Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Welcome Dear Parents, Carers and Students, Welcome to The Victory Academy prospectus. We hope that in the coming pages you will gain a flavour of what we offer as a school and would invite you to come and see us in action to truly gain a sense of our school. The Victory Academy is sponsored by The Thinking Schools Academy Trust and is part of a family of local schools including The Rochester Grammar School, Chatham Grammar School for Boys and New Horizons Children’s Academy. At The Victory Academy we are committed to transforming the life chances of our students, ensuring that all of our students are supported and encouraged to achieve their personal best. We aspire for our students to develop their academic and life skills, so that they are equipped and ready to be successful when they leave school. We pride ourselves on our caring and compassionate ethos which enables
our students to grow in a supportive atmosphere conducive to their development. Where students need additional support we will look to meet their needs through our well-resourced pastoral system, and in partnership with our local schools can offer a bespoke programme for any pupil with specific aptitudes and interests, including the most able. At The Victory Academy we believe that students need the right tools to be successful at school and in life. Therefore, we are becoming a Thinking School, accredited by Exeter University, which means that students learn how to use a variety of thinking structures to support their learning. We have first hand experience that children who think for themselves can be successful in life irrespective of their starting points. The school has a thriving extra-curricular programme with many opportunities for students to grow their talents. In the sporting arena the school has a wide range
of very successful teams ranging from Football to Basketball to weight lifting. We are working towards becoming a specialist Arts School and regularly have outstanding student productions, dance shows and exhibitions. We look forward to welcoming you to The Victory Academy. Please contact the School Office to book an appointment, tour or find out about Open Events.
Mandy Gage, Principal
Stuart Gardner, Executive Principal
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Aspire At The Victory Academy we work closely with students to help them see their potential and work towards their personal best.
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Every child has their own personal talent that needs to be nurtured and developed. The school works with students to help them identify that personal talent and ambition and then sets about supporting students in achieving their goals.
For many other students their talent may relate to the performing or visual arts. The school supports a large number of students through music lessons and stages a number of excellent productions and exhibitions every year.
For some students their talent will relate to academic potential. Our close association with local grammar schools means that we can provide excellent support to the most able students in the school and ensure they are appropriately challenged to achieve their full potential.
For others the sporting arena is their focus for success and the school has excellent facilities to support and inspire students in a variety of sports and activities. In this way, every student at The Victory Academy is challenged to think about their future and consider what they are working towards.
“Students told inspectors that they felt safe and well supported by the staff at the academy.� Ofsted
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“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.� Vince Lombardi
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Endeavour We all know that in order to be successful we have to invest the time and effort necessary for us to achieve our goals. Therefore, at The Victory Academy we support students to develop the right habits and skills to be successful not only at school but in life. Aristotle identified that “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” At The Victory we identify and work consciously on effective habits of mind with students to help them develop the right habits to be successful. In addition, we provide students with training in a variety of Thinking tools that students will use in their lessons to support their learning. These include: Thinkers Keys, Thinking Maps and De Bono’s Thinking Hats. In this way students are supported and provided with the right tools to enable them to work successfully towards their personal best.
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Achieve Whatever the student’s talents or abilities the school strives to grow the whole person. Our focus on supporting the whole person is why we believe in giving young people responsibilities and opportunities to pursue their passions throughout their time in the school. These opportunities are rich and diverse and include drama groups and productions; dance troupes; the school orchestra; the Visual Arts Society and many sporting opportunities and teams such as football, rugby and weightlifting. In this way, students develop their own passions and develop key “soft skills” of leadership, teamwork and independent action that are critical to their long term success. In addition to these many activities we also nurture, support and encourage every individual’s talents. We have international competitors in areas as diverse as singing to submission wrestling. Whatever your ambition, at The Victory we will support you in achieving your goals.
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“The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is good.” Ofsted
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Community At The Victory Academy we believe that students need to feel part of something special. Each student belongs to a House and engages in House competitions and activities. Through this structure students develop close bonds and key skills such as collaboration, teamwork and resilience.
In addition the school runs a host of events during the academic year including: International Women’s Day; Public Services Day; Great Men workshops; Sports Day and Dance Shows.
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
The Creative Arts The Arts are part of our cultural heritage and highly valued at The Victory Academy. Those who have studied learning processes throughout the ages, beginning with Plato, have emphasized the importance of The Arts in education.
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We believe that all students should be given the opportunity to increase their self-esteem, to cultivate selfdiscipline and, through rich and diverse creative experiences, work actively and constructively with others.
Our Arts provision, both in the curriculum and beyond, provides our students with specialist tuition, innovative practices and a real insight into employment opportunities within the creative industries.
“The academy’s work to promote all aspects of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective.” Ofsted
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
A Foundation for Thinking To be a student at The Victory Academy is to be special.
We plan for each student to fully develop their thinking skills so that they do not only think about Geography and Physics or Mathematics, but learn to apply their thinking to the world at large. As a school committed to becoming a “Thinking School” accredited by the University of Exeter, we aim to provide all students with ‘thinking toolkits’ to map and organise their learning experiences. These tools allow students to approach their learning in different ways. They encourage flexibility, creativity and critical thinking.
Students will not just ask “What is the right answer?” but “What are the different ways I could approach this problem?” Each student will develop habits of perseverance, flexibility, open-mindedness and teamwork, which they will carry with them beyond their time at The Victory Academy.
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Advanced Technologies The Victory Academy has outstanding facilities for students to use to support their learning. We have four well resourced computer rooms that students can access as well as an Open Access computer area in the Art and Design and Technology Area. In addition, many departments have their own mini-ICT suites with technology specifically to meet the needs of the subject – for example, powerful Apple computers for the latest music and media software. In addition every classroom has an electronic whiteboard to enable teachers to use the most interactive and engaging media with their students. At the Victory Academy, students are able to enhance their learning by harnessing the latest technologies in a creative and exciting manner.
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“Students are courteous and welcoming.” Ofsted
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“The Thinking Schools Academy Trust is providing effective support to the academy’s leadership to support the improvements in the quality of teaching and student progress.” Ofsted
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Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve
Thinking Schools Academy Trust At The Victory Academy we believe that students need to feel part of a successful Trust. The Victory Academy is part of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT) which is a highly successful and respected Trust comprising both Primary and Secondary Schools. We believe we are ‘stronger together’ and our primary aim is to improve the life chances of all our children and young people.
committed to an ethos of excellence and a whole school integrated approach to cognitive education. We are passionate about the difference this makes in nurturing adaptable and resilient thinkers. Indeed, through this approach to the teaching of thinking, we believe it “makes learning irresistible”.
Our Trust comprises a number of secondary and primary schools from Medway and Portsmouth that are all
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Magpie Hall Road, Chatham ME4 5JB 01634 303005 office@thevictoryacademy.org.uk www.thevictoryacademy.org.uk