience for all pupils.

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Empower our school community to intervene effectively when inequality of any kind is apparent.

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To develop a generation of young people who have the comprehension and confidence to talk about race and are prepared to challenge systemic racism as they progress through their education and subsequent careers.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

Launch the DEI strategy focusing on governance, staff training and recruitment.

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Establish an employee engagement group made up of staff across the school to bring diverse perspectives into the room and collaboratively expand our understanding of the lived experience of DEI in school.

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To integrate the new mixed-gender House system into Prep.

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To integrate and develop uniform changes.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

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SUSTAINABILITY 5 YEAR AIMS •

Reduce our carbon footprint and move towards lower overall emissions.

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Ensure all future estates projects adhere to our sustainability strategic aims.

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Educate and empower pupils to take positive action on sustainability initiatives.

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Instil a whole school approach to the core principles of sustainability: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle.

2023-24 PRIORITIES •

Install recycling bins across the School site.

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Develop pupils and parents’ understanding and accountability for sustainability through a visiting speaker.

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Develop a sustainable transportation strategy.

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Take an active role in school-wide initiatives to lower food waste in school.

SUSTAINABILITY

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COMMUNICATIONS & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 5 YEAR AIMS •

To cultivate an engaged alumni community to potentiate enrichment opportunities for current BCS pupils and fundraising for the School.

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To build and optimise engagement with a multi-channel communications strategy which engages the BCS family of parents, supporters and key strategic stakeholders.

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To develop an agile and buoyant marketing strategy to: maintain healthy admissions; fulfil the strategic ambitions of the School and enhance our influence and reputation in the independent schools sector.

2023-24 PRIORITIES

TIONS UNICA COMM KEHOLDER & STA AGEMENT ENG

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To implement a feedback loop on the admissions process for new joiners to continually review and improve the admissions process.

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Launch a new BCS website with enhanced user experience, particularly from a mobile platform, which makes a website visitor feel inspired and engaged with the School’s vision from their landing page.

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Develop an annual digital marketing plan to support a more personalised, conversational admissions process which bolsters enquiries year-round.

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Progress the strategy for the Old Scholars network which facilitates productive relationships and interactions including events and communications.

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