Cams Hill School Quality & Achievement
A warm welcome to Cams Hill School Thank you for expressing interest in Cams Hill School. We are a successful comprehensive school, with high aspirations for every pupil. There is a warm and friendly atmosphere, excellent discipline and strong relationships between staff and pupils. We are very proud of the reputation that Cams Hill School has locally and feel that our pupils’ achievements and community contributions well deserve this high acclaim. There are a great variety of opportunities available to all pupils beyond the curriculum. We have many individual and team successes in sport, which you can read more about on our school website. We also have a large number of pupils who benefit from a wide range of arts activities outside of curriculum time and all pupils have the opportunity to undertake supplementary academic challenges, public speaking and highly successful charity work. It is this breadth and variety that contributes to making Cams Hill School a special place to learn. More information is available at: www.camshill.com Pupils say they enjoy being part of the school and so do staff. Should you decide to submit an application and your application is successful, you can be sure of a sincere welcome into our exceptional school community.
Roy Lee Chair of Governors
Academic success “Cams Hill School provides an outstanding quality of education in an exceptionally safe environment.” - Ofsted Cams Hill School has a long tradition of high academic standards. Academic success in secondary school is the passport to the next stage of education or training and we see this as our major responsibility. The majority of pupils regularly go on to study A-levels and, of those, many progress to university including Oxbridge and Russell Group institutions.
Cams Hill School first gained Science and Mathematics Specialist School Status in 2005 and Specialism remains a key aspect of Cams Hill School’s Academy Status. Our work in science education is recognised locally and nationally and the Cams Hill Science Consortium currently involves 36 primary and secondary schools from Hampshire and West Sussex. The ‘Primary Science Pathways’ and ‘KS3 Science Pathways’, produced by our Science Consortium, are already being used by over 130 schools nationally.
Our curriculum is broad and engaging, offering a wide range of subjects, including Triple Science, Computing, Graphics, Media Studies, French, Spanish and German as well as a small number of vocational subjects such as Health and Social Care. Teaching and learning is at the core of everything we do and the school is purposeful and focussed. Lessons are active and engaging, using a range of ICT and other resources. We have a well-stocked library, impressive sporting facilities and we are building a new £1.4m Humanities block, which will be completed by September 2016. We believe in high standards. Children are set challenging targets and there are mentoring sessions scheduled throughout the year to review these. These take place with your child’s form tutor and you are encouraged to attend.
Health and Well-Being Physical and emotional health are essential aspects of children’s development. We consciously plan for health and well-being across the range of our provision. Sports and physical activity promote important values such as team work, competition and a sense of fair play, as well as good health. At Cams Hill School, we encourage pupils to see sports as an integral part of their lives. Activities include football, rugby, netball and basketball in the autumn and winter, with cricket, tennis and athletics in the summer.
“My daughter loves coming to school and is making excellent progress.” - Parent
Life at Cams Hill School does not end at 3.15pm. There are a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including a comprehensive range of sports, ICT clubs, school plays and even a gardening club, which all contribute to creating the strong ethos at the school. Led by our committed PE team, pupils represent the school in football, rugby, netball, cricket and athletics. In the past year, the intermediate girls’ team reached the cross-country national final and the Year 10 boys’ football team won the Fareham and Gosport Cup and reached the Hampshire quarter finals stage. Individually, pupils have competed at county and national levels. Healthy eating is promoted through our very popular catering department which provides a range of healthy menus. Pupils learn about cooking and balanced diets in the curriculum as well as considering mental and emotional health issues. There is a planned programme of Social and Emotional Learning (SEAL) for all pupils and, if things go wrong, the school can offer individual support as well as strong links with outside agencies.
Personal Qualities and Values At Cams Hill School, we value all children as individuals with unique talents, skills and abilities. We take every opportunity to promote, celebrate and reward hard work and achievement. In Years 7-9, merits are awarded and prizes handed out during termly “Lottery Assemblies”; success, both inside and outside the classroom, is celebrated by Heads of Year during weekly assemblies and publicly in the school community through the school’s website and ‘Success in Our School’ displays. At the end of each year, Presentation Evenings are held to recognise the achievements of pupils across the whole curriculum and as members of the community. We encourage pupils to take a wider interest in the world around them. Personal Development Learning (PDL) lessons and themed days give pupils opportunities to reflect on topical issues. Assemblies allow time for personal reflection about the ‘big’ questions in life and the wider world and pupils are encouraged to consider their response to the spiritual dimension of personal development.
Pupil Voice
“I have had the honour of taking part in the Holocaust Memorial Day. I would urge future generations to treat everyone with equality and respect.” - Year 9 Pupil
Pupil voice is important at Cams Hill School and we encourage all pupils to take an active role in the running of our school. Year 10 ‘Buddies’ work with new Year 7 pupils to help them settle in to life at secondary school. School Councillors are elected each year and play a key role in making decisions that affect the whole school. Sports Leaders organise inter-tutor events and help run competitions at the local primary schools. Our prefects help play a key role in the running of the school representing the school at parents’ evenings and other functions, helping duty staff at break and lunch, and even organising the Year 11 Spring Ball.
A Sense of Community Transition The transition from primary school is an important one and it begins in Year 6, with staff from Cams Hill School working with your child’s primary school teachers. Transition days and a very popular summer school ensure that Year 7 pupils are confident and excited when they arrive in September. Once at Cams Hill School, the consistently effective pastoral system, built on a strong partnership between the school and home, continues to provide individual support. Pastoral leaders emphasise the importance of good behaviour and responsibility and a dedicated team of Year 10 buddies help your children acclimatise to life at Cams Hill School.
Community Visitors often comment on the ethos at our school, which fosters cooperation, understanding and tolerance. We encourage children to treat each other with respect and to be active members of both the school and the wider community. The children’s generosity is evident through their tireless fundraising. Pupils raise thousands of pounds each year, which are donated to a variety of good causes. In Year 8, tutor groups raise funds for a Senior Citizen’s Christmas meal and matinee. The school charity, “Freedom to Dream” has raised funds to build and stock a library in Zambia, which has been named after Cams Hill School.
“The excellent care, guidance and support provided for students at Cams Hill School begins during the transition from primary school and is sustained through each stage of their education.” - Ofsted
Opportunity and Ambition Everyone at Cams Hill School is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes and children are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning. Trips are organised for all year groups. In the past year alone, there have been Geography field trips, exchange visits to Spain and Germany, a Year 9 visit to the battlefields in Belgium, an activities week to the Ardèche, a ski trip to Austria, and a chance for the choir to perform in New York. Many pupils contribute to the school’s strong tradition of promoting the arts. There are a range of choirs and instrumental groups available to choose from. There are many opportunities to perform - at school, locally and abroad. For those with an interest in the performing arts, participation in the LAMDA programme (The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) offers an opportunity to develop dramatic skills. Many pupils receive individual music instrumental lessons. No self-respecting Year 11 would miss the Year 11 Spring Ball, where pupils enjoy a 3-course meal at a local hotel before dancing the night away in their finest formal wear. It is a night much anticipated and always well attended.
Cams Hill School Quality & Achievement
Cams Hill School Shearwater Avenue, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 8AH Email: office@camshill.com • Phone: 01329 231641 • Fax: 01329 283996 Cams Hill School: a company limited by guarantee Registered in England: Company Number: 07751232 Registered Office: Shearwater Avenue, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 8AH
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