Woodcote High School - Prospectus for 2024 entry

Senior Leadership Team

Executive Principal

Mr Andy Crofts

Deputy Principal Pastoral

Mrs Michelle Edwards

Deputy Principal Curriculum

Miss Philippa Bigden

Assistant Principals

Mrs Marcia Blair

Ms Tania Carolan

Miss Wendy Case

Mr Regan Deale

Ms Allison King

Ms Tahera Patel

Mr Alex Scott

Values

At Woodcote High School, we work collaboratively within The Collegiate Trust to deliver the shared vision of an ‘exceptional education for all.’ We passionately believe that ‘Learning Changes Lives’ and are determined that through our school values of excellence, responsibility and aspiration, all students will develop to their full potential during their time at Woodcote High School.

Woodcote High School students will leave the school well-prepared for the next stage in their education, and equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and resilience to ensure they can contribute positively to society, and have access to further life-long learning opportunities. We will foster understanding, tolerance and mutual respect whilst producing confident, capable and respectful young people.

The Woodcote High School ASPIRE programme is part of our drive to improve standards and student achievement. Ultimately we believe it will improve the experience that all members of the Woodcote community have during their time here.

Our ASPIRE programme helps us achieve greatness every day in our own learning and personal.

"The values of ‘excellence, responsibility and aspiration’ are at the heart of the school’s work."

Ofsted 2024 “

WWoodcote High School is on an exciting journey, building on a record of strong academic success. We have high aspirations for all students, both pastorally and academically, and are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Students leave Woodcote equipped for integration into society as well-rounded, respectful, global citizens able to make valuable contributions to their communities.

Students live by our ASPIRE values of Ambition, Self-reliance, Perseverance, Inquisitiveness, Respect and Enthusiasm. We have developed our curriculum to be academically rigorous and foster a culture of success.

Our purpose is excellence. We are robust in the delivery of lessons, enthusing a thirst for knowledge and developing confident, critical thinkers who embrace challenge. In exceptional learning environments, we meet the needs of all our students, supporting them in their academic journey.

Our students become independent, inquisitive individuals with enquiring minds that feed enthusiasm and provide lifelong enrichment. In partnership with The Collegiate Trust, we provide students with a world-class education.

HStudents perform best, and work with confidence and motivation, in a positive learning environment in which they feel that their work is valued and that effort is noticed.

Our Praise and Reward scheme is linked to academic achievement and recognises progress, participation, excellent work, test results or consistent effort over a period of time. The Principal holds “Rewards Breakfasts” once a term to celebrate students’ successes.

Students enjoy their parents/carers being informed of good work and staff regularly send home positive praise postcards so that those at home are immediately aware of these successes.

Year group praise and reward systems are in place including “Woodcote Stars” and “Raising the Bar”, which feed into celebration assemblies and prize draws. Students receive certificates, prizes and trophies for their achievements in a termly wholeschool assembly and a Praise and Awards Evening at the end of the summer term, to which parents are invited. An annual Sports Awards Evening is held to reward the considerable sporting achievements in the school.

Woodcote High School is part of the Jack Petchey Foundation Achievement Awards Scheme - a recognition and rewards initiative that enables us to celebrate our students and receive additional funding.

“Leaders have high aspirations for the pupils."

SMost new students settle-in to Woodcote High School extremely quickly. By the end of the first week, they know their way around and feel part of the Woodcote family. But a small number of students feel anxious about the move to a new school. Our Taster Day in July is very effective at relieving such anxieties. A few nerves are normal and for most, these soon disappear.

For students who take longer to settle-in to life at Woodcote, we have a variety of support mechanisms. Our tutors are experienced in spotting signs of undue stress and work with individuals and their parents to help them settle. Our dedicated Pastoral Team includes five Learning Mentors and a full-time counsellor, who work one-to-one with students to help them acclimatise to secondary school.

If students encounter difficulties at home or with friendship groups, or have to deal with bereavement or other challenges, the Pastoral Team is here to help. A fully trained counsellor works one-to-one, confidentially, to support students who are experiencing mental unwellness or who need help to work through barriers to learning.

In addition, our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team provides similar support for students who find learning challenging. Small literacy and numeracy groups are run for students who need this support. Where necessary, teaching assistants are available for in-class support as well as support for our SEND students during public examinations.

We are very lucky at Woodcote High to have an Enhanced Learning Provision for students who are mobility impaired. A dedicated team looks after their needs offering support with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy where required.

AWoodcote High School is a welcoming environment where students are supported to maximise their potential and to see the connection between what they learn today and who they want to become tomorrow. High aspirations are the centrepiece of our school’s culture and many students aspire to continue their academic journey in our Sixth Form.

Our last full Ofsted report (March 2018), noted that, “Strong leadership, positive relationships and high quality teaching are contributing to the growing success of your sixth form.” Woodcote Sixth Form is an environment where all students can achieve the success they desire.

Students are encouraged to look beyond their current horizons and are provided with significant opportunities to develop their talents and interests through the enrichment programme and extra-curricular activities. Many adopt leadership roles within the school and play an active part in our Student Leadership Team and Student Voice.

Woodcote Sixth Form is committed to securing progression into higher education, apprenticeships and employment through high quality pastoral support, pursuit of academic excellence and wide-ranging extra-curricular provision.

We offer opportunities to gain qualifications and employment skills that are matched to the needs of individual students and prepare them both for their next steps and future lives. Great care is taken to ensure that students have tailored curriculum pathways that are right for them, including a wide choice of A Level and Level 3 vocational courses.

For full details of the wide range of courses we offer, join us at an Open Evening or visit our website.

SWe support our students to develop the skills they require to become self-reliant. This is a crucial part of the journey towards a bright and successful future.

Our programme of form-time activities, assemblies and bespoke workshops helps students develop a greater awareness of what it means to be selfreliant and build the confidence required to take control of their own future. We encourage students to develop their powers of analysis and to exercise their own judgement to make positive choices.

In school, areas that particularly benefit from having self-reliance are attendance & punctuality, and homework.

Attendance & Punctuality

Success at school depends on students being punctual for lessons, every day of the academic year. Students who have attendance level above 95% perform significantly better in public exams. We are proud of our students’ record of attendance, which is currently better than national averages.

To help keep attendance and punctuality high, we recommend that students set off in good time to get to school by 8.25am, dental and medical appointments are made outside school hours and family holidays are not taken during term time.

Homework

Students spend around 950 hours a year in formal curriculum time. Just one hour of homework per night adds 190 hours to this total – an increase of 20%. The school regards homework as an integral aspect of learning.

The purpose of homework is to:

Encourage students to develop the skills, confidence and motivation to study effectively on their own

Consolidate and reinforce skills and understanding developed at school

Manage specific demands, such as memorising content for public exams

Keep parents and carers involved

Homework is shared with via our online portal ‘ShowMyHomework’.

PWe carefully monitor the progress of students, to ensure that they are on track. We have created a unique system for measuring student progress across all key stages using a model that: identifies each student’s strengths and areas for development moves away from grades so that skills/knowledge are the focus shows how students can progress, generating specific ‘closing the gap’ feedback statements allows students to fine-tune where they should invest additional time and focus

The model, depicting an 11-16 journey must be understood by all stakeholders:

Key Stage 2 performance data and CAT (Cognitive Ability Tests) assessments, to set end of year 11 targets

An achievement “flightpath” for each subject: Mastery, Secure, Developing, Emerging Woodcote Assessment of Student Progress (WASP) reports containing information about the student’s flightpath, progress measures, and learning characteristics (including attitude to learning, behaviour for learning and independent learning).

Throughout their time at Woodcote, students are carefully tracked to ensure they make the very best progress possible and to ensure that any targeted intervention or support has a positive impact on progress and attainment.

In every year group, the starting point for assessment is the child, not a predetermined set of skills. Observations are analysed to highlight achievements, interests and learning styles which then shape the learning experiences for each student. Parents’ contributions to the assessment process are valued. Students are involved and encouraged to express their own view of their achievements and goals. There are formal opportunities for parents/carers to meet their child’s teachers each term.

IStudents joining Woodcote High School experience a broad and balanced curriculum that is designed to engage them, stimulate inquisitiveness and promote their learning. On starting in Year 7, students study 15 diverse subjects as listed below:

Maths

Science

English

Art

Computing

Drama

Design Technology

French or Spanish

Food and Nutrition

Geography

History

Music

PSHCE

Philosophy and Theology

PE

All subjects in Year 7, except science and maths, are taught in the same mixed-ability teaching group. There is a strong emphasis on adopting a ‘growth mind set’ so we expect students to persevere and show resilience in their learning opportunities. As students progress through the school, they are put into sets for maths, science, modern languages and English. In Year 9, students choose their GCSE option subjects.

Woodcote Sixth Form offers students the chance to continue their studies with full support for university applications or other career pathways, including apprenticeships. In the last full Ofsted inspection, the report praised the curriculum choices available and stated, “Inspectors found that pupils have the opportunity to follow a wide range of arts and technology courses, alongside academic subjects. Pupils spoke very positively about the choices available.”

Alongside the curriculum, we encourage students to satisfy their inquisitive natures by joining and participating in the many extra-curricular clubs on offer or take part in trips and visits that complement their learning. There are opportunities to satisfy a range of student interests – something for everyone!

RAt Woodcote High School, we encourage and expect respect in its widest sense. Fundamentally, we respect each other – staff, students, parents and visitors, by being courteous in our manners and how we speak. We avoid singling people out, making hurtful comments or ostracising anyone.

Woodcote welcomes diversity. We are a fully inclusive school and value people for who they are and the talents and skills they bring to our community. We do not discriminate on ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, the way someone looks or perceived differences. Discriminatory language is avoided at all times, including that said as a ‘joke’ to friends.

Our students respect learning by ensuring that they focus on their work in lessons and do not cause any disruption that takes them away from learning and achieving, or affects the entitlement to learn of other students. Respecting learning also means not defacing books or equipment.

We respect the environment, making sure that we use the many bins provided and do not drop litter. We are aware of our impact on the wider world and encourage students to consider how they can minimise their impact and act in a more sustainable way.

Respect is highlighted and encouraged through many of activities including assemblies, form time, visits, external speakers, displays and, of course, in lessons.

Being respectful helps Woodcote remain a tolerant and happy place in which to learn and work.

“Pupils with physical disabilities are fully integrated into the school, and they are positive about their learning and support.”

EEnthusiastic students develop a passion for pursuing dreams and staying on their path to success. At Woodcote, they are urged to foster an internal driving force that propels them to push through challenges, to try new things, or take risks firm in the knowledge that they can overcome whatever they encounter. They are supported in making choices that are guided by their mission to succeed, refusing to allow themselves to become distracted or to lose track of their goal. As a consequence, they are inspirational; they believe in themselves; and enjoy sharing their hopes and dreams with others.

Students are offered numerous opportunities to build self-confidence. They may volunteer or be chosen by their peers to represent their form in our “Student Voice”, in which they can help bring about positive change in our community. They are encouraged to be passionate about ways in which they can contribute to the development of the school.

Many students show their enthusiasm through involvement in charitable work. They initiate and get involved in fundraising to support charities of their choice and those of the staff and school. Other students develop and demonstrate self-confidence by planning for and leading year group assemblies.

Learning at Woodcote is founded on embracing challenge, taking risks and resiliently working towards making progress. Students enjoy the challenge and persist, knowing that occasional failures allow them to identify areas for development and are always a source of learning.

Extra-curricular clubs offer our students opportunities to develop new passions, to hone talents and to share their enthusiasm with others. Students make free choice of the clubs they wish to join and build teamwork skills as they work toward common goals. For full details of the clubs on offer, visit our website - www.woodcotehigh.org.uk .

Partnerships

The Collegiate Trust

Woodcote High School is part of The Collegiate Trust, which works in Croydon and Crawley, educating children and young people from 3-19 years of age with a clear vision to deliver exceptional education for all. Such an education achieves excellent outcomes in student progress and attainment, a rich creative, cultural and physical learning experience, and great personal and social development for all students.

More information about the trust can be found at www.tct-academies.org.

The Woodcote Way

Through hard work and with positivity, Woodcote High School takes pride in developing respectful, resilient, successful students who use their initiative and embrace challenge as they develop skills essential for lifelong learning. Our community promotes integrity, embraces friendship and provides support so that all enjoy school.