St Michael’s Catholic College
Foreword from the Principal “It is our expectation that students achieve excellent academic results through developing a love of learning, a love of Christ, and a love of each other.” Academic Rigour Within a Caring Catholic Community Choosing a new school for your child is a very important decision and as parents you will believe that your child deserves the very best education. At St Michael’s we share your belief. We recognise that there are no limits to a child’s potential, hence our aim is simple; to facilitate academic and personal success in a rigorous learning community and in a culture which embraces spiritual values - of serving others, tolerance, prayer and forgiveness. It is our belief therefore that students grow into mature and responsible adults through: • Learning together in a Catholic community • Aspiring to academic excellence and success • Acquiring confidence, resilience and fulfilment of their individual talent • Developing a love of learning, a love of Christ, and a love of each other Our team of well-qualified, dedicated staff work creatively and professionally to ensure that all students flourish and achieve our goal of academic excellence. We have a progressive approach to developing and delivering our curriculum while we tailor our learning environment to meet the needs of students; providing extra challenge for those who are intellectually gifted and offering learning support for those in need. St Michael’s new build facilitates 21st century learning and has excellent facilities and resources to benefit the whole community. When a new student joins us, we take the time to build a genuine partnership between the family and school, since we believe that partnership with parents is vital to every child’s future success.
I hope you enjoy reading through our prospectus which gives a flavour of the broad and balanced experiences at St Michael’s, but more importantly - I would like to invite you to our school to sample the culture which makes St Michael’s Catholic College unique. Mrs Grainne Grabowski Principal
Teaching and Learning Together in a Catholic Community The highest quality of teaching and learning lies at the heart of our success and outstanding academic results, hence our team of excellent teachers keep up to date with new developments and innovations in education. Teachers are research active and each teacher works within a learning community of colleagues to ensure the effectiveness and improvement of lessons. As a strategic partner in a Catholic Teaching Alliance, St Michael’s is at the forefront of good educational practice and teacher training. Lessons are structured and well planned with an emphasis on independent and active learning for pupils. Our creative approach to education ensures student engagement and progress. Academically we challenge pupils with a comprehensive range of subjects, exceeding the requirements of the national curriculum by offering law, economics, sociology, textiles, media studies and a range of vocational courses. Taught in classes according to ability, students are challenged to learn at a rigorous pace allowing them to develop their knowledge and understanding. Our Key Stage 4 curriculum includes a wide range of business related options and all pupils undertake courses designed to encourage enterprise. Pupils may also study modern foreign languages including Spanish, French or Mandarin, while there are numerous trips to support such learning.
“The teachers are passionate about their jobs. They always bring the best out of you. It comes from their heart.” Year 8 Pupil
“Outstanding teaching is a feature of all year groups and subjects.” Ofsted
A Unique Location offers Exceptional Opportunities “Students have access to exceptional opportunities which strongly support both their academic and personal development.” Ofsted St Michael’s sits in the heart of London benefitting from the diversity & richness of surrounding communities. Both our location, close to Tower Bridge, and partnerships support learning and teaching. We offer meaningful and interesting experiences in a vibrant environment. A bespoke careers training and advice programme is provided by PwC at More London, who have committed to a whole school approach; supporting the development of our staff and students in a variety of ways. Bloomberg provide one-to-one language mentors for those taking GCSEs in Modern Foreign Languages and Ince and Co. support literacy development as do PwC; working with students within our reading clubs.
We actively encourage students to become worldly by developing entrepreneurial spirit and good business acumen as well as acquiring sound modern foreign language expertise. Such skills and attitudes enhance the life chances of our students. Our proximity to, and links with, prestigious London universities enable the College to offer Astronomy GCSE as well as Maths and Science master classes for the gifted and talented within inspiring settings like the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and Kings College London campuses. Students regularly visit the BBC to engage in lively political debate, The Globe Theatre to perform, The Old Vic and West End Theatres for shows, The Royal Festival Hall and Barbican for concerts, and our partnership with London Youth Rowing offers indoor and on water rowing sessions. Some of our students enjoy life as Sea Cadets aboard HMS Belfast after school or participate in onsite or local clubs and societies. Bermondsey Convent of Mercy Archive and Heritage Centre, The Most Holy Trinity Church designed by H S Goodhart-Rendel along with St George’s and Westminster Cathedral offer opportunities for spiritual reflection and engagement in liturgical activity.
Our work experience programme provides preparation for working life training, placements and internships in many high profile companies. Our association with John McAslan & Partners offers year 10 students interested in architecture a placement opportunity and those interested in law or finance have benefited from internships in, for example, Herbert Smith and Bank of America.
“St Michael’s is a little gem in the city near to Tower Bridge; making the most of it’s proximity to one of the world’s greatest cultural and business hubs. It’s such an interesting place to be.” Year 10 Parent
Enrichment and Learning through Experience Acquiring self confidence, resilience and fulfilment of individual talent At St Michael’s we believe that learning takes place everywhere. College life is therefore enriched by diverse activities designed to encourage experiential learning and foster enjoyment. A broad spectrum of sporting, musical, artistic and technological clubs are offered every day at lunchtimes and after school. Students may join the college orchestra, choir, various bands, ensembles or composition club with opportunities to perform to audiences in numerous settings.
Fostering innovation and creativity are at the heart of our art and design clubs while in Year 8 every subject provides termly cultural activities. The school has a wide range of sporting fixtures that encompass many sports over the year. These include multi sport matches against local schools to national competitions. The team sports we offer foster co-operation and a healthy lifestyle while sports such as archery encourage individual skill and dedication. Students are often given the opportunity to make presentations and develop skills for future education and employment. Students may also be involved in a variety of teams, committees and groups aimed at encouraging leadership, democracy and active citizenship. We offer a programme of events at which inspiring and influential speakers and groups address and engage students in local, national and global issues. Again these foster leadership skills. Travel and residential trips are an integral part of broadening student experience. We offer students trips to Rome, China, the USA, Paris, France or Switzerland for skiing and the UK for activity and adventure.
The Sixth Form at St Michael’s “Students look forward to joining the sixth form and see their peers are well prepared for their next step; from the offer of master-classes and summer school in universities to internships in top city firms.” Parent of a Year 11 pupil Founded in September 2011, St Michael’s Catholic College Sixth Form provides students the opportunity to continue their education within a rigorous and caring Catholic context. The College was judged Outstanding by Ofsted in both 2011 and 2013 and our sixth form builds on this in every aspect. The curriculum is shaped to offer both academic and personal challenges, as well as space to develop and pursue interests; preparing students for the competitive world of university and employment. As a Catholic College we ensure our sixth form students have continued opportunities to develop and reflect on their own faith. More information about our sixth form can be found in the Sixth Form Prospectus.
Positive and Professional Approaches to Pastoral Support “St Michael’s has lived up to my expectations by giving my daughter a good education and making her happy and confident.” Parent of Year 9 pupil St Michael’s is a safe, well ordered college. New students participate in our well established and comprehensive induction programme including a week long summer school. This ensures transition from primary to secondary education is smooth and enjoyable. Our youngest students settle in quickly becoming confident and productive members of our learning community. Our faculty system enables a positive and professional approach to pastoral care. On entering, each year group is assigned a Head of Faculty charged with the pastoral care of students. They ensure the wellbeing of all within the year group and are a key point of contact for parents, together with the tutor. The Head of Faculty for pastoral care retains the role as the year group progresses through the college and it would not be unusual for a year group to have the same Head of Faculty and tutors throughout their time at St Michael’s. We work in close partnership with parents and encourage them to be actively involved in their children’s education. Regular and clear channels of communication mean our parent body is well informed and able to make a positive contribution. The Link, our fortnightly e-newsletter for parents gives a regular insight into school activities and news. Frequent Parent Meetings and Forums give the opportunity to raise issues, air opinions and influence decision making in the College. Our ‘Principal’s Roundtables’ provide opportunities for in-depth discussions between parents and the Principal.
Developing a Love of Learning, a Love of Christ and a Love of Each Other There are considerable opportunities for students to display initiative, leadership and to use their skills and experiences for the benefit of their peers e.g. peer mentoring, peer mediation, student leadership team and our prefect system. The student leadership team and other pupils work hard throughout the year and have an ongoing commitment to raising money for a range of local and national charities. Termly charity events and particularly those during Lent raise awareness for such charities while assemblies and sponsored activities underline their importance and significance. The religious life and role of students is nurtured through students planning and engaging in liturgical events and services, undertaking charitable endeavours and taking on aspects of ministry within our weekly mass.
St Michael’s Catholic College Llewellyn Street, Bermondsey, London, SE16 4UN Telephone: 020 7237 6432 Email: contact@stmichaelscollege.org.uk Website: www.stmichaelscollege.org.uk Supported by
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