All Saints Academy Prospectus

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE PROSPECTUS 2018

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

In January 2017, Ofsted stated

The new headteacher has set a clear vision for school improvement. Through rigorous determination she is now bringing direction and raised expectations of both staff and pupils. ‌. The school is now improving rapidly and continues its journey to being a good school.

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL Welcome to All Saints Academy.

I am extremely proud to be the Principal of the Academy and I will work alongside the students to create an environment that encourages every member of our community to live well together.

We aspire to take dignified decisions and afford dignity to all members of our community, regardless of background or circumstance. Our position as a Church of England Academy means that the Christian faith has a central role in all of our actions and decisions. We strive for excellence in all that we do, enabling our students to transform their lives, fulfil their potential and hope for happy, successful futures.

We understand that the best progress is only achieved when teachers know their students well and plan lessons with expertise, ensuring that all become the best they can be.

We are highly ambitious for everyone and believe fundamentally that no ceiling should be placed on ability.

Our students will be happy, confident and secure so that they can make the most of all the opportunities they are given. We will work to form strong relationships between staff, students and the local community in the hope that this will produce dignified and accomplished young people who are prepared to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. We also want our parents to value the work that the Academy staff undertake and trust that their children will be placed at the centre of everything we do.

Liz Furber Principal

01

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no greater commandment greater than this.

Mark 12: Verse 31

OUR VISION FOR YEAR 7 We will give our students the best possible start to their secondary education; this begins before they have even arrived! We work with local primary schools throughout Year 6 to ensure that we have a wealth of information that we use to prepare our staff from the moment your child arrives in the Academy to ensure that they get off to a flying start.

Throughout Year 7 your child will be following a creative curriculum. This involves theme-based learning which allows fast progress to be made as all lessons will be linked. This will be enhanced by Learning to Learn lessons where students will develop their Growth Mindset through mastery of vital skills.

They will become resilient, independent learners.

Students will have more time in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science and, in addition to this, a literacy and numeracy catch-up programme will be offered to those students who need it.

We are delighted to have wonderful facilities so that our new Year 7 students can make use of our specialist accommodation, which creates an environment fit for the 21st century.

Academy staff will formally assess your child three times during the year and will make contact with you at each Assessment Point. At these times, staff will advise whether additional support, or stretch and challenge, is needed.

We will have a ‘Settling In’ parents’ evening in September where parents can meet the tutor informally and a more formal parents’ evening later in the year to meet with subject teachers.

02

WHAT DO WE WANT FOR EACH YEAR 7 STUDENT? It is very important to us that your child feels safe and secure, that they are free to learn and that they enjoy their time at All Saints Academy. We want your child, as part of this caring Academy, to fully understand their role in building a community where we can all live well together. In fact, our mission statement is ‘Living Well Together with Dignity, Faith and Hope’ and this translates into our everyday practice.

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES During your child’s time at the Academy we hope they will achieve excellence, wisdom, happiness and respect for one another. They will do this by developing the key skills of resilience, perseverance, determination and courage in the face of difficulties. In order to reflect our vision we want them to trust in, and be inspired by, our staff and have faith and hope for the future.

03

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17: Verse 20

04

OUR BUILDING AND FACILITIES We moved to our current building in 2012. We have amazing accommodation and expect that All Saints will be a most exciting learning environment for our Year 7 students.

We are continuing to develop our already excellent provision with three projects in 2017: A new Inclusion Unit for our more vulnerable students A memorial garden containing a reflection centre where students can go to reflect or talk with a visiting member of the clergy A new sixth form common room Our superb facilities include: Six science labs Four business/ICT suites Five maths rooms including a tiered Lecture Theatre for sixty students as well as a dedicated maths ICT lab A Learning Resource Centre with 30 computers Specialist studios for each of dance and drama, together with bespoke changing rooms A Recording Studio and ensemble and practice rooms Impressive rooms for art, media and music 45 Mac/Apple computers A sports exercise room A Sports Hall and a Gym A cafeteria with indoor and external dining areas A floodlit all-weather pitch A Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) We know that excellent facilities in themselves do not raise achievement. We believe, however, that our new projects will help us to fulfil our vision by making All Saints Academy a place of nurture and support where all students can develop spiritually and personally, as well as academically.

05

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

OUR SPONSORS All Saints Academy is a Church of England Academy meaning that the Christian faith has a central role in all of our actions and decisions. Our admissions criteria are fully in line with Central Bedfordshire’s joint admissions criteria but we do have support from the Diocese of St Albans (Church of England) in developing a Christian ethos across the Academy.

The Diocese provides spiritual and moral support and helps senior leaders embed the core Christian values across the Academy.

Our Christian ethos underpins our work and our relationships with each other, and the sponsors are clear that All Saints Academy is a school for students of all faiths and those of none.

This ethos is based on the values, amongst others, of hope, faith, trust, resilience, determination, wisdom, happiness and respect: all underpinned by the value of love.

We are also privileged to have the support of the University of Bedfordshire, as co-sponsor of the Academy, and they have set out to work with us in developing our staff through continuing professional development and Governance We are delighted that the University has chosen to work with us in this way. As sponsors, both the Diocese of St Albans and the University of Bedfordshire bring a unique blend of experience, expertise and support to ensure that the students of All Saints Academy get the best opportunities to outperform expectations.

06

HOUSES AT THE ACADEMY The house system has always promoted a feeling of community, support and belonging within the Academy.

There are five houses which represent qualities that we expect all students and staff to aspire to – Courage, Determination, Excellence, Inspiration and Respect – and every student and member of staff belong to one of these houses. The house qualities are embedded into the Academy through one tutor group per year group representing each house and a weekly house assembly.

Students wear newly-introduced house ties, with each house easily recognisable by a coloured stripe – red, blue, yellow, orange and black. Students are able to earn House Points throughout the year which contribute to both individual and house totals.

ELECTIVES Providing opportunities and experiences that challenge and enrich our students is an important part of Academy life.

This year, we have introduced an Electives Programme for one period per week, where both teaching and associate staff offer activities beyond the curriculum; these range from orienteering to crocheting to gardening. Students are able to choose a different activity each half term.

07

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

STARTING AT ALL SAINTS Once your child’s place for Year 7 at All Saints has been confirmed by the Local Authority (at the beginning of March 2018), we will write to you directly to keep you informed of every stage leading up to your child’s admission in September 2018.

We will continue to work directly with your child’s current school to gather information, ensuring that a comprehensive timetable is constructed around your child’s specific learning requirements.

There will be an Information Evening on Thursday 14th June 2018, when you and your child will be welcomed into the Academy. You will be given information about what to expect from us, details about our uniform, and also about our Transition Programme. There will be a series of visits to the Academy throughout the year giving your child the opportunity to experience our wonderful facilities and teaching staff.

08

ENTRY INTO YEAR 7 IN 2018 All Saints Academy follows the procedures adopted by the Local Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council. Any changes to the policy are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for Education.

OPEN EVENING We look forward to welcoming current Year 6 pupils, and their parents/carers, to our annual Open Evening on Wednesday 4th October 2017. The Academy will be open from 5.00pm to 7.00pm for prospective parents/carers and their children to look round our facilities and meet with staff and students. There will be a talk from the Principal and the Chair of Governors at 6.00pm in the Main Hall.

ACADEMY IN ACTION TOURS Tours will run on Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th October at 9.00am so that parents/carers and their children can visit the Academy during a normal school day. You will be able to sign up for these tours on the evening.

If you are unable to attend on any of these dates and would like to visit at an alternative time, please contact the Academy and we will advise you of a further opportunity to visit us during working hours.

We can be contacted at: 01582 619700 or office@allsaintsacademydunstable.org

09

ASPIRE STRIVE ACHIEVE

A5120

Houghton Regis

Bidwell

M1 Woodside Estate

To Milton Keynes

Dunstable A5 B469

A505 A5142

A5065

B4541

01582 619700 office@allsaintsacademydunstable.org allsaintsacademydunstable.org Houghton Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 5AB

To Luton