“ Governors know the school well, and understand their role in supporting and challenging leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance.” Ofsted June 2016
Welcome from the Headteacher Thank you for your interest in Willowfield and taking the time to read our prospectus. These are exciting times at Willowfield. I was appointed as Headteacher at Willowfield in April 2016 after three years as Deputy Headteacher here and I am delighted to be leading the school at this stage in its history. We are a happy, successful, oversubscribed and expanding mixed 11 to 16 community school. Willowfield has been serving the local community in its different forms for the best part of a century and we have a long, proud and well-deserved tradition of providing high quality education to Walthamstow children. Willowfield today is in great shape. OFSTED visited us in June 2016 and were very impressed with what they saw, commenting upon how we have further
improved since our last inspection. They recognised how well children progress here. We moved into our fantastic new buildings in September 2015 and our great facilities are bringing to life even greater opportunities for our students. I look forward to welcoming all of the new Year 7 students into our school family in September. I remember from my own experience as a parent that helping my children to choose the right secondary school was one of the biggest decisions I ever made. Our prospectus gives you a flavour of what we are about, but I urge you to go to our website and come and visit us to get a real taste of all that Willowfield has to offer. I know you will like what you read and see. We look forward to welcoming you. Clive Rosewell, Headteacher
“ This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection, building on strengths and tackling the areas identified for improvement to good effect.” Ofsted June 2016
Willowfield Humanities College • 1
A safe and happy
learning community “ Pupils, staff and parents agree that this school is a safe and welcoming place, where teachers put pupils’ needs first.” Ofsted 2016 Life at Willowfield is characterised by calm and purposeful learning under-pinned by mutual respect. It is an environment where staff and students enjoy happy, harmonious and very productive relationships. This atmosphere is key to our success and stems from the great support and care every student receives, making them feel valued and nurtured. We believe a school is about more than just qualifications and that a safe and happy learner is an effective learner. We expect the very best in terms of courtesy and respect from our students and they rise to meet our high expectations.
Our partnerships with parents and carers are key to the happiness and success of our students. We celebrate success and ensure that parents and carers are kept informed about their child’s progress through termly reports and a parents’ evening. Sometimes students need some additional support to make good decisions. We are committed to working closely with students and their families to develop strategies to help them overcome any difficulties or barriers to their learning and progress.
“ Pupils’ behaviour has remained a strength of the school and their progress has improved.” Ofsted June 2016
2 • Willowfield Humanities College
“ A safe environment where pupils can enjoy their education.” Ofsted June 2016
“ Pupils feel confident about their safety, and know how to keep themselves and each other safe, including online.” Ofsted June 2016
Willowfield Humanities College • 3
“ Pupils are keen to learn.” Ofsted June 2016
“ The school’s leadership, including the governing body, are highly aspirational for pupils’ personal development... this is underpinned by the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.” Ofsted June 2016
4 • Willowfield Humanities College
A great place to
learn and thrive “ Teachers use questioning with skill... teachers ask questions that probe and challenge pupils’ understanding, helping students to make good progress.” Ofsted June 2016 Students at Willowfield enjoy a broad and balanced learning experience. At Key Stage 3 the curriculum is planned to be inclusive but also to stretch and challenge all students to be the best they can be, preparing them for the challenges ahead in Years 10 and 11. At Key Stage 4, students can choose from a range of options allowing them to choose subjects related to their areas of strength, interest or possible future career pathways. Enabling our students to achieve the best examination results they will need is key to our work, but not the only purpose of the curriculum and wider school experience. We are also committed to developing them into thoughtful citizens able to play a full, positive and productive
part in the 21st Century world they will be living and working in. Our Humanities specialism is key to developing this citizenship and its ethos and values infuse the whole learning experience from Year 7 through to Year 11. Our vision is for Willowfield students to leave us and be able to compete with anyone, anywhere, professionally and personally, in the world that is their future. We want them to be well-rounded young adults who have developed into great citizens able to play a full, positive and productive part in their 21st Century world. Our year 11 students progress on successfully to college, work and University and we are always proud to hear from them about their successes after Willowfield.
“ Learning is taking place in an environment that encourages very positive attitudes.” Ofsted June 2016
Willowfield Humanities College • 5
An inclusive, local
community school “ The nature of the work being done on the day of the inspection reflects the school’s good ongoing work to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.” Ofsted June 2016 We are proud to be a local community school that gives all of our students the best possible start in life. Our school community is amazingly diverse with more than 50 languages spoken. We are very proud of our inclusive ethos characterised by a striking culture of mutual respect and support. Willowfield students are happy, effective learners who make great progress. We have strong partnerships with local schools and colleges and are involved in many community projects.
Students from all backgrounds and abilities are welcomed and flourish within a safe and caring environment. Our caring and effective pastoral system is the glue that keeps our school happy and successful. Form groups have two tutors to maximise personal attention and are overseen by experienced pastoral leaders. Students make great progress during their time with us because they are supported but also challenged to produce their best. We have the highest expectations of all students and will not allow them to settle for ordinary.
“ The atmosphere in the school is friendly and welcoming, reflecting the community ethos that leaders seek to create.” Ofsted June 2016
6 • Willowfield Humanities College
“ Staff morale is high.” Ofsted June 2016
“ Pupils who arrive in school with lower than expected reading ages are part of a six-week programme that rapidly improves their literacy skills.” Ofsted June 2016 Willowfield Humanities College • 7
Beyond
the classroom
“ Pupils’ personal development is enhanced by the range of extra-curricular activities on offer, including opportunities to participate in teams, clubs and competitions.” Ofsted June 2016 We have a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available to all students, something that we have been able to extend and develop since we moved to our new site. The list of possible activities includes sport, music, drama, art and extra help with learning. Opportunities to engage in activities related to citizenship are many and varied, while our Artsmark Award reflects the range and quality of the opportunities offered here. Students enjoy a range of activities including visits to theatres, galleries, museums and residential trips.
There are many opportunities to take on responsibilities such as peer mentors, sports captains, prefects, citizenship ambassadors, school journalists, librarians or bank managers. We have a very active Student Leadership Council who play a real role in helping shape the direction of the school – not least they play an important role in the appointment process for key staff including the Headteacher!
“ Inspectors observed collaborative work where pupils in mixed year group classes debated issues.” Ofsted June 2016
8 • Willowfield Humanities College
“ At the end of the Willowfield experience, our students can compete with anyone, anywhere, professionally and personally, in the world that is their future.” Willowfield Humanities College • 9
Willowfield Humanities College 209 Blackhorse Road Walthamstow E17 6ND T 020 8527 4065 F 020 8353 4264 E school@willowfield.waltham.sch.uk
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