St. Peter's Collegiate Academy Prospectus 2024

SERVICE RESPECT ASPIRATION

Our values at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy

Welcome to St Peter’s Collegiate Academy

St Peter’s Collegiate Academy is a coeducational Church of England Academy for students up to age 18 that has been serving the City of Wolverhampton since 1847. As a faith comprehensive Academy it has an established, inclusive community representing the richness and diversity in Wolverhampton.

Easily accessed from the city centre, the Academy offers foundational places to students practising their faith, while the majority of our places do not require a faith reference.

Our core aim is to support our students in their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, allowing them to flourish as lifelong learners seeking to love God and serve the community. To fulfil and exceed this mission we continually adapt our curriculum to ensure our students are fully prepared for their next life stage. Our curriculum is knowledge-rich helping to empower students to become curious, independent and proactive members of society.

Sport, music and the arts are cornerstones of our enrichment provision, adapting to the needs of our students. Over the last two years we have invested heavily in basketball, establishing a Basketball Academy. Along with football, netball and athletics, basketball has become a high-quality provision at the Academy with our teams regularly winning local leagues, and our students selected for teams representing the city, county and England. Similarly, our music provision is highly regarded with students in Sixth Form attending from across the city. Our teachers are highly experienced and talented musicians, working with peripatetic teachers to offer a broad range of music lessons. St Peter’s is committed to reducing the costs of music tuition for its students with 1 in 5 playing an instrument.

We seek to work in partnership with leaders across the city to support the community we serve. Through effective partnerships we can provide the appropriate care and challenge to fulfil your child’s God given potential, encouraging them to ‘give themselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour is not in vain’ , 1 Corinthians 15:58. Every child has the potential to affect society positively. St Peter’s can help this to become reality.

Mr T Mullen-Furness Principal

Academy Values SERVICE RESPECT ASPIRATION

Mission Statement

‘Our core aim is to support our students in their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, allowing them to flourish as lifelong learners seeking to love God and serve the community.’

Our Core Aims

Education

To empower students to become curious, independent and proactive members of society through a broad and rich curriculum, delivered both in and outside of the classroom.

Faith

To provide an environment guided by the life and teachings of Jesus that ensures students become caring, ethical and responsible contributors to society.

Relationships

Students learn to establish, nurture and value strong relationships built upon mutual respect, tolerance and compassion.

Equality and Diversity

To enable all pupils to think, speak and act inclusively so that all members of the community can be treated equally, fairly and with dignity.

British Values

To understand and embrace the values of our diverse and modern British society, ensuring that we all play a collective role to care for our environment and our community.

Careers

To prepare and equip our students with the knowledge, skills and characteristics required to be successful in the ever changing careers of our modern world.

Our curriculum is central to our core aim and is relevant to the needs of modern day Britain – balancing faith and academic rigour with a realistic understanding of students’ personal, spiritual and social needs.

Curriculum

KS3 Curriculum (years 7, 8 & 9)

Our Key Stage 3 provision is built on a strong academic core based around the National Curriculum.

We operate a three year Key Stage 3 in order to meet the developing needs of students effectively, with our subject offering including Mathematics, English, Science, Computer Science, Geography, History, PE, Art, Design Technology, Modern Foreign Languages, Drama, Performing Arts, Music, Religious Education, Citizenship and PSHE.

This ensures they are provided with the breadth and depth needed to succeed at key stage 4 and beyond. Our curriculum provides a secure foundation to make informed and considered choices when options are taken.

A full curriculum is provided that follows the National Curriculum programmes of study. This leads to both academic and vocational qualifications in Key Stages 4 and 5.

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum is built around a strong academic core of Maths, English, Science, Religious Education and History or Geography. PE and PSHE also form part of students timetable which is completed with students’ option subjects.

We continue to provide a broad curriculum with flexible pathways for individual students to achieve the best outcomes they can. Students’ experiences are tailored to develop their strengths, aptitudes and interests and to aid, support and encourage them in their next steps. We aim to balance an academic curriculum with enrichment opportunities to enable our students to be prepared and best-equipped for their roles as future citizens.

Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form)

ixth Form students study three A Level or Level 3 subjects chosen from a suite of 39 subjects. Some of these include: Sociology, Product Design, Further Maths, Economics, Engineering, Film Studies, Health and Social, Languages, Physical Education, Travel and Tourism.

Curriculum Equality and Diversity at St Peter’s

At St Peter’s Collegiate Academy, equality and diversity is promoted through an inclusive curriculum offer. We aim to educate the whole person, so that each may be enabled to unlock their full God-given potential.

‘The Christian Union is an excellent environment providing the opportunity to experience Christian fellowship in an interactive, encouraging atmosphere. It allows students to come together to live out, explore and share their faith with others.’

LIVE LIFE! LIVE FAITH!

Christian Distinctiveness

‘Love

(Mark 12:30-31)

As a Church school, grounded in Christian ethos, our prayer is that we encourage a natural and relevant exploration, experience and expression of Christian faith centred on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, across all areas of the school community.

These commands of Jesus (recorded in Mark’s Gospel) underpin our core school aim and provide the foundation as to what it means to live out a life of worship and purpose as we encourage and enable each other individually, and collectively, to love God and serve the community.

At St Peter’s Collegiate Academy, we seek to engage in Christian worship that is intentional, inclusive and inspiring in order to guide and enable spiritual growth to effectively Live Life! Live Faith!

Therefore, we actively encourage:

The exploration of Christian faith based on biblical teaching and practices.

Opportunities to engage in different experiences of Christian worship, both personal and collective, using Anglican traditions as well as through contemporary expressions of worship, prayer and times of reflection.

The expression of Christian faith through the practical applications of our Christian ethos through charitable acts and service within the school and the wider community.

Our Chaplain and members of the Chaplaincy Team are on hand to advise, help and support students and staff in planning and leading worship, in order to demonstrate our Christian ethos across the school.

Currently, Eucharistic celebrations are held at key times throughout the school year, notably Christmas and Easter, with Year 7 and Year 12 also independently attending their own respective Dedication and Welcome Service at the start of their journey at St Peter’s. These celebrations give everyone the opportunity to experience worship in Church.

There is also an active Christian Union, open to all year groups that meets weekly, after school, providing a more focused opportunity to encourage one another in the living out Christian faith within the school

the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength and love your neighbour as yourself’

Pastoral care including Safeguarding and SEND

St Peter’s is a truly inclusive school in which every student is supported so that they can fulfil their God-given potential. In order to ensure that all of our students are able to access every part of academy life we offer a wide range of provisions.

For our students with Special Educational Needs we have a wonderful department led by our SENCo and Deputy SENDCo who offer a variety of interventions for those pupils who need a little extra help, including mental health and well-being support, alongside provisions to support students in their learning.

The mental health of our students is of paramount importance to us. We have staff who are responsible for supporting students to maintain positive mental health and they support students through the GRASP programme, Emotion Literacy Support, Behaviour Mentors through ‘Think for the Future’, Drawing and Talking and Lego Therapy. We also have our amazing therapy dog, Finley! Our Mental Health Support Team in school is supported by the NHS, which includes our Educational Psychologist and access to CAMHs.

Safeguarding sits at the heart of everything we do at St Peter’s. We have a named Designated Safeguarding Lead, with two deputies. These members of staff are always available to speak to, should you, or your child wish to. Every member of staff in the school is safeguarding trained and are highly proactive in taking steps to keep your children safe.

We have a very close working relationship with a range of agencies, such as Wolverhampton Strengthening Families, Base25 and Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation for additional support, if required.

Finley

We are delighted to have Finley, our dog mentor, as part of our pastoral team.

Finley works with specific students focussing on mental health, attendance, punctuality, self esteem, confidence and so much more. He is loved by staff and students alike. Finley has passed the required training and has his Bronze certificate meaning, he has been assessed to work in school. Clever dog!

At St. Peter’s, we pride ourselves on having high aspirations and expectations of our students so they can be successful in all aspects of their lives – spiritually, academically, in society and in the world of work.

To achieve this, we recognise that our young people require rich and varied opportunities to develop their cultural capital. Ultimately, by constantly challenging and engaging our learners, we can help them to become the best that they can be, thus achieving their full God-given potential.

We believe there to be six key ‘cultural capital’ building blocks that form the foundations upon which our young learners flourish and develop into independent, driven and successful individuals:

Educating the Whole Child

Personal Development

Debate and discussion built into departmental curriculums

Enrichment and Enhancement activity programme

Teaching and Learning cross curricular calendar/events

Careers and Information, advice and guidance provision

Employability skills, including work experience

Personal, Social and Health Education provision

In school pastoral support

Transition support including Year 6 to 7 inductions

Work to develop confidence

e.g. public speaking and interview skills

Mental Health & well-being provision

Links to external organisations such as the Wolves Foundation, National Theatre

Discovery Days

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Sixth form passport

Celebration and achievement assembles

Social Development

Anti-bullying and safeguarding policies and strategies, including the Student Anti-Bullying Charter

Personal, Social and Health Education provision

Student volunteering and charitable events

Student Voice – Head Boys and Girls and School Council

Nurture Group

Mental health support

Links with specialist outside agencies

e.g. Sister2Sister, Wolves Foundation Business engagement programmes including enterprise challenges

Spiritual Development

The Religious Education curriculum; Our collective acts of worship and reflection; Christian Union;

Celebration and recognition of individual faiths; Inter-faith and faith-specific activities and speakers; Visits to religious buildings and centres;

Classes and worship assemblies with speakers focusing on spiritual issues;

Links with other schools especially feeder primaries;

Links with St Peter’s Church including for our school Eucharist services

Links with feeder churches e.g. St. Jude’s, St. Joseph’s

Physical Development

The Physical Education curriculum

Healthy eating policies and catering provision

The Health Education dimension of the PSHE programme, including strands on drugs, smoking and alcohol

Activity-based trips and residentials, e.g. multi-activity tours, Duke of Edinburgh Award

Sports and wellbeing enrichment and enhancement activities at lunchtimes and after school

The celebration of sporting achievement in school

Cycling proficiency training

The curricular programme related to food preparation and nutrition

Advice & guidance to parents on all aspects of student lifestyle

The promotion of walking or cycling to school

Links/partnerships with local sporting clubs

Basketball Academy

Moral Development

The Religious Education curriculum

Restorative behaviour approaches used in school

Contributions to local, national and international charitable projects

Exploration of moral issues through Teaching and Learning calendar, reading initiatives and through our whole school curriculum

Promoting British Values

Cultural Development

Culture Days through which we celebrate our own rich and diverse culture

Access to the Arts including film, music, dance and drama

Our Enhancement and Enrichment programme and events such as concerts and shows

Access to the languages and cultures of other countries through the curriculum and trips and visits as well as our calendared Culture Days

Promotion of racial equality and community cohesion through the school’s ethos and by embedding equality, inclusion and diversity into our curriculum

Teaching and Learning calendar to deepen our understanding of the wider world Partner school with the National Theatre

Links with other schools abroad

Lectures and information sessions run by external speakers

e.g. Speakers for Schools

‘The music department has given me and so many others such great opportunities and memories.

It also provides us with a chance to join orchestra and bands, going on tours abroad and making new friends.’

Enrichment and Enhancement Programme

Our belief is that life outside the classroom is vitally important. Educating the whole person means that at St. Peter’s the calendar is full of rich and diverse enrichment and enhancement activities. The staff at St. Peters are keen to offer activities that students will engage with and enjoy, enabling them to unlock their full potential. Students embrace the exciting range of opportunities on offer and enjoy the out of classroom activities.

A timetable of enrichment and enhancement sessions, for all year groups is put together to support students’ academic progress and attainment.

Education at St. Peters, however, is not just about exams and exam results. We have always sought to educate the whole child. The programme we provide has many non-academic sessions and aims to give students opportunities to learn and explore beyond the classroom, developing new friendships across their year groups.

The academic departments run a range of school visits locally, nationally and internationally. Students may visit theatres, take part in fieldwork in South Shrophire, visit galleries in London or Paris or fly off to Iceland with the Geography Department.

St. Peter’s has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in music. Our Concert Band, Big Band and Choir have performed in prestigious venues in the UK, in Europe and in the USA. Our excellent Drama Department has a long history of outstanding productions which are peformed in our Hayward Theatre.

The PE Department runs successful teams in a wide range of sports plus a large number of our students take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and a significant number of them make it all the way through to the Gold Award.

Careers

The Careers Education Programme at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy seeks to positively support all of our students to acquire the educational, social and employability skills necessary for lifelong success in a diverse and changing world of work.

We will seek to motivate and inspire students to consider all opportunities open to them within and outside St Peter’s Collegiate Academy.

From Year 7 and through to Year 13, students will participate in our Careers Education Programme, that is primarily delivered within their PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) lessons and supported by information and activities in their subject areas and also by enrichment events. Staff are encouraged to highlight and raise the profile of careers within their subject area. Whole year group events are further additions and are often delivered through live web events or by outside providers.

Throughout their time at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy students receive talks about different career pathways including employment, apprenticeships and university. Students will also have the opportunity to visit universities and different types of workplaces. All students in Year 10 and Year 12 are required to complete a one-week work experience in the summer term.

Students will have 1-1 sessions with a careers adviser at key points during their St Peter’s journey. At this time, they can talk about their ideas for the future, explore the range of options after they have finished their GCSEs and Level 3 courses and plan the steps to achieve their aspirations. Students can expect advice and guidance that is personalised, comprehensive and impartial.

We aim to enable our students to raise their aspirations and make informed choices about their future learning and career pathways.expect advice and guidance that is personalised, comprehensive and impartial.

‘My time at St Peter’s was very happy. I am on the way towards my chosen career now, taking away lots of great relationships with staff and friends.’

A message from the Three Spires Trust Chief Executive Emily Verow

St Peter’s Collegiate Academy is a proud member of Three Spires Trust, a Church of England Multi Academy Trust which is committed to lead education for ‘life in all its fullness’. This means the flourishing of all children and adults in our academies who themselves, work together in a vibrant ecology focussed on the flourishing of all.

We seek to provide a flourishing education system which places children instinctively at the heart of our decision making. Developing independent learners who are equipped, resourced, and empowered to see the future through eyes full of hope, developing the potential to transform a world that their teachers cannot yet imagine.

Service on behalf of all our communities and young people flows from an ambition to provide an enriching holistic experience; never compromising educational excellence but recognising that at the heart of education lies the pursuit of the spiritual, ethical, intellectual, relational flourishing of children, teachers and communities. It is our vision for all children to enjoy education; to learn and grow in a wide variety of well-designed curriculum experiences, across a broad range of subject disciplines. Blending the academic, vocational and technical so that children move on from school with an expansive vision, compassionate character and unconditional love for their neighbour.

As a Trust we plan for the future with hope and optimism. We continuously take risks to improve the life chances of children, are bold and vocal in our ambition for what education can look like and unapologetic in our relentless pursuit of ‘life in all its fullness’ for every child and adult.

SERVICE RESPECT ASPIRATION