The Ursuline Academy Ilford - Prospectus

Prospectus

Message from the Headteacher

“Ursuline is such a special place and is a warm, supportive learning community with a caring family ethos. We are honoured to be part of a worldwide family of Ursuline schools. We are extremely proud at how our whole community; staff and students come together to do our best and achieve amazing things.�

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Thank you for your interest in our school. I hope that this prospectus gives you some insight into who we are and what we stand for.

The Ursuline Academy Ilford is a four form entry Catholic comprehensive school for girls aged 11-19. Students who come here join a community that is committed to success.

The school was founded by the Ursuline Order in 1903 and has been providing high quality education and pastoral care ever since. The school has a strong sense of community underpinned

by Gospel values.

Visitors regularly remark on the purposeful working atmosphere in which all are expected to do their best. We have an inclusive and community-focused ethos of which we are very proud.

Our pupils are welcoming, engaging and articulate. They are ambitious for the school and for their own life beyond it.

Each year the school reserves 90 places for students from practising Catholic families and 30 for students from other faith backgrounds who are supportive of and fully committed to the Catholic ethos of the school. Each form class is mixed ability and contains a mixture of students from Catholic and non-Catholic backgrounds.

Further details on can be found on the Admissions page of our website: www.uai.org.uk We look forward to welcoming you to our Open Evening and Open Afternoon events.

Yours sincerely

Headteacher Keran Reilly, BSc (Econ) PGCE NPQH Headteacher

Our Mission We are a Catholic community of faith, love and service rooted in the spirit of St Angela. Through Christ and the Gospel and in our diverse community we strive to provide an environment for young women to flourish, spiritually, academically and socially. Together we are The Ursuline Academy Ilford.

To help bring this about Governors and staff at the school commit themselves to: • Recognising the value and uniqueness of every student we teach • Ensuring that the school is a safe place to be and one where the interests of justice are served • Creating a community which is inclusive, one whose basis is mutual respect and equality • Maintaining the long tradition of trust, cooperation and courtesy • Generating good order and discipline based on sound relationships between staff, students, parents and carers • Nurturing the religious and intellectual lives of our students through curricular and extra-curricular activities • Inviting parents and carers to play an active role in their daughter’s development, academically, spiritually and morally.

“The Ursuline Academy Ilford is a melting pot of different cultures, religions and races, this environment creates a unique and stimulating learning experience.

This school has instilled in me the core values and qualities needed to flourish both academically and socially.”

- Head Girl

Our Ethos We are a vibrant faith community inspired by our founder Angela Merici, whose motto was “Serviam” - I will SERVE. ‘Serviam’ lies at the heart of our daily routine and practice. We aim to empower our girls to learn, to lead and to serve. As Angela Merici faced new challenges by looking for new possibilities, so too are we committed and called to do things in new ways to ensure that the young women in our care are offered a nurturing and challenging educational environment in which they can learn and grow and develop the confidence to go out and make a difference in our world.

“Do something, get moving. Be confident, risk new things, stick with it and then be ready for big surprises” - St Angela

The Seven Golden Rules of SERVIAM Strive to succeed S - work hard to be the best you can be!

Equip yourself to learn E - prepare for lessons. Bring the required books and equipment.

Respect yourself, others and your environment R - we want our school to be a bully free zone!

Value everyone’s right to learn V - listen to your teachers and each other!

Instructions - follow instructions, I in and outside the classroom, immediately and positively.

Arrive to school and lessons on time A - in correct uniform, worn with pride!

Make a difference M - by making a positive contribution to our school and environment!

“We are very pleased and grateful for the care that our daughter receives in school.

She has grown in confidence and enjoys being at Ursuline�

- Parent

“We really appreciate the time, care and effort that school staff have directed to our daughter’s education” -

Parent

Celebrating Success At the Ursuline Academy Ilford we celebrate individual attainment and acknowledge and reward the achievements of our pupils and staff. As well as its record of high academic success, the school also has a fantastic reputation for its musical accomplishments and sporting prowess. Achievement assemblies are held termly and the school participates in both the Jack Petchey Awards Scheme and the Brentwood Diocese Catholic Citizenship Awards, thus achievements are recognised both in and outside the classroom.

Teaching and Learning The Ursuline Academy Ilford provides a learning environment that is challenging and supportive. The curriculum is designed to offer both breadth and depth. It enables the girls to leave the academy fully equipped for further study, work or a combination of both.

Ursuline has a superb record of exam success, with results well above national averages and students making outstanding progress. This is achieved through the energy and commitment of the teachers and carefully matching the curriculum to the ability and interests of our students. Students and staff are supported in their work together through having excellent facilities. ICT facilities have recently been upgraded to provide state of the art touch screen technology and there is a rolling programme of up-grading classrooms to ensure that students always have the very best learning environment.

“We are encouraged to be confident and be ourselves” -

Year 8 Pupil

Individual Learning Needs The academy’s aim is for its students, whatever their level of academic attainment, to leave as confident, independent young women who are able to make a valuable contribution to society.

We aim to provide an education which encourages every student to achieve her full potential regardless of her learning ability.

The Learning Support Department is committed to providing high quality support to ensure that all students are included and make progress. All students follow the National Curriculum. However, within this provision, students will be supported to meet individual needs as identified by the monitoring and assessment systems in place. As part of this process the Learning Support Department will consult with teaching staff, parents/guardians and students. The advice and support of other professionals may also be sought to further enhance the support given so that the provision is effective.

Enrichment Joining in the enrichment activities is part of the ethos of the Academy. The more a student participates and gives of herself, the happier and more successful she will be at school.

The Enrichment Programme at the Ursuline Academy Ilford offers the opportunity to develop talents and confidence in a wide range of subjects, including: • • • • • •

Choir and Orchestra STEM Club/Crest Awards School productions Sports Clubs Ursuline Links Book Club

• Creative Writing • Latin • Debating Club • Residential trips to Maes y Lade in Wales, Paris, Krakow & Barcelona.

“The Catholic ethos of the school is clearly evident and the overall approach is highly inclusive. The culture of the school is one which wants to care for the ‘whole child’ and parents and pupils alike recognise and value this approach highly” -

OFSTED October 2016.

Catering Services Faith Faith is very important in our school; it stands at the centre of everything we are striving to achieve. Chaplaincy, working alongside the RE Department, has a strong programme of retreats, events and clubs designed to encourage students to develop their spirituality and deepen their relationship with God. Everything we do stems from our Christian faith. All of the adults in the school support the pupils in their spiritual growth.

We welcome pupils and staff of all faiths into our community, embracing them and the way they enrich our school/community.

Pastoral Care At the Ursuline Academy Ilford, all students receive the highest possible standards of care, guidance and support. Our intention is to look after students so they can lead fulfilling and balanced lives at school and beyond. It is about showing students how to look after themselves and others; it is about encouraging them to seek help, support, or advice when they need it and it is about helping them to become fully-fledged adults who are aspirational, confident and ready to make a difference to the world. We want our students to feel that they belong and their self-esteem is able to grow because they feel valued.

Tutors, heads of year and support staff are foremost in supporting the personal development of your daughter. We also provide access to specialist facilities and staff to support students in need including a school counsellor from Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. All staff are concerned with developing and caring for the whole person as well as achieving the best academic results.

The Dining Hall provides just the right setting for staff and students to enjoy a variety of popular dishes in a relaxed atmosphere. This communal dining is regarded as a very important part of the school day and all students are encouraged to have school lunch. At least two vegetarian options are available daily in addition to the other main courses, salads, fresh fruit, hot and cold baguettes, and sandwiches.

The school is compliant with all government guidelines and directives on the preparation, quality and content of all food which is served in the school. A two-course meal is provided daily for those students not entitled to free school meals.

Students may also purchase additional items, including soft drinks, at a competitive price. Charges are reviewed annually by governors, their aim is to provide a ‘value for money’, nutritious meal which exceeds the national standards.

We use a biometric system for all purchases in the Dining Hall including service at breakfast and morning break. Student accounts can be topped up by parents/guardians on-line through the Parent Pay system using credit or debit cards.

“Ursuline is very welcoming and the teachers treat everybody equally.

Everyone pushes you to do your best and aim high for the future�

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Year 8 Pupil

“The Ursuline is like a family, it encourages good values and skills for life. Being at Ursuline has taught me to reach for the stars and that there is no limit to what I can achieve”

Parental Engagement At the Ursuline Academy Ilford there are a number of ways in which we engage parents in supporting their daughters to develop into successful young women. Parents are given many opportunities over the academic year to meet with their daughters’ teachers and tutors to discuss their progress.

We also provide opportunities for parents to learn more about the world their daughters live in through information evenings, and specialist sessions on issues such as on-line safety and mental health. The Headteacher’s Newsletter is produced weekly during term time and aims to keep parents up to date with the school’s news and events.

The Academy has its own App, My Ed. The App is the main route for communication between the school and parents and is the way we send letters, forms and reports. It links directly to the Academy’s website where parents can find a wealth of useful information about school events, term dates, and policies etc.

The App also provides up to date data feeds for parents in respect of their daughter’s attendance, attainment and behaviour.

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Year 11 Pupil

Sixth Form The Sixth Form at the Ursuline Academy Ilford prepares students for university and for long term career progression by supporting and developing independent learning skills.

We also provide specialist support in order to gain places on apprenticeship programmes.

Some students take part in interesting work shadowing and work placements which support their studies and aid their selection of appropriate career and higher education choices.

Students actively contribute to the life of the school and are invited to participate in leadership training in school council, chaplaincy and community service programmes.

The Sixth Form offers a scholarship programme to top performing students. This provides a package of tailored support and a financial incentive for students joining Year 12.

Morland Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4JU T: 020 8554 1995 • E: uai@uai.org.uk

www.uai.org.uk Headteacher: Ms K Reilly BSc (Econ) PGCE NPQH