Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Prospectus

ASPIRE • ACHIEVE • EXCEL

Welcome Welcome to our prospectus. We would like to invite you and your child to become part of our vibrant, caring and supportive community. At the Math we aspire to excel in all that we do including in both the academic and co-curricular spheres of school life. Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School is a selective boys’ grammar school with a co-educational Sixth Form. The school has 1200 pupils on role and admission is via the Medway test for Year 7 entry. The school was established following a bequest from Sir Joseph Williamson in 1701 and therefore can claim more than 300 years of educating some of Medway’s most able young people.

“ The school’s values and high aspirations are clearly reflected in the students’ outstanding personal development and well-being.”

Ofsted

This prospectus provides a flavour of the school, but further details are available from the school website www.sirjosephwilliamson.medway.sch.uk

Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

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Academic Excellence

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Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

The school has a track record of superb academic performance at both GCSE and A level. Whilst we never lose sight of the fact that we are here to educate the whole child the school is rightly proud of its success in public examinations and it regularly features in lists of the most successful schools in the country. These outcomes are achieved through consistently excellent teaching and feedback provided by a team of highly trained subject specialists. The school also prides itself on interventions and support that are provided to ensure that all pupils are able to succeed. There is an extensive array of mentoring opportunities as well as additional classes and personalised support.

“ The school’s strengths lie in its culture of striving for the highest possible academic standards, its concern for helping students do the very best that they can and its great sense of community.”

Ofsted

Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

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SUPPORT AND CARE

“ As parents of a new year seven pupil it’s wonderful to see him enjoying school the way he does.”

Year 7 Parent

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Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

All students at the school are treated with care and respect. This starts before the new Year 7 intake arrives at the school with every Year 6 entrant visited in their current primary school so that the transition to secondary school can be explained and their questions answered. This encapsulates the school’s pastoral approach which is pro-active and designed to ensure that any concerns are quickly addressed so that nothing can get in the way of our young people having a great experience of school in its widest possible sense.

Students are organised into Year groups and Houses which promote their sense of community and belonging and provide a mechanism through which pupils can compete, not just in sport, but musically, academically and in many other areas. Dedicated tutors support each class and they themselves are assisted by dedicated pastoral teams to look after pupils’ welfare and to ensure their academic progress. A recent independent parental survey showed that 98% of parents would recommend the school to another parent whilst of new parents, 69% felt the school had lived up to their expectations and 27% felt it had exceeded their expectations.

Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

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Extraordinary Experiences

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Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

At the Math we are dedicated to ensuring extraordinary experiences both inside and outside of the class room. The curriculum is designed around our students needs with an emphasis on demanding academic subjects which we see as the best possible route to both University and future employment. Whilst the content may be seen as traditional, its delivery makes best use of both up to date technology and also pedagogy.

“ Students thrive within the school’s distinctive ethos, enabling them to succeed academically and to develop into confident, well-rounded individuals who are prepared extremely well for their future lives.”

Beyond the classroom there is a spectacular array of additional opportunities for all pupils to become involved in. Typically more than 70 visits run each year. The destinations for these vary from local visits to Rochester to as far afield as Barbados. Recent years have seen trips to Iceland, America, Spain, Italy and many other destinations.

There are also phenomenal opportunities through the Duke of Edinburgh scheme with upwards of 20 pupils gaining the gold award most years and more than 100 Bronze. There are also hundreds of sporting fixtures, a wide array of academic and artistic competitions, the House System and a multitude of clubs to become involved in.

Ofsted

Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

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Preparing for the Future Pupils are expected to stay on at school for seven years and for most the Sixth Form is the highlight of their time at the school. With additional opportunities to take on extra responsibility and the chance to specialise in a smaller number of subjects students excel in the higher years at the school. The vast majority of pupils go on to further study at University with an increasing percentage attending prestigious Russell Group Universities. In almost all years all pupils progress on to further education, employment or training due to the excellent careers advice that all pupils receive, both in selecting their courses, but also through the execution of their studies.

At the end of Year 6 the new entrants Open Evening supports the transition into the school.

There are further options prior to the start of GCSE courses and at the time of A level selections. Further to this there are Next Steps Evenings from Year 10 onwards each year to help prepare students, and their parents, for the next stages of their education.

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Sir Joseph Williamson’s mathematical School

Dr G Holden – Chief Executive of The Williamson Trust Mr E Hodges – Headteacher Maidstone Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3EL

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T: (01634) 844008 F: (01634) 818303 E: office@sjwms.co.uk www.sirjosephwilliamson.medway.sch.uk

www.thewilliamsontrust.co.uk