Barton Court Grammar School

Barton Court Grammar School An Academy of Excellence

“ Barton Court Grammar School is a forward thinking school that provides outstanding education.�

OFSTED

Mission

Statement At Barton Court Grammar school students are supported, inspired and challenged to achieve their very best in all that they do in order to reach their full potential and academic excellence. Students develop into independent, confident, open-minded , life-long learners ready to take their place as leaders in the 21st Century. They will develop into well-balanced, articulate, principled and responsible global citizens, with cultural and international awareness, who positively contribute to our school and the wider community.

Dear Parents C

hoosing a school for your child is often a daunting decision to make. We hope that this prospectus will give you an introduction to the high quality of education your child will receive at Barton Court Grammar School.

We are very proud to be one of the few co-educational selective schools in the country uniquely delivering high academic standards within a very caring and supportive school community. Our focus is on excellence in all that we do and excellence for all our students. This is evident in the way our community of students, parents, staff and governors all work together to provide an engaging learning environment so that each student achieves their full potential.

We all learn best when we are happy and valued, supported, challenged and encouraged, so at Barton Court Grammar School we take care to ensure our students’ education is both enriching and enjoyable.

Academic excellence is at the heart of our school, but we nurture equally creativity, personal and physical development, independence and inquiring minds. All students are individuals, and there can be no single pathway that all must be compelled to tread. Consequently, we endeavour to build a personal curriculum that will draw upon the raw talent and energy that your child brings with them to help them achieve personal success.

Our mission statement can be neatly summarised in three words: Support, Inspire, Achieve.

Each student will have a sense of this mission throughout their time at Barton Court Grammar School. We will support students as they explore their learning with confidence and creativity, and encourage them in finding a positive sense of achievement and fulfilment. Indeed all our students experience a range of opportunities when they leave us, moving on to an impressive range of degree courses and careers.

When you visit us, I hope you will appreciate not only the courtesy and confidence of the students, but also their joy and enthusiasm. Should you decide that Barton Court Grammar School is the school in which your child will flourish then we look forward to meeting you and to the next few years of our partnership.

Ms K Cardus BSc, MA ED, NPQH – Headteacher

Barton Court Grammar School

1

Academic

Curriculum

O

ur innovative and personalised curriculum is designed to meet the needs of every child offering a wide choice of high quality academic courses, including the International Baccalaureate Diploma, demonstrating our ambition to be a truly world class school.

Our compressed Key Stage 3 curriculum offers a broad and balanced curriculum and is studied over two years. Students study the full range of national curriculum subjects, including Mathematics, English, Science, Languages, Humanities, PE, Technology, the Arts, ICT and careers education.

Our imaginative and dynamic Key Stage 4 curriculum is tailored to the individual needs of each student. Our curriculum allows students to follow a unique, individual learning programme in years 9 – 11; offering students the opportunity to accelerate their learning in subjects of interest and aptitude; students can choose not to be accelerated in subjects that they feel require more time for consolidation.

In addition a combination of one year GCSE and AS courses can be taken in year 11.

At GCSE, all students will have the opportunity to study the new English Baccalaureate qualification (EBACC). This new qualification recognises students who are able to pursue a broad and rounded range of rigorous academic subjects at GCSE and this qualification is ideal preparation for post-16 study, in either the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or the AQA Baccalaureate (A Levels), and provides all students with a broad range of academic subjects upon which to build any future career.

“ The school provides students with an outstanding curriculum that effectively meets their needs and aspirations.” OFSTED

Barton Court Grammar School

3

Care, Support and Guidance

tudents, upon joining the school, are assigned a tutor group and will have most of their lessons within this group, make new friends and be supported by their personal form tutor. Within the school community each student is a member of a House providing opportunities for students of all ages to work together and support each other. Daily contact with a personal tutor ensures that your child is well cared for on a daily basis and ensures ongoing consistent support for academic development and well-being.

S

A programme of PSHEE is delivered via Personal and Cultural Studies (PCS), daily tutor periods and Focus Days. Older students often mentor younger students to help with individual subject study, organisational skills, homework and revision. Learning Mentors are also available to support students, if required, and specialist staff are available to provide careers advice, health advice and a counselling service.

The Form Tutor and Head of Year are responsible for the academic and personal progress of your child and our aim of supporting each student to develop academically and personally would not be possible without a partnership between school and home.

We value constructive communication between school and parents: our home/school learning agreement sets out how we will work together for the well-being of your child.

We welcome contact from parents at any time.

“ An excellent school. I am delighted with my children’s academic progress and the pastoral care that is offered at Barton Court.” Parent

Barton Court Grammar School

5

“ Teachers use a wide va activities and learnin engage and enthuse st OFSTED

Life-Long Learning S

tudents are encouraged to become resourceful and resilient learners who take responsibility for their own learning.

At the heart of the school, underpinning all that we do, is the IB Learner profile which is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st Century.

The IB Learner profile: inquirers open-minded knowledgeable caring

thinker risk-takers communicators balanced

principled reflective

Students are encouraged to develop a passion for learning. They are supported in developing their learning and thinking skills in order to become an independent learner able to contribute to the life of the school and its wider community.

The IB Programme is more than just an academic qualification; it is designed to encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and life-long learners.

Through the addition of the IB Diploma programme, we demonstrate our commitment to nurturing global citizenship emphasising an “education without borders�.

ariety of g styles to students.�

Barton Court Grammar School

7

Sportin and

tudents’ physical health and well-being are important and a variety of sporting activities are available. We encourage all our students to participate in an activity they enjoy. Physical education is a popular choice for both GCSE and AS/A2 level study and it is also possible to gain sports leadership awards.

S

We have an extensive range of sports clubs, activities and teams with students representing the school in local and county competitions. Clubs include football, rugby, hockey, tennis, cricket, netball, basketball, dance and athletics as well as new sports such as archery and fencing.

The new state of the art purpose built Sports Hall, in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, is used by the school daily until 5:30pm and with the expansive playing fields, tennis courts, performing arts studio and use of Polo Farm Sports Club and the local swimming pool we are able to offer a wide range of sporting activities, at all levels, to meet the needs and interests of our students.

ng opportunities outstanding facilities

Barton Court Grammar School

9

“ Students’ personal development and well-being are outstanding.” OFSTED

Opportunities for Creativity

S

tudents are encouraged to be creative in performing and visual arts subjects within the curriculum and through extra-curricular activities.

There are many opportunities to perform before audiences in school and in the community; whether students are on stage or responsible for tasks such as scenery, lighting, or costumes, everyone has a chance to take part and develop their individual talents. There is a busy programme of productions, performances, displays and outings throughout the year. The production of “Oliver!” was a great success.

Evidence of students’ creativity is seen in the vibrant displays of art work on the walls of corridors around the school.

Music has been a strength of the school for many years and there are many concerts and events for students to be involved with, whatever their level of musical ability or taste in music. Opportunities to play in classical concerts at the school, in Canterbury Cathedral in the school’s annual Christmas Carol Concert or popular events such as Battle of the Bands and Barton Courts’ Got Talent.

Barton Court Grammar School

11

Emerging

Technologies

21st

Century technology allows students to explore learning in highly individual ways. Our online learning platform provides 24-7 learning all year round support for learning tasks and individual exploration.

All students develop their own personalised online learning profile; this is used for exchanging views on various topics as well as submitting work for assessment.

Within lessons students are expected to be actively engaged using the advantages of the electronic whiteboards as tools for solving problems and creating ideas.

Barton Court has state of the art ICT suites in the ICT block, Library, Sixth Form Centre and in the “old House�.

“ Students say that they feel extremely safe and secure and know that there are always members of staff to support and help them.� OFSTED

Barton Court Grammar School

13

“ The language specialism is leading the way in many initiatives in the school and is making an increasingly strong impact on all aspects of school life.� OFSTED

Global

Perspectives

W

e are an IB World School and a Language Specialist Status School, and we expect all our students to recognise that they are global citizens. Students at Barton Court will feel part of their community of close friends and are encouraged to feel part of both the school and wider local and international communities.

Charitable fundraising enables students to identify with others in need of support; cultural visits abroad include the annual trips to France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

We also welcome many international students that join our school Sixth Form to study the IB Diploma.

“ Students see themselves as global citizens and this is demonstrated by the harmonious relationships among the growing proportion of European students and other students.� OFSTED Barton Court Grammar School

15

Raising Aspiration Delivering Excellence

“ The school is a happy and harmonious community where students are motivated to achieve as well as possible and develop into confident and successful young adults.� OFSTED

ons,

W

e have high expectations for all our students to enter our school sixth form, where they are joined by external students, many of whom are international students, keen to benefit from our excellent reputation, academic standards and unique curriculum offer.

We are proud to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma in our Sixth Form. This is a prestigious, world class post- 16 qualification; an alternative to A Levels. Its reputation is global and is seen as a benchmark in high quality education. The IB mission statement aims “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people�.

However, we also offer a wide range of Advanced level courses and the AQA Baccalaureate to ensure maximum choice.

Students interested in applying for Oxbridge or Medical School have an individualised programme tailored to their needs to give them every chance of success in these competitive areas.

Often a quarter of the year groups stand for election for School Prefects, and all students participate in some way as leaders and role models, as form representatives or as organisers of school clubs and events.

Overall, our Sixth Form enables all students to become life-long learners and to be fully prepared for the demands of university and employment.

Barton Court Grammar School

17

Barton Court Grammar School An Academy of Excellence Longport, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1PH Tel: 01227 464600 Fax: 01227 781399 Email: office@bartoncourt.org www.bartoncourt.org