ASPIRE & ACHIEVE
a community of Families
Students welcome the excellent opportunities to make a positive contribution within school and the wider community. Ofsted
Within the school community of the Portsmouth Academy for Girls, each girl is a member of a House. These are named after inspirational women; Austen, Rowling, Curie and Pankhurst. These houses are divided into tutor groups and these mirror family life comprising girls from all year groups. Tutor groups meet each day and are important in helping girls to develop positive relationships, raise confidence and help them feel valued and cared for. All new girls are mentored by an older girl from their tutor group who can closely relate to any worries that they might have settling in or with their work.
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Student Voice We value the ideas and opinions of all our girls and provide opportunities for them to make a positive contribution to our school community. We have an exceptional student leadership team and these lead students are a credit to the school. They ensure student voice is valued and they play an important role in the future success of the Academy.
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Effective care, guidance and support ensure that students are known as individuals and develop a strong sense of belonging. Ofsted
Personal Development and Learning We ensure all girls are given opportunities to develop confidence, resilience and self-esteem during their time with us. The Academy offers a vast range of opportunities for enrichment through clubs, drama, music productions, art, dance and creative performance. We also provide a personal development programme which is part of the curriculum. The topics covered include: healthy lifestyles, well-being, relationships and topical issues.
Every Child Achieves We believe each girl is unique. We endeavour to build on the raw talents and energy each girl brings with her to enable her to achieve her full potential. At the Portsmouth Academy for Girls we strive for personal excellence and ensure there is a happy, caring and safe learning environment. We will provide “thinking toolkits� to allow girls to approach learning in different ways. They encourage flexibility, creativity and critical thinking. Each girl will develop habits of perseverance, open mindedness and teamwork, which will carry her beyond her time at school.
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the curriculum and home learning Learning is at the heart of our school. To achieve this we need to plan for each girl to develop her thinking skills, so that she does not only think about History, English or Mathematics, but learns to apply her thinking to the world at large. Our Academy offers a broad and balanced curriculum which is both challenging and stimulating, enabling girls to enjoy, engage and achieve. All girls in years 7 and 8 will follow the National Curriculum and in years 9, 10 and 11 they will have a range of GCSE, Applied BTEC and other subjects to choose from. The curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of all learners. For students who show the aptitude and dedication to study at a higher level we offer a range of post-16 courses to study from AS level and their equivalent. In years 9, 10 and 11 our curriculum offers personalised pathways to success and future opportunities in training, Higher Education and ultimately in achieving fulfilling careers.
For any girl who has additional and/or special educational needs we have an outstanding team to support her. Our experienced SENCo and her team of dedicated learning support staff will ensure that no child is left behind and all make exceptional progress. Equally we will ensure any girl who exhibits exceptional talents will be nurtured to excel. Home learning is an integral part of learning and the school experience. It is designed to encourage and extend learning beyond the classroom. Girls are expected to take responsibility for their own learning at home and complete all activities in time and to a high standard.
virtual learning Our Virtual Learning Environment is a vibrant learning platform from which our girls can access learning 24/7. It reflects the right approach to 21st century learning, which is increasingly about harnessing the internet and world-wide communications into effective learning for our students. We intend to make learning more relevant to the needs of the 21st century for all our girls so that they are confident e-learners.
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parental engagement Communication and engagement between school and home are vital to the success of our girls. We provide a range of strategies to involve parents and carers in their daughter’s education. We provide online access to parents and carers to each girl’s progress, conduct, and attendance and annual reports comprehensively review achievement and progress. We also provide ‘one to one’ meetings with parents and carers with pastoral and academic staff if there are any issues or concerns raised. Each girl will have individual target grades set for her subject and a personal literacy and attendance target to ensure that all girls attend regularly and thrive throughout their school career.
A school that generates a powerful community spirit amongst its students. Ofsted
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pastoral support The Academy aspires to the very best for each girl; however we cannot do it on our own. Research shows that parental involvement in a child’s education can make the difference of up to 30% improvement on achievement. We expect all parents to support the ethos and aspirations of the Academy. We ask you to support us through ensuring your daughter: • Attends regularly. We expect girls to reach a target of at least 95% attendance • Arrives punctually, in correct uniform, and fully equipped for learning • Completes all home learning on time and to a high standard and is supported at home to achieve this As a parent or carer we ask you to: • Attend all school functions that involve your child. This includes: parent consultation evenings, safety on the internet, parents’ forums and for year 7 a meet and greet evening in the autumn term • Support us in promoting positive attitudes to learning • Consider becoming a parent governor or member of our parent-staff association.
Enrichment and Celebration of Success A year at the Portsmouth Academy for Girls will offer a kaleidoscope of activities – in the arts, music and drama, in science and technology STEM opportunities and a full range of enrichment programmes and visits. All of these activities and events are invaluable in building a rounded individual. We pride ourselves in being an academy that offers all the extras that extend girls’ enjoyment e.g. Duke of Edinburgh, dance, choirs, yoga, school productions, student voice, trips, art exhibitions and many more. We believe all children are extra-ordinary and it is our mission to nurture each extra-ordinary child. This means finding and nurturing each girl’s passion for learning and interests. For girls who exhibit gifts and specific talents we will ensure they are supported to make the most of their potential. Our aim is to ensure all our girls’ achievements are celebrated. We have house points, assemblies, celebration evenings, awards evenings, displays, pupil reports and new praise postcards which will be communicated directly to parents and carers. Overall we want to ensure those girls who work hard and are often deemed ‘quiet’ are not allowed to be overlooked. We reward values of hard work, good behaviour, contribution to school life and integrity.
stepping stones to success The Portsmouth Academy for Girls offers a secure and stimulating environment from which girls can aspire and achieve. Our aim is for every girl to enjoy her learning and to have high aspirations. We will nurture her so that she becomes a confident, happy and successful young woman who will thrive in the world beyond school. You will be assured your daughter will be looked after from the moment she has a place in our Academy. We host induction days, a parents’ evening and our SENCo and senior staff will visit all girls in their primary schools before they transfer to us. However, please come and see us in action. We are confident you will be impressed by all we have to offer and our mission to provide the best education for girls.
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St Mary’s Road, Portsmouth PO1 5PF Tel: 023 9281 2822 Fax: 023 9287 2022 Email: info@pafg.org.uk
www.pafg.org.uk