SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
Rushden Academy is part of the Tove Learning Trust –a highly successful and growing multi-academy trust
Mission
Rushden Academy provides opportunities for all students to aspire, explore and succeed.
Principal’s Welcome
Dear Parents, carers and students,
Our school mission is to provide opportunities for all students to Aspire, Explore, and Succeed. This mission, along with our school values (Serve, Thrive, Aspire, Resilient, and Respect) are at the heart of our learning journey.
Rushden Academy takes pride in its strong sense of community and collaboration. At Rushden Academy, we aim to provide our students with an education which offers a rich and ambitious curriculum combined with a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. Our positive working ethos is embedded into all that we do, supporting our students to be inquisitive, creative and confident learners. We value each of our students, nurturing and encouraging them to reach their potential.
We value learning as a lifelong experience. We believe in challenging students in every activity that they undertake and that they perform best when they are educated in a safe environment. Our staff care about our students and take time to listen to their views.
The school has an ethos of personal achievement, responsibility and leadership combined with mutual respect for all members of our community. We celebrate the many talents and skills that each and every student brings to our school.
We provide all students with opportunities to develop their individual character and believe that a strong and supportive partnership with parents is crucial to students’ happiness and success. This is achieved through regular communication about progress and an excellent pastoral care system.
The academic standards of the school are high and superb extracurricular opportunities complement learning during the school day. Our community prides itself on high standards of behaviour.
Rushden Academy is a delightful place to teach and has dedicated, well qualified specialist staff and ambitious, talented and hardworking students educated to meet the challenges they will face in an ever-changing world. We are an open and welcoming school with an enormous amount to offer.
Rushden joined the Tove Learning Trust in 2018. We are a closeknit family of schools that have a shared vision and purpose: to deliver outstanding educational experiences that lead to inspiring outcomes. Each academy has a strong individual identity and tailors their educational provision to serve their local community. Academies within the Trust collaborate to share expertise and maximise opportunities and experiences for our staff and students.
We are very proud of our school and our thriving school community.
Jonathan Firth Principal
Our School & Values
At Rushden Academy every student will develop outstanding character and become successful, self-assured and responsible citizens.
Values
Together we are Team Rushden. We recognise individual strengths and collectively celebrate shared goals. We achieve success by actively living by our Rushden STARR values of Serve, Thrive, Aspire, Resilient, and Respect.
At Rushden Academy, our mission is to provide opportunities for all students to Aspire, Explore, and Succeed. Guided by our vision - where every student develops outstanding character and becomes a selfassured, responsible citizen - we embrace the following core values:
Serve – We encourage students to contribute to their communities, support one another, and make a positive impact.
Thrive – We create an environment where every student can grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
Aspire – We inspire ambition, determination, and the pursuit of excellence in all areas of life.
Resilient – We empower students to embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and persist with confidence.
Respect – We foster a culture of kindness, inclusion, and integrity, where everyone is valued.
Through these values, we create a school environment where every student is inspired to Aspire, encouraged to Explore, and empowered to Succeed. By embedding character, confidence, and responsibility into everything we do, we are preparing future leaders who will positively shape their communities and the world.
#TeamRushden
In everything we do, we aim to provide an environment in which students experience a high quality, broad and balanced education
Curriculum
All students excel at different things and we work hard to ensure that students have the opportunity to nurture and develop their individual skills and talents through a rich variety of subjects. We invest heavily in the performing and creative arts where many of our students truly excel and our sensational school productions provide an opportunity for students to shine.
Teachers work tirelessly to ensure that all students receive the highest quality of education by ensuring that lessons are challenging, wellplanned and adapted to meet the needs of individual students. We promote positive attitudes and challenge students to consistently push themselves beyond their comfort zone in order to reach the next level.
Students are very well supported to overcome personal barriers so that everyone can succeed.
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that not only delivers the content students need to excel in today’s society, but it also develops their imagination and promotes a culture of curiosity. “ “
Beyond the taught curriculum, we offer a wealth of extra-curricular clubs and experiences to broaden students’ horizons and nurture new and existing talents.
We passionately believe that it is our duty to meet the needs of all students and are fortunate to have an Ethos Team based in school who provide a wealth of support to students and their families. We have a special well-being area and provide extra numeracy and literacy support to ensure that learning needs are addressed swiftly so that students have every chance to be successful.
Supporting students with reading is a high priority as low reading ages can present significant barrier to learning; our librarians are fiercely dedicated to promoting a love of reading and can find a book to spark the interest of even the most reluctant reader!
The curriculum is engaging. Each subject has a clear learning journey to build effectively on prior knowledge and skills
KEY STAGE 3
(YEAR 7 - 9)
This provides the foundation for any child’s achievement. The transition from primary to secondary education is marked by a move to subject specific teaching staff.
The school provides a curriculum that is balanced and meets the needs of Rushden Academy students. All students study English, Maths, Science, Information Technology, Physical Education, Humanities (Geography, History and Religious Education), Creative Arts (Art, Photography and Graphics), Performing Arts (Drama, Dance and Music) and Languages (French or German). All students in year 7, 8 and 9 have a timetabled personal development lesson each week.
KEY STAGE 4 KEY STAGE 5
(YEAR 10 - 11) (YEAR 12 - 13)
Students at Rushden Academy complete a two year Key Stage 4, starting their GCSE/ BTEC examination subjects in year 10. students will build upon their knowledge and skills from Key Stage 3 when they enter Key Stage 4.
Students follow a core curriculum of English, Mathematics, Science, Personal Development and Physical Education. In addition, students take a range of options which allow them to pursue individual interests and strengths.
The Options process starts in March of year 9. students are given guidance on the choices available and the appropriateness of courses for them through Parent’s Evening, the year 9 ‘taster Options’ lessons and the Options Evening.
A significant proportion of our Year 11 students continue their education in the Sixth Form and they are joined by an increasing number from other schools and locations. Study options are varied; a broad range of academic and vocational choices are complemented by courses which deliver skills and understanding which may be applied in a variety of contexts. These combinations are intended to prepare students for their individual futures, whether that is entering the world of work, degree apprenticeships or preparing for university.
Extra-Curricular and Enrichment
We aim to provide many and varied opportunities so that every boy and girl at Rushden Academy aspires and is able to realise new interests and achieve great things!
We have an extensive lunchtime and after school extra-curricular programme ranging from debates to lively sporting activities. Every day the library is buzzing with students, there are opportunities to play board games, join in with quizzes and if preferred to have quiet time in the book club.
Every subject offers something to do, there is absolutely no way you can be bored at Rushden Academy as there is something for everyone, and if you think of something that we may have missed we will endeavour to get that going too.
Competitive team sport is popular with regular fixtures against local schools. We have athletics, badminton, football, netball, rounders and rugby school teams.
Trips and experiences:
• Duke of Edinburgh
• Performing Arts theatre trips and backstage experiences
• STEAM Visits to Northampton University
• Warwick Castle History Trip
• Archeological digs at Chester House
• Charity trips to India working with our partner charity Salt of the Earth.
Students are also encouraged to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme
We have an excellent reputation for developing skills and increasing participation in drama, music and physical education
Pastoral Care
Each student at Rushden Academy is assigned to a Form Tutor whose priority is the general well-being of the students in their care. Tutors are the first line of contact and support our students as they take a holistic approach to the progress of each young person in their group. On a regular basis tutors receive reports about the achievements of each student and they know their students well.
Study Skills and Homework:
We support students in being engaged in learning both within the classroom and at home, and aim to maximise a student’s potential. The skills that we aim to develop over the course of the time in school will help students later on in life. Our support includes;
• Supportive homework policy
• Access to a range of online learning platforms, including Tassomai and PiXL
• Targeted both in and out of the classroom
• Study Club where students can access IT support and staff expertise
• Tailored Study Skills sessions for each year group
SEND:
The SEND department at Rushden Academy is made up of a diverse and skilled set of staff. We work in collaboration with parents, staff, and students to ensure a holistic approach to supporting students with special educational needs. We have provisions including our SEND Intervention Hubs, The Retreat, and Nurture Room. Our dedicated teaching assistants work closely on a 1:1 basis with selected students, supporting students across the curriculum and helping to build positive relationships which allow students to gain confidence.
EAL:
We are committed to supporting students for whom English is an additional language (EAL). Our tailored provision includes bespoke specialist teaching to ensure that students develop their language skills with confidence. We offer targeted group interventions designed to accelerate progress, in addition to 1:1 support with students as required. Our experienced EAL team works closely with students to provide structured support, enabling them to thrive academically and socially within our inclusive school community.
Pupil Premium:
Our Pupil Premium funding allocation is outlined in our Pupil Premium Strategy Statement which is available on our website. Our aim is always to improve outcomes for our students. Parents can check eligibility for Free School Meals and access to the Sixth Form Bursary through our website. Our canteen and Snack Shack use a biometric system to ensure it is not explicit who is in receipt of Free School Meals.
Preparation for the future
During their time at Rushden Academy, students are inspired and nurtured to achieve their full potential. They are supported and prepared to take their place in society as self-assured and responsible citizens.
For many of our students, university will be the next stage in their education. Staff at Rushden Academy are highly experienced in guiding students towards the choices that are right for them as individuals. Careers advice and guidance is available at all key stages through our PSHE programme and external partners to support and advise students through the transition to higher education or to employment.
There is a comprehensive programme of career and work related learning. Work experience is an established part of our offer for Yr 10 and 12 students with multiple opportunities to engage with local employers and companies at KS3 too
An
extensive range of opportunities are provided through our enrichment programme
Moving from Primary
Working with our feeder schools, we place a high importance on making sure the transition from primary to secondary school is handled sensitively and effectively.
Rushden Academy recognises this as an important milestone and aims to make the transition as smooth and problem free as possible with a mix of open days and evenings, tours, visits to primary schools, induction days and information evenings.
Tove Learning Trust
Tove Learning Trust was established in 2016 with a mission to create a collaborative network of schools that inspire education that lead to outstanding outcomes. Since May 2018, Rushden Academy has proudly been part of the Tove Learning Trust family.
“Our aim is to make each school a safe environment for our students, equipping them with the confidence they need to be successful, resilient and respectful members of society” Jamie Clarke, CEO - Tove Learning Trust.
The trust family of schools includes primary, secondary and alternative provision education. We work across three regional hub areas in Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes and the West Midlands. These schools share best practices with each other to strengthen their skill set, deliver outstanding teaching and learning, and enhance the outcomes of students.
The trust recognises that each school has its own unique personality, values, and ethos. They support and nurture this individuality, ensuring that their core beliefs remain unchanged. www.tovelearning.org.uk
Rushden Academy, Hayway, Rushden, Northamptonshire. NN10 6AG t: 01933 350391 e: info@rushden-academy.net www.rushden-academy.net RushdenAcademy
www.tovelearning.org.uk ToveLearningTrust ToveLearningTrust
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