John O'Gaunt Prospectus

INSPIRE BELIEVE SUPPORT ACHIEVE

‘ High expectations and a good knowledge of students.’

Ofsted, 2012

Passionate about learning At John O’Gaunt School, learning is at the heart of all that we do.

We believe that every child should have the chance to shine in an environment that understands the value of learning and inquiry. Our teachers are passionate about their subjects and take great pride in their work; they see that every student has the potential to succeed, but needs the stimulation and opportunity to do so. We believe that learning should be memorable and extraordinary, whilst maintaining the rigour and clarity needed to make outstanding progress.

As a result we set by ability in core subjects of English, mathematics and science, encourage creative thinking to approach the ordinary and monitor closely the journey of every learner in our care. We understand that learning should be a pleasure and that teaching is a privilege.

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Ambitious for ourselves We believe in each child and their potential to achieve.

Our students are set ambitious targets that are regularly reviewed; after all, if you put a ceiling on children’s potential they will only go that far, but if you encourage, support and inspire them to go as far as they can, they will. Such journeys are not easy, they require resilience and risk taking, both of which are built into our I-Day programme as key skills to support learning. In addition, as part of our programme to raise aspiration, students attend university open days, hear from our inspirational visiting speakers from a range of industries and professions, take on STEM challenges and complete work experience placements. This is complemented by our resilience challenges throughout the year, such as climbing, raft building and kayaking.

When a child feels the thrill of success, they are inspired to achieve more.

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‘ Students are proud of their school; they feel safe and attendance is good.’ Ofsted, 2012

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‘ My daughter has flourished during her time at John O’Gaunt, we absolutely made the right choice in choosing it for her.’

Parent, 2014

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Proud of our achievements Success breeds success, and so rewards and recognition are important in ensuring each child feels motivated, valued and understands their worth as members of our community.

We operate a competitive House system, where children can gain points for sport, music, English, languages, art – any subject in which they excel, are active citizens, try hard or show team spirit and resilience. This fosters a sense of belonging and identity, where each student feels a sense of pride in their team’s progress. We also understand the importance of passing on good news and regularly write or phone home to celebrate your child’s success, as well as our end of year reward trips, decided by the students themselves. In recent years this has included indoor sky diving, a trip to an outdoor water park and The Doctor Who Exhibition.

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Supportive of our differences We are a small school but still offer the full range of curriculum subjects that students may choose as options to study at GCSE level.

So whether your child is interested in languages, mathematics, statistics, sciences, textiles, computer science, music, media studies, food technology, art, drama, child development, PE – don’t worry, we offer a comprehensive range of courses to suit each ability and skill. Our understanding of these skills and interests means that we provide support packages for our students that are bespoke, not one size fits all. If your child has a Special Educational Need or is Able, Gifted and Talented our coordinators will work with you as a family to ensure their needs are being met.

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‘ Students demonstrate outstanding behaviour because they thrive on their learning and take responsibility for it.’ Ofsted, 2012

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Caring for ourselves and each other John O’Gaunt School has always been a unique community; it is friendly, welcoming and supportive.

As a small school we know our students and they know us; we pride ourselves on a personal approach to learning and mentoring your child throughout their time with us. Central to this is your child’s tutor, who stays with them, where possible, throughout their whole school career. This allows a relationship to grow with you as a family and for support, encouragement and challenge to be offered when appropriate.

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Our Student Managers are non-teaching staff employed to support students with their well-being at school, offering praise, a first point of contact with home and a daily check on attendance and behaviour. This relationship with home is key to the success of each child and we encourage you to be as involved as you can be as your child continues their educational journey. They might not think they need you, but they do.

‘ My teacher encourages me to find the solution for myself; she says, ‘It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to worth it!’

Year 7 student

Determined to be the best we can be

John O'Gaunt School, Priory Road, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0AN Tel: 01488 682400 Fax: 01488 681283 Email: office.jog@johnogauntschool.co.uk

www.johnogauntschool.co.uk