Archbishop Tenison Prospectus

Archbishop Tenison’s

Church of England High School A Mathematics, Computing & Languages Specialist College

Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School

Academic Excellence in a Christian Community

Pastorally, the school has really helped our daughter to settle in. We’re very pleased with the Christian ethos, which is central to the school.

YEAR 7 PARENT

Welcome We are delighted to have this opportunity to tell you about Archbishop Tenison’s.

We are a school with a distinctive character and purpose and our proximity to East Croydon station makes us accessible from throughout the Borough.

If you visit the school you will find a welcoming community – pupils, students and staff who are engaged in what they are learning and teaching and who are eager to share their interest and enthusiasm with you.

You will also find a genuine openness to every academic discipline and a Christian ethos which roots us in a long-standing educational tradition.

This is a school with an interesting history – but also with an exciting future. Our motto is “Academic Excellence in a Christian Community”. We hope that you will want to be part of realising that vision in 21st century Croydon.

We look forward to meeting you in person.

On behalf of the Staff and Governors of Tenison’s

Richard Parrish Headteacher

Ian Brown Chair of Governors

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Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School

Foundation A school with a history

Founded by Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1714, the school was designed to give “ten poor boys and ten poor girls” a good basic education to help them earn an honest living and grow in the Christian faith. Today it is an 11-18 voluntary aided, mixed, Anglican comprehensive school within the Diocese of Southwark and the Borough of Croydon, with Foundation Governors appointed by the Church of England.

The school has been in Selborne Road since 1959 and serves the whole Archdeaconry of Croydon. There are 96 places in Year 7. 50% of these are for Anglicans, 40% for those from other churches and 10% are open.

Over the years we have developed the buildings to include more specialist facilities, a Library and a Sixth Form Centre. We have added new outdoor courts. When we became a Maths and Computing College, we installed two new computer rooms and interactive whiteboards in most classrooms. Our second specialism in Languages is to bring further improvements.

A school with a purpose

The challenge for a secondary school is to provide an education which is broad, balanced, relevant and accessible to all. What we offer is a combination of high academic standards, wide extra-curricular opportunities and strong pastoral care in a close-knit community.

From a Christian perspective there is so much for human beings to learn – about ourselves as created in God’s image; about the world in which we live and our purpose in being here; and about our relationships with other people and how we handle the differences between us.

We want our pupils to experience genuine, strong, Christian community and a curriculum which is both academic and imaginative, as well as practical. We want our teaching to be both rigorous and exciting, alive and alert to what interests those we teach. We want their learning to be disciplined and well supported, but also rewarding and – above all – enjoyable. It matters to us that they become people of good character, who can think hard, communicate well and understand for themselves different areas of human experience.

We want to see them progress individually, but also grow spiritually and contribute socially – to the school now and to society later.

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We appreciate the strong Christian ethos to the school and the high standards expected.

YEAR 8 & 10 PARENT

The teaching does not spoon-feed us. It makes us look, research and learn for ourselves.

YEAR 13 STUDENT

Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School

Curriculum Key Stage 3

In their first three years at the school all pupils take: English

French

Physical Education

Maths

Geography

Religious Education

Science

German

Information Technology

Art

History

Personal and Social Education

Drama

Music

Technology

Key Stage 4

In Years 10-11 all pupils take English, Maths, Science, Religious Studies and two or three optional subjects to GCSE. 85% also take a Modern Language. There are different pathways through Key Stage 4 as well as supplementary courses in PE, Personal and Social Education, Careers and Citizenship.

The Sixth Form

In the Sixth Form we offer a wide range of AS and A Levels and some applied courses. Typically, 70% of students stay into the Sixth Form. A separate prospectus for the Archbishop Tenison’s and St. Andrews’ Joint Sixth Form is available on request.

Extra-Curricular Activities

There is a remarkable number of different curricular and extra-curricular activities at Tenison’s. As well as our specialist status in Mathematics, Computing and Languages we have a strong tradition of music and of drama. The orchestra, gospel choir, concert band, chamber choir, other groups and choirs are well supported; many pupils have instrumental tuition. Our concerts and school productions are of a very high standard. We have a great tradition of competitive sport – athletics, cricket, crosscountry, football, netball, rounders, rugby, swimming and tennis. We do well at debating and public speaking and in the UK and European Maths Challenges. We run Geography and Biology Field Visits, a Duke of Edinburgh programme, two vibrant exchanges with Rouen and Berlin and numerous trips abroad – ranging from water sports in Spain to Art in New York – and Enrichment Days for all subjects. Our Christian Retreat Days are appreciated and events for charity well supported. A summary of our charging policy for such activities is appended.

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Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School

Support Pastoral Care

Each pupil or student belongs to a Tutor Group and a House. Their Tutor is the first point of contact between home and school. Their Head of School oversees their progress through each Key Stage.

We have a high standard of discipline. We seek to build a strong sense of community. We believe that Christian values of mutual respect and understanding are the prerequisite for academic success. We work hard at building good relationships with our pupils – and with their parents.

The School Council meets regularly. There are leadership roles for House Captains and Prefects. Sixth Form Mentors make a dynamic contribution to Lower School Tutor Groups.

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Special Educational Needs

Pupils are assessed on their transition into Year 7 and provision for those with special needs is co-ordinated and monitored by the SEN Department.

Personal & Social Education

This includes provision for Sex and Health Education, giving pupils an insight into Christian principles of moral responsibility for oneself and one’s neighbour. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from these lessons.

There is a varied programme of Citizenship lessons and activities. For Careers Education and Guidance there are taught lessons, opportunities for individual interviews, work experience and access to the careers library.

Religious Education

The teaching is in accordance with that of the Church of England and is based on the Southwark Diocesan scheme and the Croydon agreed syllabus. Pupils also learn about other major world religions. All pupils take the GCSE for which they study Mark’s Gospel and a range of contemporary moral issues. In the Sixth Form there are themed away-days as well as the opportunity to study A Level theology, philosophy and ethics.

The teachers are enthusiastic and caring and have encouraged me and supported my love of the subject.

YEAR 13 STUDENT

Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School

Partnership Assemblies and Church Services

Each year begins and each term ends with a service at St. Matthew’s Church, where we also hold inter-denominational Communion Services once a year for each year group.

Parents are warmly invited to our Carol Service and Founder’s Day Service. Our Chaplain is the Vicar of St. Matthew’s. Assemblies in school are held daily and are predominantly Christian, in keeping with the school’s foundation. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from Religious Studies and collective worship.

Communication between home & school Homework is an integral part of the learning process and is expected to be completed promptly and properly. Pupils have a planner through which parents can monitor their child’s progress and contact the school.

As well as the annual parents’ evenings and formal reports we hold a termly Parents’ Forum to discuss whole school issues. The Archbishop Tenison’s Parents’ Association (ATPA) and the Old Tenisonians and Friends of the School (OTFS) are both active supporters of the school.

The school in the community As part of our specialist status we offer teaching to Primary Schools and to the local community. Year 10 PE students lead PE lessons at a local infants’ school for their Junior Sports Leaders’ Award.

We have a growing relationship with local churches and our students work hard for several charities, both at home and abroad.

Archbishop Tenison’s

Church of England High School Selborne Road, Croydon CR0 5JQ t. 020 8688 4014 f. 020 8681 6336 office@archten.croydon.sch.uk