Mark Rutherford School Prospectus

MARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL

WELCOME TO MARK RUTHERFORD May I take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to our school. Since 1973 the school has established a strong tradition of achievement, care and partnership.

I hope you will soon feel part of that tradition.

Our aim is to provide the best possible education for each child within the context of a caring and safe community. School life centres on the students and every effort is made to provide them with opportunities and experiences to further their development and be successful both socially and academically.

We believe that every child is unique. We will provide each student with the opportunity to study a broad and balanced curriculum that will meet their individual needs. We set high expectations for our students so that they will achieve success. Education is seen in its broadest sense and as a lifelong experience.

This prospectus will provide a great deal of information about the school. Further information can be found on our website at www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk

We value the contribution parents and carers make to the school and we place a great deal of importance on this positive relationship. We believe that students achieve greater success when they are supported by home and the school working together in partnership.

Please do not hesitate to contact the school for further information or to arrange a visit.

I hope that your association with Mark Rutherford will be a long and rewarding one.

Mr Richard Millard, Headteacher

The Mark Rutherford Ethos We believe that every child is unique. Our aim is to provide broad, balanced and personalised learning experiences that will enable all students to be the best they can be and to make a positive contribution to our school and to the wider local community. The definition of ethos is “the characteristic spirit of a community as reflected in its attitudes and aspirations”.

We aspire to develop a community in which there is consistently:

High Standards and Achievement At Mark Rutherford we want to be the best we can be and we pursue excellence in everything we do. We see education in its widest sense as a lifelong experience that gives equal importance to positive values, attitudes and beliefs, as well as to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and ideas.

Strong Relationships and Positivity Education thrives in an atmosphere of positive encouragement where school, home and community work together to support learning. Teachers use their skills and knowledge to engage students as partners in learning, acting quickly to adjust their teaching in response to students’ learning.

“I will always speak highly of Mark Rutherford School and will recommend it to anyone who asks me and assure them that their child will receive a first-class education and support from your school.” Parent

Transparent Communication Effective communication is at the heart of all successful interactions and strong relationships. We strive to ensure that communication between all involved in a student’s education is as timely and transparent as possible.

Calm and Purposeful This is how visitors always describe the school when they have had a tour. We strive to maintain this focused atmosphere and to insist upon positive and effective behaviour for learning.

“We were impressed... particularly with the enthusiasm of the pupils and the professionalism of the staff.� Parent

Politeness and Respect This is an important part of our Code of Conduct.

The School aims to support students so they become decent human beings with a sense of personal worth and value and respect the rights of others.

Resilient Staff and Students It is very important that both staff and students develop resilience, so that they are able to overcome obstacles and meet the challenges which may arise as they move through change and outside of their comfort zones.

Room to Grow Developing a growth mind-set, at any age, opens up opportunities to achieve things that at first may have seemed impossible. We support both staff and students to enable them to develop the determination to succeed at every level.

Celebration of Success This is central to our ethos and we take every opportunity to celebrate the successes of all the members of our community.

Expectations All students are expected to behave in a way which is courteous and respectful as their behaviour is a reflection on them, their parents and their school.

The School Code of Conduct is designed to reflect this and to maintain a positive atmosphere conducive to learning. It has the following guiding principles:

Code of Conduct for Everyone • To listen to each other • To treat everyone respectfully • To allow everyone to learn • To achieve the best you can Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions and can expect to be rewarded for good effort and achievement, but must also accept the consequences of failing to comply with the School’s Code of Conduct.

Looking After Your Child We are a caring school that promotes the welfare, health, safety and guidance of every student. The pastoral system at Mark Rutherford underpins the academic work of the School and is a strong, supportive and well-developed feature.

All students who come to Mark Rutherford are invited to take part in our supportive transition activities.

The majority of our students arrive in Years 7 or 9 and there are meetings with feeder schools, parents and students to ensure that the process is as smooth as possible. We have close links with many of our ‘feeder’ middle and primary schools and departments liaise regularly throughout the year to discuss schemes of work, assessment and progression.

Students have the opportunity to experience a ‘taster day’ and to meet their new tutor in the summer term to begin to familiarise themselves with the School.

We have a vertical tutoring system with students from Year 7 to Year 11 in each tutor group. This enables us to develop a strong community ethos encouraging positive relationships across the age range. Each vertical tutor group is linked to a House:

BLAKE

NOVELLO

TURNER

WOOLF

Students will have daily contact with their tutor who oversees both their personal and academic progress. Their tutor will also be responsible for academic mentoring throughout the year.

We have a range of in-school services for our students in order to support their learning, their emotional well-being and to ensure that they are focused and happy.

Please see the Useful Information booklet for further information.

Parental Engagement Communication between parents and the School is crucial in ensuring that each student performs to their best, and is happy and motivated at school. Formal communication takes place on a regular basis via Academic Mentoring, progress reports and Parents’ Evenings. Less formal communication is through student planners, the In Touch texting and email service and also through the School website, www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk which is updated on a regular basis.

We also have our Facebook page (Mark Rutherford School) and Twitter account @mark_rutherford, both of which you can follow to stay up to date with information, events and successes. You can find further information on contacting the School in our Useful Information booklet.

“Students are keen learners and quickly develop skills. They are courteous to each other and to visitors and enjoy their learning.” Ofsted

The Mark Rutherford Learning Journey The Mark Rutherford learning journey is made up of many activities: timetabled lessons form the majority of the School’s work, but field visits, enrichment activities, foreign exchanges and work experiences all contribute to a varied and balanced curriculum.

Our curriculum ensures the delivery of the National Curriculum, while maintaining variety, balance, flexibility and personalisation for all students. The School is a major centre for GCSE and AS/A2 level work as well as BTEC First and National Diplomas. We have also developed a vocational, work-related learning partnership with Bedford College and Shuttleworth College for some students in Years 10 and 11.

Key Stage 3 – Years 7 to 9 All students follow a broad-ranging curriculum which provides a firm foundation for their chosen Key Stage 4 options. As with all year groups, students in Year 7 to 9 are continually assessed throughout the Key Stage.

Areas of study currently include Art, Computing, Design Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages (French, Italian, Spanish), Music, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science, and a programme of Personal, Social and Health Education (called CWEST).

Students also have the opportunity to take part in field study, and alternative and extra-curricular activities throughout the year.

“The whole of the teaching staff at Mark Rutherford are determined to provide excellent education for all, and work hard to develop students to ensure they achieve their full potential by providing a balanced and relevant curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities.” Chair of Governors

Key Stage 4 – Years 10 and 11 Students in Key Stage 4 will continue to study subjects in the National Curriculum. The ‘Core’ subjects are: English, Mathematics, Science, European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), Physical Education, Religious Education and CWEST. Students are guided towards specific ‘Pathways’ which focus on the English Baccalaureate range of subjects but in essence they have the opportunity to study up to four subjects from the list below, in addition to the Core: • Art (Fine) • Applied Art • Business Studies • Child Development • Computer Science • Construction • Dance • Drama

• Food Technology • French • Geography • Graphic Products • History • ICT • Italian • Media Studies

• Music • Performing Arts (Acting) • Performing Arts (Production) • Product Design • Physical Education • Spanish • Sport • Travel & Tourism

Alternatively, some students may be directed to join a Foundation Learning Programme which includes a CoPE course (Certificate of Personal Effectiveness) alongside Vocational Studies such as Construction, Horticulture, Catering or Small Animal Care. This pathway is designed to improve students’ self-confidence and personal development and can be delivered either in school or in conjunction with Bedford College.

“Sixth Form life is challenging but rewarding. The Sixth Form team and teachers support me so I have settled in well and am thoroughly enjoying my time here.” Sixth Form Student

Sixth Form – Years 12 and 13 The Sixth Form at Mark Rutherford School is big enough to provide choice, yet small enough to care. A high percentage of students opt to stay on into the Sixth Form after their GCSEs or join us from other local schools.

We offer a wide range of courses and subjects which allow students to choose programmes of study to suit their preferred learning style and to assist them in achieving their personal goals.

Students have a designated Sixth Form Tutor and access to experienced, specialised subject teachers. We encourage the students to undertake extra-curricular activities and to be a part of our enrichment programme.

We provide our students with breadth to their studies through sport, drama and music activities, visiting speakers, trips and subject conferences all being organised.

Enrichment Opportunities This is a vibrant, dynamic and exciting part of school life. There are many opportunities for students to develop new skills, to engage with staff and their peers and to spend some time with other people who are as passionate about these areas as they are.

PE and Sport The PE Department offers a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities run by a strong teaching team and specialist external sports coaches.

These opportunities include: • • • •

Netball Hockey Volleyball Sports Leadership (Level 2 & 3)

• Tennis • Lacrosse • Ultimate Frisbee

• • • • • • •

Football Table Tennis Badminton Athletics Rounders Dodgeball Sports Acro

• • • • • • •

Rugby Cross Country Fitness Golf Cricket Cheerleading Gymnastics

Arts Our extensive extra-curricular provision allows students to engage with and to enjoy a broad range of different disciplines, and also to develop resilience, problem-solving skills and lateral thought: • Dance: Marked Movement Dance Company, dance clubs for each year group, Street Dance, Boys Dance Group and competition performance entries • Music: Jazz Ensemble, Flute Group, Vocal Group, Samba Band, String Group with concerts and competitions throughout the year • Drama: Drama clubs for year groups, Arts Award qualifications, whole school and small group productions, Technical Skills Theatre Club • Art & Photography: Students experience the fine art drawing and painting skills but also experiment with sculpture, textiles and other mixed media All of these subjects also come together to produce fantastic whole school musical productions creating opportunities for students to: design and build sets and lighting, create soundtracks, choreograph movement, perform and crucially, become a very efficient stage crew team.

Other Extra-Curricular Opportunities Our curriculum is further enhanced throughout the year by a wide range of day trips, residential trips, theatre visits, workshops, competitions, STEM activities and more: • • • • • •

STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) clubs The Rutherford Engineering Society The Electric Car Racing Team (Rutherford Racers) The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Club Young Enterprise The Space 4 Learning also provides a wealth of activities for students to extend and occupy themselves with, including Creating Comics, Chess and Careers Clubs, with a dedicated careers advisor.

“I enjoy my subjects and look forward to lessons and feel ready to learn and participate. I am given the required support and help for me to succeed in what I do.” Student

Sixth Form Enrichment Our enrichment programme is an exciting aspect of our Sixth Form provision. The aims of the programme are to provide students with: • an opportunity to develop pertinent life and employability skills; • the chance to work with others both inside and out of the school community; • evidence to include in employment and educational applications (UCAS points); • useful qualifications and experience, and; • a sense of achievement, reward and enjoyment.

Students are able to choose one of the following programmes (on offer in 2014-15):• Arts Award (Gold) • CREST – British Science Association Creativity in Science and Technology Awards • National Citizenship Service (NCS) • Sport: Exercise and Fitness • Sport Leadership (Level 2 and 3) • Young Enterprise – Company Programme We encourage our students to take increasing responsibility across the School. A number of Year 13 students assist in their Houses, while we also have an elected committee which not only provides a studentcentred voice but organises events, helps to manage the Sixth Form areas and has representatives on the School’s Governing Body.

University and Careers In addition, guidance is provided on University and career entry. Every year the vast majority of our students choose to apply to continue their studies in either Further or Higher Education.

We pride ourselves on the support we give to help individuals achieve their aims. Consequently you will find former students studying at a range of universities and working in a variety of careers.

School Routines Rewards Celebrating success is very important at Mark Rutherford and we take every opportunity to reward students through assemblies, postcards home, certificates and also through our online reward system called Housepoint. Students are able to view this system and check regularly on their personal points on their own Housepoint page. Points are awarded centrally for attendance and staff are able to award points for successful spot checks, excellent work or contribution and attendance at extra-curricular activities. When students achieve a particular milestone, they will be awarded a rewards badge which they will display on their blazer.

We also hold termly awards assemblies where recognition of success is shared with the other House members. Annually, we celebrate success at our Awards and Sports Awards Evenings when parents and other stakeholders are invited to join us to share in the success of our students.

Assemblies Assemblies give students and staff in the School an opportunity to gather together. We have whole school, house and year group assemblies on a regular basis and the content has been developed to support the delivery of our CWEST programme.

Assemblies also enable us to help students to consider and engage with social and moral themes with a ‘thought for the week’.

At other times they also focus on key national and international issues; and of course assemblies are a great forum for celebrating the various successes of both our students and staff.

“Mark Rutherford is a good school.

It has a calm atmosphere and it caters exceptionally well academically.” Parent

Academic Mentoring

Homework

Academic mentoring is a meeting that takes place twice a year for each student and their parents.

Your child’s Form Tutor will run the meetings which are scheduled to take place on Tuesday mornings between 8.30am and 9.20am. This is an opportunity for parents and students to discuss academic progress, well-being, attendance and punctuality and to set targets for continued growth and improvement. It is a really good way to keep in touch with what is happening at school in between reports and parents’ evenings.

Homework is an essential part of developing students’ independent learning skills. It can support the learning that takes place in a lesson and also enable students to be prepared for future learning. All students are expected to complete homework, although the amount set will vary from subject to subject and according to the age of the student.

Academic mentoring continues in the Sixth Form with a similar focus on discussing progress towards targets and strategies students can use to improve performance. Meetings in the Sixth Form take place each term.

Our Space 4 Learning is open from 8.30am to 4.00pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.15am to 3.30pm on Friday to provide access to research material, computers, and a base for homework and independent study lessons. Homework support is also available for students with additional needs in the Learning Support Centre (LSC) after school.

Homework can involve learning, reading, research, revision activities as well as written tasks. Homework timetables for Years 7-11 are stuck into the students’ planners at the start of the year and can also be found on the school website.

The Business Partnership

WELCOME TO MARK RUTHERFORD Mark Rutherford has developed an innovative partnership with a group of local businesses, which support the School and the students in a variety of ways, including workplace visits, work experience, industry-related workshops and careers advice and guidance workshops.

It encourages strong, positive relationships with the local economic community, with many of the partners working as mentors for individual students, providing them with support and motivation, advice and guidance and an independent, objective view on their educational progress.

This provision has been expanded to include engineering mentors for students interested in a career in the many fields of engineering.

May I take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to our school. Since 1973 the school has established a strong tradition of The Partnership won the award for Excellence in Education achievement, care and partnership. at the Pride in Bedfordshire Awards 2014.

I hope you will soon feel part of that tradition.

Visiting the School

Our aim is to provide the best possible education for each child within the context of a caring and safe community. School life centres on the students and every effort is made to provide them with opportunities and experiences to further their development and be successful both socially and academically.

We believe that every child is unique. We will provide each student with the opportunity to study a broad and balanced curriculum that will meet their individual needs. We set high expectations for our students so that they will achieve success. Education is seen in its broadest sense and as a lifelong experience.

This prospectus will provide a great deal of information about the school. Further information can be found on our website at www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk

We welcome visits from parents and children who would like to come and see the School in action on a usual We the parents carers makean to day.value Please callcontribution the School on 01234and 290200 to make the school and we place a great deal of importance appointment and we will arrange a tour for you.

on this positive relationship. We believe that students We also have other opportunities throughout the year at achieve greater success when they are supported by our Open Evening, 6th Form Open Evening and Options home and the school working together in partnership.

Choices Careers for You (OCC4U).

Please do not to contact Full details willhesitate be published in the the localschool paper,for onfurther our information arrange a visit. website and or onto our Facebook page and Twitter.

I hope that your association with Mark Rutherford will be a long and rewarding one.

“The School has been very proactive in their business and networking meetings resulting in us Mr Richard Millard, Headteacher working with an excellent student from the School.� Business Partner

MARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL Wentworth Drive, Bedford MK41 8PX Tel: 01234 290200 Fax: 01234 290236 Email: mark.rutherford@mrus.co.uk www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk Mark Rutherford School mark_rutherford

Wentworth Drive, Bedford MK41 8PX Tel: 01234 290200 Fax: 01234 290236 Email: mark.rutherford@mrus.co.uk Follow us: Mark Rutherford School mark_rutherford

www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk