Welcome to >
City Academy Norwich Student and parents’ guide
The most exciting learning environment in Norfolk > We know that making the right choice of school for your son or daughter can be stressful and it is important to get it right for them and you. This guide will give you a flavour of the sort of education your child could expect to enjoy if they join us in September.
“achievement and behaviour are both good.�
We are proud to say that City Academy Norwich is a friendly school with high standards and that we help our students to do the very best that they can while they study with us.
We hope you and your child choose City Academy Norwich and together, we can help them reach their full potential.
Ofsted said in their last inspection report
Mr D Brunton Principal
This year, we have a brand new school building and fantastic facilities. Your child will be led through a learning process, which will prepare them fully for life when they move into either higher education or employment.
What makes us unique > There are lots of advantages for our students from learning at an academy. City Academy Norwich is proud of how it personalises the learning experience for each of its students. Other key advantages are: • Innovative • Flexible • Challenging • Exciting • Personalised • Creative • Rigorous
Working with our partners we can also offer students a wider range of unique learning experiences which allows them to explore new ideas, develop and achieve. City Academy Norwich specialises in delivering Digital Technology and English – these core communication skills being vital for the global world in which we live. These sit alongside
a huge range of courses, which develop knowledge, skills and understanding. In years 7 and 8, we focus on core academic skills, alongside personal skills. In years 9, 10 and 11 we offer the widest range of courses in the country, which allow our students to prepare for a full diet of qualifications, which match their abilities and aspirations.
Visit www.cityacademynorwich.org for a full list of the courses we offer.
What’s so special about City Academy Norwich? > City Academy Norwich is going from strength to strength. Last year’s results meant that we were probably the most improved school in the country. Ofsted said in their last inspection report “This is a good academy. Its improvement has been rapid.” Our aim is to use the power of education to transform the opportunities of students, their families and the wider community, and enable every child to reach his or her potential. Right across the Academy we are committed to excellence and supporting students to succeed in every area of learning. This is reflected, for example, in our partnership with Norwich City FC, which sees the football club’s Academy players studying with us whilst developing their talents as young footballers.
“We believe our innovation and facilities make learning at CAN a different experience to any other school in Norfolk.”
Standards = Success > Students are expected to….
“We ask a lot of our students... ...and we expect them to make the most of their opportunities“
• Respect other students • Respect adults • Respect the Academy • Work hard • Be committed to success • Wear uniform at all times • Complete tasks set by the teaching staff
Students and parents can expect… • Respect from staff • To be monitored and supported • Regular reports home • Individual pastoral and mentoring support • A student reward scheme (incentives) • A modern learning environment
Our facilities – second to none >
• Traditional classrooms • Informal learning spaces • Interactive Theatre • Unique Science Laboratories • Radio Station • Recording Studio • Television Studio
• Drama Studio • Dance Studio • Sports Hall • Fully equipped fitness gymnasium • Commercial standard teaching kitchens • Computer aided design teaching rooms
• Internet café • Learning resources centre • Entrepreneurial centre • Multi use sports pitches (use of the University Sports Park)
Extra curricular > Outside school clubs
Perform and create
After school sports
Academy Xtra offers students up to 60 different clubs or activities to join. From Arts to Young Carers, or Boxing to ICT, there really is something for everyone. Have a look at our website for more details on clubs.
All our students have the opportunity to take part in annual performances, including the very popular CAN’s Got Talent event. Music is taught in the school curriculum but if students have a passion for it, individual instrument lessons can be arranged.
It would be a shame to waste City Academy Norwich’s sports facilities after the school day finishes. That’s why students will have the chance to take up a range of sports after school. We regularly hold interschool competitions and encourage a healthy rivalry between teams. A number of our students have taken part and succeeded on the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Listening to our students > We ask all our students to ‘Speak Out’ if there is a problem or if they have an idea that would help other students or the school.
“We think that City Academy Norwich is a great place to learn.”
Students have regular form sessions with their own tutor. Students can speak to, or be part of the student council. We also have student suggestion boxes around the school.
City Academy Norwich students help to both run and manage the operations of the Academy on a daily basis.
Maths Mentoring is World Class >
“Our students understand what life is like as teachers – because they’ve been acting as mentors.“
In 2012 City Academy Norwich’s Maths Mentoring programme – which saw year eight pupils visiting local primary schools to act as mentors helping primary pupils prepare for their year six SATS exams – was nominated for Outstanding Numeracy Initiative in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) School Awards.
Principal, David Brunton, praised both staff and pupils for the initiative stating that “Engagement levels, on both sides, were second to none. CAN pupils demonstrated maturity, understanding and professionalism – they make us very proud”.
Students represent the Academy at the 2013 BETT show – a national conference >
The EVE Project receives international recognition. Staff and pupils at City Academy Norwich have been building their own world with the help of educational think-tank, FutureLab. They were excited and privileged to present this project at the Bett Show, the world’s leading learning technology conference. The EVE project saw staff and pupils constructing
and working within a 3D virtual world of their own creation designed to liberate the study of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. Students created virtual islands within this unique 3D environment and worked in teams to develop sustainable energy sources and produce materials which could help future students in their investigations around the theme of Energy.
Students competed to design the most energy efficient island on the virtual world drawing directly from STEM based skills – they were even “virtually assessed” by a floating teacher! The work that CAN has done within 3D environment has been presented and celebrated as far afield as Mexico, where CAN teachers were invited to visit and explain their work and outcomes.
Ellie is aiming high > Ellie Ireland, who is Head Girl at City Academy Norwich, feels that being at the Academy has helped her to think again about the opportunities open to her beyond high school. In common with many young people, Ellie did not have first-hand experience of parents or siblings going to
university – so she could have been forgiven for thinking that higher education was not for her. However, as Ellie explains, this is not the ethos of City Academy Norwich: “There are more opportunities,” she says, “the teachers are always happy to talk to you about your options.”
Encouraged by her progress, and the skills she has developed in using video technology whilst at City Academy Norwich, Ellie has her sights set on a career in media production – something which will require further training and degree-level study.
Students design mountain biking tracks > City Academy Norwich’s Duke of Edinburgh Award students were given the opportunity to spend a day mountain biking at the Hautbois Centre and design their own tracks in November 2012.
The students, who were working in conjunction with the Sports Partnership and the British Mountain Biking Association, were encouraged to both ride the course and research various elements of it so
they could create their own track in the Bluebell Woods which they went on to spend a term designing, constructing and testing!
3d printing > Creative iMedia students have been hard at work designing and creating phone cases using an amazing 3d printer. Now they develop apps and phone accessories too!
Our partners
Here at City Academy Norwich, we work closely with partners who help us to ensure that our students have the best possible opportunities in education and life.
Exciting partnerships continue to develop > Twelve CAN students have been getting involved in a huge range of exciting work experience projects over the spring term. Students spent 6 weeks working with local film company C>Media to produce a series of “mocumentaries” about wizards, chewing gum dealers and killer pens. They have also recorded some special behind the scenes documentaries for Norwich Arts Centre, Cinema City and Mustard TV which have been highlighted on the venues’ websites. The school were so impressed with the pupil’s work that it “hired” five of them to serve as the official film crew to document ‘CAN’s Got Talent’.
City College Norwich (CCN) Our lead supporter offers our school: • Leadership support • Access to vocational courses for year 9, 10 and 11 students • Access to sixth form courses • Access to CCN facilities
Another exciting new development for the Academy is Exceptionnel – giving students with a flair for cooking the opportunity to develop their skills in our professional-standard kitchen, as part of the Gifted and Talented trainee chef programme. CAN students also really benefit from the partnership with Norwich School and have taken part in Latin and Philosophy & Ethics classes, Easter and Summer schools and a joint production. We are constantly working with our partners in the Transforming Education in Norfolk (TEN) Group federation – a forward-thinking group of academies, schools and colleges in the county – to provide exciting new opportunities for our students.
University of East Anglia (UEA) UEA supports the Academy through: • Student mentors • Scholarships • Access to facilities
CAN and UEA: a perfect partnership > City Academy Norwich and the University of East Anglia sit right next door to each other – and have a great relationship. Recently, five students from the University of East Anglia drama department have been working with City Academy Norwich’s GCSE drama students to help them with their final exam pieces. The UEA students have performed for the students in an original play, provided one-toone support to CAN students and run two workshops based on Characterisation and Themes which has really helped to develop the GCSE performances.
Norwich School
One of the country’s leading independent schools, Norwich School supports CAN with: • Gifted and talented programmes • Access to facilities
Citizenship at the heart of the curriculum > Political and social education are important parts of the curriculum at City Academy Norwich – preparing our pupils to contribute to local and national society from the moment they step through our doors. 2012 saw Adrian Ramsay, Deputy Leader of the Green party, visiting and lecturing at the Academy where year 7 pupils spent a week developing an exhibition around local and international environmental problems. The exhibition was then opened to the local community.
Norfolk County Council
The council provides our team with specialist experience and guidance
Computing students developing games to help literacy >
Students from CAN’s Computing GCSE spent part of their course developing unique games that utilised the latest in motion detection hardware to be used to help fellow pupils with understanding Literacy.
The games were developed in close collaboration with the English department and Learning Resource Centre (Library) in an inspirational partnership. The best of the games were then available on the giant plasma screen within the LRC for
students (and staff) to make the most of – even the principal, Mr Brunton, was seen jumping around trying to beat his highest score!
part of the
What next > City Academy Norwich signs up, in full, to Norfolk County Council’s fair admissions policy. Applications are made using Norfolk County Council’s Common Application Form in the same way as for all other local secondary schools.
Sixth form – a new experience
City Academy Norwich will have a Sixth Form which will prepare you better for your future, especially in digital technology and computer science.
“City Academy Norwich has become one of the most popular schools in Norfolk; we urge you to follow the instructions below with regard to making your application.” Your child’s current school will advise you on the process during their time in year 6. If you do not feel that you are getting the information that you need to enable you to apply, or to request a copy of the Academy’s Admissions Policy, contact us using the contact details below.
HOW TO CONTACT US t. 01603 452 628 e. office@cityacademynorwich.org www.cityacademynorwich.org Write to: City Academy Norwich, 299 Bluebell Road, Norwich, NR4 7LP