Tamworth Academy Booklet

The proposed Tamworth Academy science and business enterprise

Consultation Booklet

Welcome Thank you for taking an interest in finding out more about the proposed new Academy, which we are provisionally calling ‘The Tamworth Academy’.

As sponsor of this Academy, The Landau Forte College Trust has been invited by the Local Authority, Staffordshire County Council, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families to consult on our proposals.

The proposed 11–18 Academy would open in September 2010 replacing Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College. During 2010-2011 the Academy would operate in the school’s existing buildings.

Initially the Academy would retain all Woodhouse students including sixth form students until September 2011. At that point the Post 16 students would transfer to the new Academy Post 16 centre with the 11 – 16 students remaining at the Woodhouse site but transferring into the new building. The Post 16 Centre will be located on part of the current Queen Elizabeth Mercian School site adjacent to the South Staffordshire College, Tamworth. The Academy would have 960 places for children in Years 7 to 11 and the Post 16 Centre will provide for up to 900 students (currently options for 740 and 900 students are being considered). It is important to emphasise that the Post 16 provision will be available to students from all Tamworth schools. The Academy will provide first class accommodation and the latest facilities for both the effective high quality education of students and for wider use by the Tamworth community.

The final name for the Academy is to be determined during the Feasibility Stage.

The Academy will have two specialisms to enhance the curriculum: Science (including Technology) along with Business & Enterprise.

I hope that you find this booklet informative and helpful in giving you a flavour of what the Tamworth Academy would be like. We are very interested to hear your views on our proposals and on the back page of this document there are details of how you can participate in this consultation.

Martin Landau – Sponsor

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The Academy Trust The Landau Charitable Foundation and RF Forte Hotels & family are the founding sponsors and Trustees of the highly successful Landau Forte College, the Academy in Derby. In October 2008 Landau Forte College was judged ‘Outstanding’ by a team of HM Inspectors who carried out an Ofsted Inspection.

The mission of the Trust for the proposed Tamworth Academy is:

“In partnership with parents/carers and the wider community including business and industry to provide a high quality education motivating and enabling students to learn, achieve and to develop the skills and capability to succeed in all aspects of their lives.”

Through exchange of best practice and lessons learned the Academy would benefit from being part of the Landau Forte College family of schools. In addition to the Trust’s existing community, industry and business partners in Derby and the East Midlands, the Trust would seek to build similar relationships with responsible partners in Tamworth and the surrounding area. Establishing strong relationships with the world of business, industry and the wider community would provide real life contexts for student learning, developing their understanding and insight into the expectations and challenges of the wider world.

The Trust would appoint governors to oversee the running of the proposed Tamworth Academy, and would secure local representation and accountability from business, industry, education and the wider community.

Vision for the Academy The vision for the proposed Academy is to further raise the hopes, aspirations and ambition of students, their families and the local community by: • Generating raised expectations, self belief, self esteem and confidence focusing upon high quality teaching and learning, standards of attainment and achievement, individual student care and support to transform the education of the young people served by the Academy.

• Providing outstanding opportunities for young people to develop healthy and active lifestyles, enjoy their learning and achievement, act and behave safely and be well prepared for adult life in a rapidly changing society.

• Promoting high standards, self and mutual respect, good conduct and behaviour.

• Developing an educational organisation of which the students, staff and local community is both proud and feels part of and of which they make extended use.

• Creating a culture which celebrates success within and beyond the Academy, for example in securing greater numbers of students progressing to higher education or employment with training.

• Striving to become an Outstanding school within 3 years of opening through high attainment, achievement and standards, the pursuit of outstanding teaching and learning, high quality curriculum provision and broader activities, the personal development and well being of students, the care and guidance given to students and by the excellence of leadership and management.

Ethos & Culture In fulfilling the Academy mission, Academy students would become: • Well qualified and confident • Capable and Adaptable • Independent and Autonomous learners • Self reliant and, as importantly able to work productively and positively with others • Marketable and employable and/or have the capacity and entrepreneurial spirit to become self employed • Responsible and respected citizens.

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What will the Academy feel like?

• Student learning, attainment achievement, and well being will be at the centre of everything the Academy does.

• There will be a ‘can do’ attitude in the Academy. This will be underpinned by high aspirations and ambition for both students and staff.

• There will be an expectation for everyone to have a desire and commitment to learn and improve.

• Students will be encouraged to be self confident, adopt a pro-active approach and to take responsibility for their actions.

• There will be strong relationships between staff, students and families which are based upon trust and mutual respect.

• The Academy would be a ‘single status’ organisation with shared facilities for both students and staff, such as the restaurant and social spaces.

• Each phase of the Academy would be housed in an integrated building providing a stimulating and welcoming environment designed and fit for the 21st Century.

• The language and vocabulary used to describe practice within the Academy will be actively used to promote the learning culture e.g. learning session, learning base, gatherings, student, and tutor.

What would the school day be like?

• The Academy would operate a continuous and extended day with opportunities for extension and enrichment activities. The Academy facilities will be available to students from 7.45am to 5.45pm with breakfast and lunch breaks to promote a healthy approach to eating and lifestyle.

• There would be flexible periods of time for learning with no bells or buzzers to start or end learning sessions encouraging students to take responsibility for their punctuality and preparation for learning.

• The Academy would operate a 5-term year to provide approximately equal and consistent periods of learning which would facilitate a modular approach to curriculum design, delivery, teaching, learning and assessment. Importantly, this would provide evenly spaced breaks for students and staff and remove excessively long breaks. (Note that the current 3 term year may be in place during the first year of operation of the Academy from 2010 and 2011).

Would there be a new uniform?

• Yes. There will be a new uniform and business dress code for students and staff as we want everyone to be proud to belong to the Academy.

• Students who are currently at Woodhouse School will receive the new uniform free of charge.

• We would like to consult students and parents before the uniform is finalised.

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What would the curriculum be like?

The Academy’s all ability 11-16 provision would have a clear emphasis on Mathematics, English and Science for all students. Communication and international understanding would be enhanced through the opportunity to study Modern Foreign Languages. The curriculum would have added richness, cultural diversity, and broadened knowledge and understanding through its Science and Business Enterprise specialisms, the study of Technology (inc.

Design Technology, Art and Design, ICT), Humanities (inc. RE, Geography, and History), the Performing Arts (inc. Music Dance and Drama), Physical Education, and Sport. Students would experience strands across the curriculum in PHSE and Citizenship. Both GCSE and vocational qualifications will be available. It is envisaged the Academy will work in partnership with the TORC Centre to deliver some vocational pathways. The curriculum will be personalised to match the needs, aptitudes, interests and abilities of students.

The Academy’s Post-16 Centre would specialise in Level 3 provision providing progression routes for 16 year old students at both the Academy and across the 11–16 schools in the area.

These would be complementary to the work in the South Staffordshire College. The provision would include a broad AS and A2 Level programme; International Baccalaureate; 14-19 Diploma lines in Science and in Business, Finance, and Administration, reflecting the Academy’s specialisms, and Pre-university modules to stretch the most able. The curriculum would be underpinned by a core programme providing Key Skills, Individual Careers Advice and Guidance, and opportunities to elect into areas such as Critical Thinking, General Studies, Community Service, Enrichment and Enhancement programmes including Enterprise, Sport, the Performing and Visual Arts, and Modern Foreign Language modules.

Students would be able to achieve formal qualifications for their studies, however, high value would also be placed upon learning outside of the traditional qualification framework through the recognition of achievement and the celebration of success in individual, club, and team activities in areas such as the Performing Arts, Sport, Outdoor Education (inc. Duke of Edinburgh Award), Cultural, Enterprise, and Community Service.

Specialisms All academies are required to have a specialism. The proposed specialisms at the Academy are Science and Business & Enterprise.

These specialisms will permeate the whole curriculum to enhance learning in every subject.

• Science provides a critical framework to promote students’ understanding through inquiry and investigation of the world in which we all live, the potential for rigorous study which would underpin and support their learning in the wider curriculum, scope for the development of highly valued skills, knowledge, understanding and the acquisition of formal qualifications both academic and vocational which would lead to increased employability or access to further and higher education.

• Business & Enterprise will encourage students to understand the key concepts of the business world ranging from personal finances through to the operation of small, medium, and large businesses. It will promote an enterprise culture and ‘can do’ approach across the Academy where students are able to participate in key decisions as to how the Academy is run. Business and Enterprise would offer formal courses leading to recognised academic and vocational qualifications supported by enterprise and work related activities across the Curriculum and Extension programme.

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Teaching & Learning In teaching and learning at the Academy there will be: • A clear focus upon the needs of the individual student in terms of their learning, attainment, progress and achievement.

• Intervention and support provided where necessary.

• Flexible approaches to teaching and learning including the embedded use of technology as a tool for learning.

• A clear focus upon both assessment for learning and of learning (inc. use of technology) to improve learning, attainment, progress and achievement.

• Regular reporting to parents/carers using data and accurate information to focus discussion, support and action.

Student Care & Support Features of the Academy systems for the care and support for students would include: • Through Vertical Personal Tutorial Systems (11–16 and 16–19) provide progression, student stability, enable peer mentoring, promote strong student relationships across the age groups and enable effective partnership with parents/carers to support the individual student.

• Focus upon the individual student with the setting of individual, challenging targets with effective monitoring and tracking of students.

• Provide additional mentoring for individual students with strong support systems and networks with external partners and agencies in place for those students at risk.

• Ensure that ‘student voice’ would be systematically organised, encouraged, expressed and listened to through the Student Council and Personal Tutorial groups.

• A Student Incentive scheme to recognise and reward achievement and effort would be embedded in curriculum and wider Academy activities.

• Ensure clear expectations and procedures for managing behaviour through positive reward and action systems.

• Provide impartial and effective advice and guidance for learning pathways, careers, further and higher education.

New Buildings with First-class Facilities As part of the proposal, the proposed Academy will benefit from a multi-million pound investment in buildings across both sites.

The first-class facilities will provide a stimulating and welcoming environment designed and fit for education in the 21st century and will feature: • Flexible and modern learning bases • Industry standard computing and communications technology • The latest technology and equipment for media and arts • State-of-the-art science laboratories • Sports Hall and outdoor sports facilities • Theatre and Performing Arts Facilities • A Learning Centre and Library would be at the heart of the Academy to promote regular and frequent use in developing independent learning skills.

Post 16 Centre The proposed Academy will have a brand new purpose built Post 16 Centre housed on the QEMS site, with up to 900 (TBC) places for students across Tamworth. A student’s future prospects are greatly enhanced by a high quality Post 16 education; it is the intention to establish progressing into Post 16 education as the norm for Academy students, not the exception. Equally the Post 16 Centre will provide opportunity to students from all secondary schools across Tamworth.

Although the Post 16 Centre is on a separate site from the Academy 11 – 16 site it will benefit from the principles and practice established throughout the whole Academy. It will present exciting opportunities and raise aspirations for the whole Academy and the local community by: • Providing a visible high profile centre of excellence for Post 16 learning.

• Providing students exceptional opportunity through AS/A2 Level, International Baccalaureate and Diploma Pathways to become well qualified and aspire to education and employment including places at the best universities and with leading employers.

• Post 16 students being positive role models to the younger students and wider community providing a lead through their efforts, achievement, success, good conduct and behaviour.

Admissions

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The proposed Academy will be free of charge and open to students of all abilities and backgrounds. All students currently on roll at Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College (and those who successfully apply for places in Year 7 in 2009) will automatically transfer to the new Academy in September 2010. The Academy would serve the current Woodhouse catchment area. In future years, if oversubscribed it is proposed that priority will be given to children who are in care, children from the current Woodhouse catchment area and siblings of students already at the Academy. Applications will be made through the Common Application Form provided and administered by Staffordshire County Council. All applications for places will be considered and an independent appeals procedure will operate.

Admissions (age 16) The Academy would be committed to ensuring that both internal and external demand for admissions can be accommodated and that all students who apply for a place and who meet the minimum entry requirements by choice of course will be admitted.

Governance The Academy Trust will appoint a Board of Governors who will oversee the running of the Academy. The Trust will endeavour to secure as Governors the services of competent and relevant representatives from local business, industry and education within the community. The Academy Governors will include a parent representative and representative from the Local Authority. The day-to-day management will be the responsibility of the Principal. Over the coming months we will work closely with the existing Governing Body and Woodhouse College parents in developing our plans for the Academy.

Community Focused The Sponsor’s objectives are to create a new Academy that will serve both the needs of its students and contribute to the regeneration of the locality by providing a range of extended services designed to promote an aspirational, supportive and caring community.

The Academy would play its part in supporting Staffordshire County Council’s Manifesto for Change and the priorities in its Children and Young People’s Plan, participating fully in the Council’s plans for integrated children’s services as they are developed for Tamworth.

The Trust would also seek to serve its wider adult and family community contributing to lifelong learning through community education programmes and enabling community groups from all sectors, including the voluntary sector, to access its facilities. The Academy would seek to work collaboratively with primary schools offering for example, master classes in key areas of the curriculum, and with secondary schools and other Post16 education and training providers in striving for a coherent high quality overall provision for the young people and wider community of Tamworth.

Consulting People Locally Before a final decision on whether or not to open the Academy is taken we want to hear the views of the local community so that this Academy truly reflects the needs of the community it serves. We want to hear from anyone with a stake in the Academy. Whilst we are keen to hear any views or thoughts on the proposal, the areas we would particularly like your feedback on are: • Vision and ethos • Curriculum • Specialisms • Teaching and Learning • Student Care and Support • Post 16 • Governance • Community use of the new building If you would like to participate in the consultation, please fill in the questionnaire on the back page and return it, FREEPOST, to: Richard Payton Senior Project Manager, The proposed Tamworth Academy EC Harris LLP, Baskerville House, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2ND.

Community Meeting: A Community Meeting to outline our proposals in more detail, and to answer questions on the proposal, will take place on the evening of 18 March 2009. The meeting will take place at the Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College, Highfield Avenue, Amington, Tamworth, Straffordshire B77 3JB, and it will start at 5pm and 7pm (two sessions). Landau Forte College site visit: Groups of parents and teachers will be invited to visit the Landau Forte College in Derby.

Further Information Further information on this proposal, including a list of frequently asked questions and answers can be found on-line at:

www.tamworthacademy.org.uk If you have any questions about the Academy proposal, please contact:

info@tamworthacademy.org.uk

Form Please complete this slip and return by 10 April 2009 to: Richard Payton / Senior Project Manager The proposed Tamworth Academy EC Harris LLP, Baskerville House, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2ND

Your Name Surname ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

First Name(s) ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Your Address Flat No. .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

House No. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Road Name ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Postal Town ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

County ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Country .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Post Code

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1. I agree with the proposal to open a new Academy in this local community.

Yes

No

2. Which of the following categories do you fit into? Please tick one.

Parent or carer of a pupil at Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College

Parent or carer of a pupil at a local primary school or secondary school

Parent or carer of a pre-school child

School staff

School governor

Other

3. The proposed Academy will want to build on the current school’s links with the wider community and share its resources. Which of the following facilities would you be interested in being able to use? Please tick as many boxes as you wish.

Education (such as adult evening classes)

School hall or other meeting room facilities

Computer and technology equipment

Indoor sports facilities

Outdoor sports facilities

Other – please specify

4. How far is the proposed Academy from where you live?

Less than 1 mile

1 mile

2 miles

3 miles or more

5. Please specify your age

16-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60+

6. Do you have any other comments or questions?

Please feel free to use extra sheets if you wish. ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Alternatively you could e-mail your comments to the project manager at: info@tamworthacademy.org.uk

Extracts from the Ofsted Report dated 23rd October 2008

Landau Forte College is a high performing Academy. A culture of equality and opportunity permeates it and ensures that students make outstanding progress in both their academic and personal development. The curriculum is broad and innovative. The flexible curriculum pathways, including a wide range of vocational options, enable students from many different backgrounds to develop their strengths, aptitudes and interests. Extension and enrichment activities are excellent. Expectations of student involvement and participation are high. Students contribute outstandingly well to the community, in a variety of ways. Success in all aspects of life at the Academy is widely celebrated and, as a result, students grow in confidence and self-esteem. Staff work in productive partnership with students, parents, the local community and industry. The strong focus on partnership working and a proven track record of success drives the Academy’s outstanding capacity to improve further.

Excellent care, guidance and support contribute to students’ outstanding personal development and well-being.

Students are healthy and they report that they feel safe and enjoy their time at the Academy. Their attendance is well above that found nationally. Good teaching, combined with the outstanding curriculum, encourages high levels of achievement and standards. Lessons are generally planned well and capture students’ interest.

Learning is enriched and supported by new technologies. Resources are used very well to enhance learning, for both learners within the Academy and those in the wider community. There is a good emphasis on the world of work, through, for example. the Academy’s excellent business links and the careers programme. Standards in English and mathematics, as well as in information and communication technology (ICT) are high. Students, as a result, are outstandingly well prepared for their future economic well-being. The proportion who leave with no employment to go to, or who are not continuing in some form of education or training, is very low.

The principal and senior managers provide strong leadership in the drive for continuous improvement. Governors give a very good balance of challenge and support. They hold the Academy to account. Thorough monitoring and evaluation procedures involve staff at all levels.

The Academy has strong and established partnerships, which serve to extend its role in the wider community. For example, in supporting adult learning and work with local primary schools on ‘master classes’ for literacy, numeracy and ICT. Staff and students are proud to be part of this successful Academy. The overwhelming commitment to achieving the best outcomes for all students is also recognised by parents who speak highly of the social and academic progress their children make.

www.tamworthacademy.org.uk