House Areas
Welcome to Frome College
Welcome from the Principal I would like to offer you a very warm welcome to Frome College. The transfer to secondary school
We have a superb track record of supporting students so that they reach their potential, opening doors to future opportunities for further or higher education, training or work.
is one of the most important steps in your child’s life so far. Here at Frome College we recognise that fact and work continually to ensure that we create the right environment in which your child can thrive and achieve their full potential.
Learning is at the heart of everything that we do at Frome College. We provide many varied subject choices and offer a huge range of unusual, interesting and challenging enrichment activities enabling students to develop wider interests and positive attitudes. Everybody has a talent and we set high expectations to make sure that these talents are developed to their full capability. Excellence is a habit at the College and we focus on high achievement. Our lessons encourage the development of innovative and entrepreneurial thinking through problem solving, solution driven team learning and participative activities. We promote a high challenge – low stress environment to foster a belief culture in success and self-confidence. We are a very caring and supportive College and we take great pride in making sure every individual feels that they are special, looked after and nurtured.
Gavin Ball, Principal
We look forward to meeting you and your child
Big School, Small Communities Pastoral Care Our pastoral care is second to none. It is centred on five Houses in a vertical tutoring format, each with a Head of House and each Tutor Base having a mix of students from Years 9, 10 and 11. The House Head is responsible for ensuring that each student reaches his or her potential and is given as many opportunities as possible to achieve and excel, be that in academic, sporting, musical or other fields. The House Head and Tutors are committed to the welfare of students in their House and closely liaise with parents and carers. Behaviour at Frome College is consistently of a very high standard and one of the main reasons for this is the support from parents and carers. Parents and carers have a familiar point of contact in the College.
Our students tell us that they appreciate their efforts and achievements being recognised and being thanked. With this in mind, we celebrate success with certificates, prizes, letters of commendation, cups and medals and of course many thank yous.
It is our expectation that all students treat each other, staff, visitors and their environment with respect and that they complete work to the best of their individual ability.
We know that the biggest reward often comes from parents and carers praising success and so we will let you know when your son or daughter has done well.
Any disruption to the learning of others is taken very seriously and sanctions will be applied to students who do not comply with meeting our expectations of behaviour.
We have inter-house competitions which enable students to work together to achieve success and encourages them to mix with students from different year groups.
Students say they feel safe in The College, that bullying is not frequent and, when it does occur, staff deal with it effectively. Ofsted, 2012
Teaching and Learning Teaching and Learning is at the core of everything we do at Frome Community College. Our aim is to provide the highest quality teaching and learning for all our students so that they can achieve their academic potential. Photo of lesson (new Year 9 students being taught)
Good teaching is at the heart of all we do. We aim to create a stimulating climate for learning, where all our students develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in a rapidly changing world. We pride ourselves in the way we create strong relationships with our students and our teaching staff know their students well as individuals with their own skills and abilities.
Our good teaching promotes progress, achievement and enjoyment and fosters independence. We expect students to participate fully in and engage with the learning process so that they become responsible for their own thinking and learning. We want our students to become life-long learners who we have helped equip to think independently with the skills they will need for success in further education, the work place and in their personal lives.
The monitoring of students’ progress is rigorous. Ofsted, 2012
Student Leadership Part of the ethos of the College is to develop leadership opportunities for young people. The Senior Student Team is elected annually from those in their last year at the College. With the introduction of our House System we will appoint House Captains to each House.
The Student Council The Student Council is made up of students from all years. They are encouraged to participate actively in what goes on in the College and to feed back to members of the Senior Leadership Team.
Messages from our Head Boy and Head Girl Throughout your time here at Frome College you will have some superb opportunities; from travelling to amazing places around the world, to helping your peers with their studies. Frome College is all about preparing you for the wider world, whilst at the same time creating some unforgettable memories and giving you the best education possible. I have nothing but praise for this school. From the day I started in Year 9 right up until Year 13 every single member of staff and older and in some cases even younger students have been more than happy to help anyone who needs it. My advice for success at Frome College is to grab every opportunity you can with both hands and to use every resource possible to prepare for your future life after College.
Josh White, Head Boy
Being a member of the Senior Student Team has taught me valuable skills and allowed me to develop my understanding of my own abilities. There is a friendly atmosphere which echoes through the College, amongst both students and staff. All subject and pastoral leaders are always on hand to provide any help that they can. Whatever your interests are, there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved in. Through the Student Council you have the chance to offer your own initiatives and opinions to the Senior Leadership Team. My advice is that putting yourself out there is definitely the best way to make use of your time at Frome College and to gain everything you can from being here. I have really enjoyed my experiences at Frome College and I am confident that you will too.
Mollie Warde, Head Girl
Our Campus Here at Frome College we have a delightful and spacious, green campus that provides a calm and mature learning environment for our students. Students here enjoy using the latest technology to facilitate their learning. Our new House System offers five dedicated ‘House’ areas where students can socialise and where a Head of House is available to talk to. Photo of Futures with students!!
We have many facilities and these include five house areas, our new multi-million pound Post 16 Centre which opened in 2011, a professional 240 seat theatre, an amphitheatre, a Media Arts Centre, music performance recording and practice rooms and a Dance Studio.
We have thirteen Science Laboratories, our Technology Suite has industry- standard catering facilities, our Art Suite includes dark room, two potteries and textile printing and we have thirteen ICT rooms with wireless access throughout the College. We have excellent sport facilities including swimming pool, squash courts, sports hall and a floodlit artificial all weather pitch and extensive sports grounds.
Performing & Expressive Arts We know from experience that many of our students relish the opportunity to perform on a bigger stage. Our Drama and Music performances are renowned and enjoyed by students, parents, staff and members of the community.
Recent Drama productions include ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’ by Bertolt Brecht. This was an exciting challenge for our students and they used Brechtian techniques and ensemble storytelling to tell this classic story in a new and exciting version.
We believe that students’ lives are enriched by experiencing live theatre. We organise many and varied Drama trips and recently we visited the Bristol Old Vic and the Salisbury Playhouse. We also went to see a production in the West End, which is always a very exciting experience.
We have a working 240 seat theatre on our campus as well as our amphitheatre and our students are encouraged to attend professional performances ‘on site’ as well as to perform. Our next venture, with the Music Department, is to perform the Musical ‘Grease’ and we are greatly looking forward to this.
Performing & Expressive Arts Consistently we are aware of the strong correlation between Music and academic achievement. Music lessons have wide-ranging intellectual benefits and students who are part of a performing group develop confidence and self-esteem. Music is a genuine strength at Frome College. Not only are our results consistently high but opportunities for extracurricular involvement create a real ‘buzz’ round the College and the wider community. All musical styles, instruments and abilities are welcome and we are always looking to invent and develop new groups.
Our flagship musical events are the Christmas Carol Concert at St John’s Church and the Summer Extravaganza ‘Later With FCC’ at The Cheese and Grain; both of which have established themselves as key events in the town’s calendar. There are, however, many more opportunities to perform throughout the year both in and outside of school. This year, we are putting on a production of ‘Grease’. So there is plenty to get involved in – and plenty of which to be proud!
We have many and varied extra-curricular Clubs for students to join. These include: Chamber Choir, Brass Group, Ukulele Orchestra, Flute Cocktail, Jazz Band, and our Percussion group – called ‘Shotgun Marimba’. We also have a superb local vocal coach who comes in to lead the ‘Crosstown Choir’ and our Guitar Teacher who leads the ‘Bands Project’.
Sport We firmly believe that Physical Education is very important for all round fitness and for the ability to concentrate in other lessons during the day. It is also of great benefit that students work in teams and co-operate with each other learning and practising skills which can be transferred to other subjects and areas of activity in the wider community.
It was another very successful Rugby season for our boys who were South Somerset Champions once again following last year’s win. They won the Somerset Cup in 2011 and were in the final in 2012. Our girls’ Football team had another excellent year and we are lucky to have some very strong Year 9 girls in the team so the future looks good. Our other many sporting successes include the Year 10 Badminton Team who won the Mendip Boys’ Championship and our Year 9 Girls also winning their event.
We offer many extra- curricular sports clubs and these include: Hockey, Netball, Basketball, Badminton, Rugby, Cricket, Football, Rounders, Tennis and Athletics. With the introduction of our House System we are looking forward to some hard fought sporting fixtures this year as students compete for their House.
Gifted & Talented and Special Educational Needs The Gifted and Talented Academy Providing stretch and challenge are integral to ensuring students reach their potential. In addition to the provision they receive in lessons, our most able students are also enrolled in The Gifted and Talented Academy. In this forum, students meet regularly with other gifted and talented students, attend special workshops and presentations both in and out of College, have meetings with a 'gifted and talented' tutor for support, guidance and mentoring and liaise with Faculty G&T lead teachers and G&T lead students.
Gifted and Talented Aspire At the College, we strongly believe that, if nurtured, all of our students have the potential to find a particular gift or talent. This is precisely why we are running the Gifted and Talented Aspire (G&T Aspire) programme in addition to the provision they receive in lessons. Involvement in G&T Aspire will be self-selected, or alternatively, teachers can recommend students to the programme if they feel the student has a particular passion for their subject area.
Special Educational Needs Students may experience difficulties in learning, short or long term, for a variety of reasons including learning or physical needs, social and emotional difficulties, or illness. To ensure each student has the opportunity to succeed a range of support is available. Students with disabilities are admitted in line with the Somerset Admissions Policy, or where they have a Statement of Special Need naming our school. This may involve pre-visits, a settling-in period, opportunities to experience extra-curricular or work activities as negotiated. Each curriculum area has developed resources and curricula to meet the full range of needs. Links with outside agencies, including specialist teachers and educational psychologist, provide support for both students and staff.
Disabled students and those with special educational needs, including those who receive alternative provision, make good and often outstanding progress. This is because their progress is checked regularly and their individual needs are met in lessons given by specialist teachers. .
Ofsted, 2012
Business, Enterprise and Careers From the minute our students step foot on
Working closely with our community
the College site we are thinking about how
partners in Frome, we run a Careers
best to prepare them for their future.
Fayre for our students in the first term. This gives students the chance
Alongside fostering good citizenship, we owe it to our students to develop both
to meet with local people in different fields of work.
desirable employability skills and entrepreneurial skills.
We run a very successful scheme involving our Year 10 students and the Frome Rotary Club. Students have the opportunity to be interviewed by two interviewers, at least one of whom is a Frome Employer, who have vast experience of conducting interviews. Following their interviews students have a feedback session. We know that students enjoy this experience and find it useful in their future careers in education and/or employment. Our students cater this event. While we don't expect every student to enter the job market and work for someone else, we believe the process of writing a CV helps students to think about the qualities, skills and experience they have. Possibly of more value, the writing and editing of their CVs helps to identity the qualities, skills and experience they need to develop in their time at Frome College. This development can take place in lessons, extra-curricular activities or participation clubs.
Field Trips For decades field trips (whether local, residential or international) have been an integral part of educational entitlement and at Frome College we believe that fieldwork is a vital and valuable component of every student’s school experience. We know from experience that learning outside the classroom is about raising achievement through an organised, powerful approach to learning in which direct experience is of prime importance. This is not only about what our students learn but how and where they learn. We organise a range of Geography field trips throughout the academic year. Our Year 12 Geographers take part in a trip to Pembrokeshire. This trip aims to improve students’ subject knowledge and to develop essential fieldwork skills which are examined in AS examinations. Year 10 students go to Swanage Bay for their coursework project where they collect data. This is a fantastic geographical experience and they always come back very enthused.
It is a tradition at Frome College that our Year 9 students have the opportunity to visit the WW1 Battlefield sites of France and Belgium. We also offer a Year 9 Watersports Trip to France. We had a very successful trip to Paris and Chateau Gontier last year and have a Ski Trip to Austria organised for 2014. Following the success of our recent trips to Iceland and Mongolia students are very excited by the forthcoming visit to Russia and of re-visiting Iceland. Many of our departments offer a diverse range of opportunities to learn outside the classroom environment which include visit to: Chepstow Castle, Birmingham, Rome and London.
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme We have a very well supported Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme which our students are encouraged to join. The past year has been a tremendous year for our Frome groups. In the last academic year our students completed 54 Bronze Awards, 12 Silver Awards and 6 Gold Awards. Once again we have a very full programme organised for this year.
To gain an award, students complete expeditions, voluntary work, physical and skilful activities over six to eighteen months depending on the level they are working towards.
We hold an Award Celebration Evening each year to recognise the achievements of our students and to present them with their much deserved awards.