22385 Tring School Main School Prospectus

Tring School Live to Learn, Learn to Live

“Pupils want to come to Tring School. They understand and consistently meet the school’s high expectations for good behaviour in lessons and around the school.”

Ofsted, November 2017

Welcome At Tring School the wellbeing and education of our students is the fundamental focus of every day. We strive to ensure our students develop into confident and responsible citizens who learn to lead successful and fulfilling lives.

It gives me great pleasure to warmly welcome you to Tring School and our learning community. We believe that every child can succeed in life if challenged and inspired appropriately.

A strong and tailored academic curriculum supported by outstanding extracurricular provision helps Tring School students develop as individuals with the necessary skills to be successful in adult life. We summarise this ethos into successful learners (wisdom), confident individuals (hope) and responsible citizens (comprehensive community).

Our blend of Christian values combined with creativity and innovation offers a rich environment for progress. The quality of teaching and breadth of curriculum ensures students have every opportunity to achieve the best possible standards in their examinations. We also believe it is essential to enable young people to take responsibility for leading the learning of others thus strengthening their independence and maturity.

All our students are expected to work hard and behave in an exemplary fashion. With clear expectations and a comprehensive rewards system that encourages students to do well and ensures they feel safe and able to meet the challenges we set, means that they can fulfil our motto of ‘Live to Learn and Learn to Live’.

Tring School makes a difference to young people and we very much look forward to welcoming your child to our school and becoming one of our many successes of the future.

Susanna Collings, Headteacher

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Personalised Learning Every child is treated as an individual and learns through a specifically tailored curriculum which offers them a flexible, exciting and ever-expanding range of subject choices.

Tring School seeks to provide its students with a high quality learning environment and is committed to maximising upon the abilities of each student within a broad and balanced curriculum. Students become autonomous learners through extension work and peer or self-assessment, which encourages them to stretch and challenge themselves and to aspire to achieve the highest levels.

Staff work to develop in each student a sense of enjoyment in the academic challenges they face and strive to provide a programme of learning which is appropriate to the needs of the individual regardless of their ability, gender or ethnic origin. Our curriculum encourages inclusion at all levels and promotes strong moral values and preparation for adult life and the world of work.

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Initially, students will follow a varied programme which includes: English, Maths, Science, Design & Technology, French, German, Spanish, Geography, History, Art, Drama, Music, Physical Education and Philosophy & Religious Studies.

In addition, all students will follow a Life Skills programme which includes Personal, Social & Health Education, Careers Education & Guidance and Citizenship. ICT skills are taught and applied throughout the curriculum.

The support for students with SEN is coordinated by the school’s SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) and it is their job to ensure that students with barriers to learning are identified, appropriate interventions implemented and their progress reviewed on a regular basis. Students with significant difficulties are supported by means of provision maps which are reviewed and revised as appropriate on a regular basis and parents are informed.

All students are encouraged to acquire habits of organisation and self-discipline through independent working. Home learning is recorded on Go4Schools which is visible to students, parents and staff. Home learning is monitored by departments.

“Being at this school has helped me widen my horizons through all the amazing experiences offered both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Yr 11 Student

“At Tring School we are passionate about continuously improving in everything we do; our academic results are a perfect example of this.

The government recognised our success by awarding us a huge amount of money to rebuild much of our school; this complements our ambition to go beyond being an outstanding school.”

Headteacher

The Sixth Form Within the sixth form, students receive extensive individual advice and guidance to ensure they follow courses most suited to their future aspirations and interests.

Tring School has an outstanding Sixth Form provision. We offer an extensive range of subjects to students in Years 12 and 13 and provide excellent pastoral care. Many of our Year 11s continue their education with us here at Tring School Sixth Form and we are also joined by a large number of new students.

Students are offered a range of Level 3 qualifications (A Level equivalent) in traditional and applied subject areas.

The majority of students study 3 subjects, culminating in external examinations at the end of the two year course. Some students study BTEC courses, which are externally examined in Years 12 and 13.

The large majority of our students go on to Higher Education after Year 13. Our success rate at advanced levels in recent years has meant that most students are able to go to the university or college of their choice.

We have very strong links with local companies offering Apprenticeship schemes and we offer a wide range of personalised guidance and support during Careers sessions.

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Pastoral Support There is a strong pastoral support system at the school, starting with an outstanding programme of transition from Year 6 into Year 7.

The level of care and support is then maintained throughout the ensuing years by a dedicated Student Support Team, which includes the Heads of Houses, a counselling service and the School Chaplain.

We believe that a supportive pastoral system plays an essential part in creating the orderly, purposeful and caring atmosphere in which all individuals can do their best. The school has an enviable reputation for the support it gives to students.

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Tring School operates a vertical tutoring system and new students will be placed in mixed-age tutor groups. These groups consist of students from each of the year groups in the school including Years 12 and 13. Students remain with their tutor group, usually with the same tutor, throughout their time in school.

Each tutor group is part of one of our four Houses. These are named after local stately or country houses: Ascott, Claydon, Halton and Waddesdon. Each House is supported by a Head of House who leads a team of tutors and is responsible for the welfare and progress of the students in Years 7 to 11.

The Tutor and the Head of House are responsible for overseeing attendance, punctuality and uniform. They also stress the importance of excellent standards of behaviour, monitor academic progress and maintain close contact with parents.

“The Pastoral system at Tring School ensures that all children are supported, nurtured and encouraged to take every opportunity made available to them both academically and within their House communities.�

Assistant Headteacher

“My daughter came back from the World Challenge trip to Peru a changed person. She is now better organised, communicates far more effectively, takes far more responsibility and it has enabled her to make decisions about her career.�

Parent

Enrichment The school offers a wide range of activities in and out of school and last year the large majority of our students attended one or more extracurricular activities.

There is a vast range of visits organised with the purpose of enriching learning opportunities provided in the classroom although the majority are a non-statutory part of the curriculum. Below are some of the visits that took place last year: Hertfordshire University, the Somme, Thorpe Park; Barcelona, the Ashmolean Museum and the Tate Modern, the Waterside Theatre, Iceland, Willen Lake, Christmas Truce, Science Live, Big Bang Fair, Oxbridge Conference, Hampton Court, Tower Of London, Netball, Hockey, Rugby Sports Tours; Theatre visits - Wicked - Elton John’s Glasses - The Wedding.

Statutory trips include a Biology Field Trip to Flatford Mills, a Geography Field Trip to Dorset and the majority of trips run in Leisure and Tourism, Travel and Tourism and Leisure Studies to places such as Brighton and the New Forest.

We have a wide range of music and drama opportunities for our students.

These include House competitions, many different music clubs and performances and the annual school play performed at the Pendley Theatre.

The school enjoys excellent sporting facilities including a sports hall and a swimming pool that is being extensively refurbished. We also use off-site facilities such as squash courts and a fitness centre. The school has an enviable record for sporting success. All students are encouraged to participate in physical activities both in and out of school.

There is a huge range of schools clubs and we encourage every student to join at least one of them. We believe that being part of a club broadens a student’s friendship group, helps them learn new skills and builds their self-confidence.

The school also offers a Christian Union, participation in The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and the amazing opportunities from World Challenge whose recent destinations have included Thailand, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Belize, Laos, Borneo, Peru India and Tanzania.

Every student experiences three Extended Learning Days over the year. These are built around our character development using the language of determination, curiosity, independence and communication and consist of subject delivered sessions designed to embellish the learning experience and develop the “wellrounded” student.

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“The Chaplaincy team are here to remind us that there are other ways of looking at life and also that all of our community – students and staff – are loved and cared for, in good times and in bad.”

School Chaplain

Faith & Values As a Church of England school, our faith is central to our long commitment to education. The School Prayer is said at every assembly as a reminder of the values of the school, society and the Tring community.

We have a dedicated School Chaplain who provides additional support for students and staff experiencing personal issues and challenges within school. The School Chaplain aims to demonstrate a gentle and informative understanding of the belief system which is the foundation of our society through guidance based on the gospel’s teachings, especially on truth and justice.

Admissions The school welcomes visits from parents considering applying to the school. In the autumn we hold an Open Evening and an Open Morning for the prospective parents and their children.

We are also able to make arrangements for parents to come and look around the school should they be unable to attend either of the formal events.

We have excellent links with our local primary schools which helps with the transition from primary to secondary school. All Year 6 students are invited to spend two full days with us during the Summer term to meet their peers and

teachers and these students will attend a range of transition lessons on a weekly basis during the summer term. Out of catchment students attend an additional full day during the summer term. Parents and students also come to an evening session to meet their tutor and Head of House where they receive further transition information.

The standard intake number for the school is 240 and every year we are over-subscribed with applications. The school’s Admissions Policy, enclosed with this prospectus, is administered by the Local Education Authority on our behalf.

The school also admits students to other year groups throughout the year and in accordance our Admissions Policy and if places are available.

To see the latest school examination results please visit: www.tring.herts.sch.uk

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Tring School Trust For many years, Tring School Trust has been providing additional resources for the students of Tring School.

The cost of fitting out the new buildings is going to be significant and the school will need help from the parents and the community. Note that any money contributed through the Trust will enable the school to reclaim the tax through the Gift Aid Scheme.

We wish to continue with this vital extra support and with your help we can. This is particularly important as we approach the rebuilding of the school.

The Government will pay for new buildings but not for the contents.

By joining the Trust and making regular donations you can be part of the Trust’s success story and directly help our students by providing the extras that make education fun and fulfilling. For more information please contact the Finance Office at school or email: tringschool@tringschool.org

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“Pupils at Tring School are confident and inquisitive learners.

Their good attitudes to learning help them to make good progress.”

Ofsted November 2017

Tring School Live to Learn, Learn to Live Mortimer Hill, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 5JD @TringSchool

@TringSchool

www.tring.herts.sch.uk