CALDER HIGH SCHOOL everybody, everyday
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela
WELCOME TO
CALDER HIGH SCHOOL Calder High School was opened in January 1950 and takes pride of place as Yorkshire’s first comprehensive school. The school catered for some three hundred and fifty students on its opening - a big change from the community of one thousand five hundred students and staff who work here today. Calder High School is now the head of The Calder Learning Trust with Brooksbank Sports College, The Co-operative College and Calderdale Local Authority. Situated in the heart of Pennine Yorkshire, in the village of Mytholmroyd approximately six miles west of Halifax. Calder High School serves the Calder Valley, from Halifax through to Warley, Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd, and beyond to the towns of Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. At Calder High School, we strive for everybody, everyday to be and do their very best, so that they can realise their dreams and aspirations. We aim to equip our students with the skills, resilience and confidence to achieve excellence in academic, creative and sporting activities and to develop their cultural appreciation and acceptance, so they are ready to succeed in an ever-changing world. I look forward to welcoming you to our school and working alongside you in this next exciting stage of your child’s education and development. Mr A Guise Headteacher
THE CALDER LEARNING TRUST
THE CALDER EXPERIENCE Choosing a secondary school for your child is a very important decision and we hope that, like us, you feel that Calder High School is the right place for your child. We pride ourselves on the academic progress our students make, the range of enrichment opportunities available to children throughout their ‘Calder journey’ and importantly the social, emotional and well-being support we provide that is so important for success at secondary school.
Future Year 7 students have their first experience of our curriculum in the Summer Term of Year 6 when they spend a day ‘living life’ as a Calder student. The ‘Calder curriculum’ provides rigour and flexibility through the delivery of a wide range of subjects, qualifications and pathways meaning all our students fully engage in their learning. Our faculties are staffed by subject specialists who are qualified to teach all ages and levels of attainment and the provision of high quality learning experiences (known as EPIC lessons that involve ‘engagement, pace, imagination and innovation, challenge and creativity’) is a focus for all teachers. In Year 7, students join a mixed ability Form Group, with whom they will stay through to the end of Year 11. Throughout the first year, students will have lessons as a Form Group for all subjects apart from English, Mathematics and Science, where students are taught in sets based on current attainment. Students study all three ‘Humanities’ subjects (History, Geography and Religious Studies) as separate lessons. This is also the case for the Expressive Arts subjects of Art, Drama and Music. Students study either French or Spanish throughout Key Stage 3. The Technology Faculty provision of Catering, Resistant Materials, Textiles and Graphic Products is taught on a rotation so that students get to experience each specialism over the course of their first year. The Year 7 curriculum also includes ICT and Computer Programming, Physical Education and Learning for Life, which covers the personal and social aspects of secondary education.
WITHIN THE CURRICULUM
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Calder High School is a fully comprehensive school and we are very proud of the significant improvements we have made recently, placing us amongst the top schools nationally for student progress between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. Through aspirational target-setting, clear tracking of student achievement and regular progress reporting, we work in partnership with both students and parents to ensure that all students are well supported in reaching high standards of academic achievement. Our broad and balanced curriculum, and Core + programme at Key Stage 4, means that a high percentage of our students achieve the English Baccalaureate qualification reflecting examination success across English, Mathematics, Science, the Humanities and Modern Foreign Languages. In 2015, OFSTED commented that the school’s ‘unflinching drive for the highest standards’ continues to encourage students to achieve their personal best in all that they do.
Unflinching drive for the highest standards... Ofsted, 2015
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENT SUPPORT The process of transition from primary school to secondary school is a ‘big deal’ for both children and parents. It is for this reason that, as a school, we work hard to provide a comprehensive and effective transition programme. The success of what we do is evidenced by the ‘seamless transition’ that the vast majority of students have from a wide variety of primary school backgrounds. One of the highlights of the transition programme is the highly popular, week-long, Summer School available to all who will be joining Year 7 in September. Throughout their time at Calder High School all children form a close bond with their Form Tutor and Year Achievement Leader (YAL) and it is this personal point of contact that is so vital for on-going success at secondary school. Our committed and experienced pastoral team ensures that every student feels safe, confident and ready to learn and enjoy their time with us. One focus of this academic year will be the development of a new house system within school. All students will be allocated a place in one of four houses - Hardcastle, Shibden, Stoodley and Wainhouse. Students will be able to support their house in a wide variety of academic and extra-curricular ways throughout the year. It is hope that such a vertical system will foster a sense of identity and compliment the existing horizontal system of tutor groups and year groups. Another new initiative is the development of the PIXL personal development programme. This will give students in Years 7 and 8 the ability to develop their Leadership, Organisational, Resilience, Initiative and Communication skills in all they do inside and outside the classroom. Evidence is documented over a period of time and students are awarded with one of three levels - Apprentice, Graduate and Masters. Listening to the opinions of our students is a very important part of school improvement, and the role of ‘student voice’ offered by the Year and School Councils is very much valued. Involvement in such bodies not only improves the quality of the student experience but also assists in the development of leadership skills in young people. Our students are eloquent, creative and proactive and are a pleasure to work alongside.
Enrichment opportunities outside the classroom are an integral part of the personal and educational development of all children. They assist in the development of independence, self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills while also give the chance for staff and students to ‘get to know each other’ in a non-classroom setting. The school is proud of the range of opportunities offered to students and is continuing to work on how the existing programme can be further developed in the future. Put simply, there is something for everyone, no matter what their interests and talents, from music, drama, dance, hobby-based clubs and sporting activities to local, national and international visits of both an academic and recreational character. In the last year alone, Calder students of all ages have visited many local attractions, London, Blackpool, Birmingham, Ullswater, Pas de Calais, Cantabria and Sri Lanka to mention just a few locations!
BEYOND THE CURRICULUM
CALDER COMMENTS I went to Riverside Primary School in Hebden Bridge and I was really pleased that nearly all of my friends were joining Calder High. At first I was a bit worried about losing some of them as we were put in different forms, but this has not been the case at all; in fact I have quickly made a few new friends from other schools too. Since coming to secondary school I have really enjoyed following new subjects such as Music and Dance. Claudie Nicholson (7KCH)
I came from a very small primary school and only knew two other students in my year group. However, I went to the Summer School, which was great and got to know loads of other students before I had my first day in September. I’ve really enjoyed the first few weeks at secondary school and it’s great to have more than one boy in my class for the first time in a long time!
Calder High has a lot of sporting opportunities that has really catered for my interests. I am a member of both the school hockey and netball teams and in April 2016 went to Paris on a sports tour. We played a wide range of schools and did really well, qualifying for the finals. The sport was great, but going to Disneyland Paris with my friends was a real highlight too. I would highly recommend Calder High as a school as it is really supportive and there is always someone to talk to if you need help. Isabella English-Burns (9NOM)
Luca Kelly (7RWW)
Calder is a great school and has a very strong Expressive Arts department. Over the past few years I have been involved in many productions such as Edward Scissorhands, Little Shop of Horrors and the Addams Family, where I played the lead role of Uncle Fester and shaved my head for charity raising over £1000. The teachers are really enthusiastic at CHS and I am definitely staying on in Calder V1.
This is my third year at Calder High and I have really made the most of the many opportunities on offer to students. One of the things I have been involved in has been as a member of the Anti-Bullying Ambassador Team. As a group we have organised a number of fund raising activities and also supported any of our fellow students that may need our help. I hope the leadership skills that I have gained from these projects will help me in the future especially when writing a CV!
Max Holmes (11CBD)
Elliot King (9SFS)
This is my last year at Calder High before I take my GCSEs and I am one of about 24 prefects. To get this position I had to apply for the post and then take part in a group and individual interview. I really enjoyed the application process and am pleased I got appointed to the role. As a prefect I have helped with the Year 6 transition and have also organised material for a Learning for Life day. I have really enjoyed my time at Calder and hope I will keep my friends and memories for a lifetime. Maya Fireman (11NCR)
CALDER HIGH SCHOOL everybody, everyday
Brier Hey Lane, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 5QN PHONE: 01422 883213 | FAX: 01422 881876 | E-MAIL: admin@calderhigh.calderdale.sch.uk
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