ODBOROUGH
Artwork by Spherics Multimedia 2009 0845 643 8454 / info@spherics.co.uk
our vision
our values
Developing the learners of today to become the creative, respectful and successful leaders of tomorrow.
To develop:
We will do this by:
• Students who make excellent progress in all aspects of their school life.
• Inspiring each other to develop new skills and explore new opportunities.
• Inspired learners with inquisitive minds and a thirst for knowledge.
• Challenging each other to excel in all that we do.
• Students who have exceptionally positive attitudes towards learning and their community.
• Leading each other in our learning and personal development.
• Confident and creative leaders in all areas of our community.
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Welcome to
Rodborough It is my pleasure to welcome you to Rodborough School. For more than sixty years Rodborough has provided an excellent education to young people between the ages of 11-16. Whilst our students achieve very well in national examinations, we also place a great deal of emphasis on inspiring and challenging our students to develop as rounded young adults able to play a leading role in their community. Located in Milford near Godalming, Surrey, Rodborough is set in over 25 acres of grounds surrounded by woodland. Our students attend from Milford and local villages such as Chiddingfold, Elstead, Thursley, Witley and Hambledon as well as from the town of Godalming itself. Rodborough has been a stand-alone Academy since 2011. We continue to work closely with Surrey Local Authority and other Surrey schools. As a member of the Waverley Federation, we are able to collaborate with our partner schools in order to enrich the experiences of all our students. Membership includes access to additional support for work experience, careers advice and additional pastoral support and guidance. The Waverley Federation also enables us to offer a far richer curriculum, particularly in
Key Stage Four, by allowing us to procure specialist vocational courses from third-party educational providers. We provide a curriculum that supports the development of the learner as well as ensuring breadth and depth in terms of the range of subjects that we teach. Outside the classroom, we take pride in the range of opportunities we offer which include an impressive variety of trips, a very successful Duke of Edinburgh programme and many clubs and societies. Our sports leadership and prefect programmes are designed to encourage students to become involved in their community whilst at the same time developing their leadership skills. We hold an open evening each year when prospective students and their parents have the opportunity to see all of our departments in action. Further details of this and other events that we are running can be found via our website at www.rodborough.surrey.sch.uk. We encourage prospective students to come and see the school during a normal school day. We hold a series of tours during September and October. Matthew Armstrong-Harris Headteacher
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“Students have fantastic attitudes to their learning. They are diligent and want to do well. Students’ behaviour is excellent, both in and out of lessons. They are rightly proud of their academy.” OFSTED We believe that it is essential that our students are able to benefit from the experience of a broad and challenging curriculum. In the lower school (Years 7 to 9) students study a broad range of subjects which help to develop their subject specific skills and knowledge in the arts, creative, practical and academic subjects. In the upper school the range of options broadens further in order to ensure that our students are able to engage fully with a curriculum that is both relevant for them and ensures that they are properly prepared for the next stage of their education or training. We support the development of our students as learners through our ‘Lifelong Learning’ (L2) programme. This involves the teaching of core learning skills through a progressively structured programme throughout Years 7 to 11. The programme is delivered through weekly lessons and reinforced by common approaches across the curriculum. As the programme progresses students become increasingly independent learners which helps prepare them for GCSE and beyond. The school day is divided into six, fifty-minute lessons and begins at 8:45am with a twenty-minute tutor period or assembly. The school day ends at 3:25pm and includes a fifty-minute lunch and twenty-minute mid-morning break.
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Key Stage three (Years 7 to 9) Subjects studied by all students in Key Stage Three are: Art Computing Design & Technology* Drama English
French Geography German History Lifelong Learning
Mathematics Music Physical Education (PE) Religious Education (RE) Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
*Design and Technology in Years 7 – 9 includes Food Technology, Graphics, Resistant Materials and Textiles Technology.
Key Stage Four (Years 10 and 11) In Key Stage Four all students follow a ‘core’ of examined and non-examined subjects. Core examined subjects: • Mathematics • English Language and Literature • Science (offered as a combined double award or separate Biology, Chemistry and Physics) • Religious Education (Philosophy and Ethics) (short course) Core non-examination subjects: • Lifelong Learning (L2) (including Personal, Health and Social Education) • Physical Education (PE)
Optional subjects from: Art Business Studies Computer Science Drama Food Technology
French German Geography Graphics History
Music Physical Education (PE) Religious Education (full course) Resistant Materials Textiles Technology
Vocational options: Vocational options are provided through the Waverley Federation Partnership. The range of options adapts to meet the differing needs of a particular cohort. Currently we are able to offer opportunities to study a number of subjects including: Carpentry Construction Countryside & Environment Creative & Digital Media Production
Engineering Hair and Beauty Small Animal Care
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“Teachers work hard to help students achieve their best.� OFSTED We have a wide and varied programme of clubs and activities. We have thriving sports teams in football, netball, rugby, cricket and athletics and even a successful equestrian team. Our sports teams have a track record of success in local, county and national competitions. Our clubs reflect a wide range of interests and a full list of what is available is published each term. Music and drama thrive at Rodborough. We encourage students to take music lessons and join a performing group such as our jazz band, which regularly performs at local events as well as bi-annual international tours. Our annual productions have become an important fixture in the local arts programme and involve students backstage and in the orchestra pit as well as on the stage.
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“There’s no shortage of things to do and get involved in here; you’d have to try hard to be bored.” Year 10 pupil
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“Students are extremely polite and show high levels of respect for each other and for the adults who work with them.� ofsted
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Student Leadership All students are encouraged to participate fully in the school and local community. We have an active school council, led by our ‘Senior Six’ team comprising of our Head Boy and Girl and their deputies. This allows students to contribute towards whole-school development. In Year 11, all students are encouraged to become prefects and take responsibility for a range of duties around the school as well as lead developments in their specialist areas such as community work or our thriving Eco-school programme. Leadership development is also supported through our extensive Sports Leaders programme.
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supporting students
We recognise that a good education also involves providing appropriate support during a time in their lives when our students are facing the challenge of growing up. Transition
Students are allocated to one of six tutor groups in Year 7. Our Head of Year 7 works closely with our partner primary and junior schools in order to ensure that transition to Rodborough is as smooth as possible. The transition process is supported by group and individual meetings, transition days and information meetings for students and their parents. Care is taken to ensure that the tutor groups contain a mix of students from different schools and backgrounds yet allow students to feel confident that, wherever possible, they are with someone they know. In order to help our new students to settle in quickly we run a series of team-building activities in the summer term and during their first weeks at Rodborough to encourage them to make new friends.
The Tutor
Tutor groups remain together throughout their five years at Rodborough and, in Year 8, will have a new Head of Year who will stay with them for the next four years. The tutor is the first point of contact for most questions that students and parents may have. They can be contacted through a note in the student planner, an e-mail or a telephone call.
Additional Support
In addition to our pastoral system, students can be supported through our partnership with the Eikon Charity who provide counselling on site.
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Additional Educational Needs
Work Related Learning
For students with a statement of additional needs we are able to provide a range of support options to help them with their progress.
All students from Year 7 participate in our work-related learning programme through the curriculum, assemblies, the tutor programme and with independent advisors.
Our Learning Support team provide in-class and withdrawal support for those students who need it. The team work with partner schools to assist the transition process and help prepare an appropriate programme that best supports the child. Working in partnership with the National Autistic Society (NAS) and Surrey Local Authority, Rodborough has a specialist centre for autistic children supporting up to twenty children across Years 7 to 11. Admission to the unit is through Surrey Local Authority’s Special Educational Needs admissions process.
Students in Years 9, 10 and 11 benefit from independent careers advice, either within a group or individually. In the summer of Year 10, students participate in our work experience programme in order to gain a taste of the workplace before they make their final further education choices.
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In addition to our website, which is updated to include news and calendar items as well as the latest information about our curriculum, we send home a weekly newsletter each Friday. The newsletter includes information on upcoming events, reminders about important dates, and features on a range of activities. Letters home are also sent on a Friday and are used to provide more detailed information about an event or trip. We send most of our communications home using e-mail and a copy of each communication is added to our website for reference. Parents can also log in to ‘Insight’ which is our information management system. This allows parents to access data about their child, including copies of reports. Students will record homework, deadlines and notes in their planner which we ask parents to sign on a weekly basis. Comments and queries can be made by parents to tutors through the student planner. For more detailed or urgent matters parents can contact staff by e-mail using the info@rodborough.surrey.sch.uk address or by telephoning.
Our sixth Form partner is Godalming College. Godalming College offers outstanding post-16 provision and, as a feeder school, our students are guaranteed a place if they meet the academic criteria. We work closely with Godalming to ensure that there is a smooth transition from our upper school into further education. Whilst over eighty percent of our students move to Godalming, we ensure that students are supported to make the right choice for them post-16. As well as Godalming College, our students go on to attend Guildford, Alton and Farnham Colleges. They receive independent advice to help them in those decisions in addition to our own guidance programme.
“I had the pleasure to meet some truly wonderful students. I was particularly impressed with their ambition, eloquence, their motivation and passion.” Local Employer
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“Students have equal opportunities to succeed… because of the very effective curriculum.” ofsted
ODBOROUGH
Rake Lane, Milford, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5BZ T 01483 411100
E info@rodborough.surrey.sch.uk Artwork by Spherics Multimedia 2009 0845 643 8454 / info@spherics.co.uk
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www.rodborough.surrey.sch.uk