THE
GRANGE SCHOOL A SCHOOL ON THE MOVE...
www.thegrange.com
www.thegrange.com
A WARM
WELCOME Welcome to The Grange School. I hope this prospectus will provide you with a useful insight into our vision, values and ethos. We aim to deliver an outstanding education in a caring and supportive environment. We are proud of our school and are constantly striving to improve the range of opportunities on offer to our pupils, their families and our community. I am confident that our commitment to provide the best education will ensure your child develops and prospers during their time at The Grange.
“This is an exciting time for The Grange School as we transfer to our new building at the start of the Summer Term 2013�
This is an exciting time for The Grange School as we transfer to our new building at the start of the Summer Term 2013. It is an amazing opportunity for all our pupils to learn in inspirational surroundings, supported by the latest equipment and technology. I do hope you will join us on this exciting new journey. Barry Carney Head of School
I expect commitment and aspiration from every pupil so that they make outstanding progress and enjoy the benefits of participating in a wide range of activities. Each individual matters and every member of our school community has something special to contribute.
Barry Carney, Head of School
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OUR SCHOOL
OUR VISION
‘A School on the Move’ In April 2013 we move into brand new premises adjacent to our current building. We will share the facilities with our primary, infant and nursery phases as an “all-through” school from 3-16. Although some of our children have followed the Grange pathway from a young age, most have not and the vast majority of our pupils transfer from over 20 primary schools around Runcorn. All children are welcomed into the Grange community and encouraged to achieve their full potential, following a personalised pathway to success. The Grange is an inclusive school where every child is encouraged to develop the values of self- discipline, commitment and personal responsibility. We aspire to standards of excellence in everything we do. Every pupil is expected to learn and succeed in an environment of mutual respect for themselves and others. We want all our pupils to develop into responsible, capable, caring citizens of the future.
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A BROAD BALANCED
CURRICULUM At The Grange we offer a broad curriculum tailored to the needs of all our learners. Pupils are constantly challenged to improve and develop their knowledge and skills in a supportive, caring environment. Success is celebrated within and beyond the curriculum so pupils develop confidence and a sense of achievement. We offer a range of GCSE subjects and vocational courses. Year 7 pupils are divided between three “arcs” depending on their attainment at the end of Key Stage 2. For those pupils who have struggled to achieve good results in English and mathematics, we put in additional time and support to ensure they make swifter progress. In Year 9 all pupils begin GCSE courses, giving them the opportunity to study extra subjects in their final year.
For those with learning difficulties, we have a highly qualified Special Educational Needs (SEN) team who ensure that every child is supported and encouraged to achieve their maximum potential. Expert career guidance and support, and regular liaison with parents ensure all pupils feel supported in making the right choices for their future education and career aspirations.
“Pupils are friendly and helpful. They show respect for one another and for their teachers”. Ofsted Inspector (2012)
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NURTURING
TALENT Inclusion Quality Mark Every pupil is an important and vital member of our school community. We are proud to have been awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark for the second time in summer 2012. This is public recognition of our commitment to the growth and development of EVERY child.
Care and Support Your child’s welfare and happiness is very important to us and Year 7 pupils are particularly well supported to ensure they make a smooth transition from primary school. Pupils who transfer within the school year are also equally well supported to ensure that the transition is as seamless as possible. Progress Leaders for each year group have a detailed knowledge of all pupils and are constantly tracking the academic and personal development of every child in their charge. They are supported by highly skilled Progress Tutors, Pastoral Support Coordinators and external specialists who work with the single aim of creating happy, confident, well-rounded pupils.
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BEYOND THE
CLASSROOM The Grange offers many exciting opportunities outside the traditional classroom experience. Every year our pupils enjoy a range of educational trips and visits, from the popular annual Paris study visit to theatre and Geography field trips. In school, our annual Enterprise Days and house activities offer pupils a chance to try new experiences closer to home.
Every year our pupils and staff raise thousands of pounds for charities such as Children in Need, Sports Relief, Comic Relief, ReadWell, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and Halton Haven Hospice.We also encourage our pupils to develop close links with local care home residents by performing concerts and inviting them to school for events.
Sport is hugely popular at The Grange and our pupil teams compete in inter school leagues in netball, football, basketball, rounders and cricket. After school clubs also offer the opportunity to take part in rugby, badminton, gym and trampolining, and alternative sports such as dodgeball, boccia, kendo, ultimate frisbee, american football and cheer-leading. During the day pupils also enjoy using the climbing wall and playing table tennis.
We are currently working towards the International Schools Award which has involved our teaching staff taking part in a school exchange to Oman and hosting teachers from a school in Dehli.
Our pupils love performing and shows are regularly staged in both the Dance Studio and the local Brindley Theatre. Famous writers, such as playwright Jimmy McGovern, author Jon Mayhew and poet Jan Dean, visit the school to run workshops and inspire a love of literature.
Our Sporting Stars The Grange is immensely proud of present and former pupils who have achieved exceptional results in their chosen sport. • National Tae kwondo championship gold medals - Hollie Bousefield, Head Girl 2011-2012 and Taylor Goodall • Widnes Vikings Rugby League scholarship Callum Brizzell • Cheshire County Cricket team players – Mathew Dunbebin and Nathan Wheatley • Alex MacDonald is a professional footballer with Burnley FC. • Shauna Coxsey represents Great Britain in rock climbing.
House System The introduction of a house system a few years ago has been a tremendous success. It gives pupils a new way to showcase their talents and foster healthy competition in a wide range of exciting activities. It complements our pastoral system and pupils of all ages are encouraged to work alongside each other. Every child belongs to one of four houses, named after local landmarks: • • • •
Bridgewater (Bridgewater Canal) Brindley – (theatre and canal engineer James Brindley). Castle – (Runcorn’s historic castle) Priory – (Medieval Norton Priory).
The house system has encouraged competitive tournaments in such activities as new age kurling, tug of war, football, basketball, quizzes, fancy dress and talent shows.
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CELEBRATING
NEXT
Many of our pupils achieve excellent GCSE examination results and we are extremely proud to report we are the only Halton school where results have improved for the seventh consecutive year.
Most of our pupils leave The Grange School and go on to further education or training. A small minority also go straight into employment. Pupils generally attend the local FE College Riverside and Cronton in Halton although some study at colleges slightly further afield in Warrington and Cheshire.
SUCCESS We celebrate the success of our pupils in dozens of different ways from an annual Awards Evening to postcards home and subject awards (Pupil of the Term). Graduation Afternoons, in front of parents and carers, are held each summer for all ages and are a fantastic way to celebrate success at the end of the school year. They have had a dramatic impact on pupil motivation and many pupils now achieve the challenging requirements and enjoy a celebration afternoon in a purpose-built marquee surrounded by fellow graduates and family. Pupils can graduate at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. We also reward good learning with a system of Vivo Miles (like air miles). Vivo Miles is an online rewards system, which allows pupils to both succeed in the classroom and be rewarded for their efforts. Teachers award Vivo points in and out of lessons and when pupils have accumulated enough they can be traded for rewards, which are ordered through the Vivo website and then delivered to school.
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STEPS Teachers and careers advisers from school and Connexions help pupils select appropriate college courses from a range of academic ‘A’ level or vocational subjects. Past pupils, having completed Further Education qualifications and traditional ‘A’ levels, move on to degree courses at institutions of Higher Education around the country.
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A NEW SCHOOL FOR THE
21ST CENTURY Thanks to the Building Schools for the Future programme, life at The Grange School is about to be revolutionised by an amazing new building. Work is due to be completed on the building in April 2013, ready for our school to move in during the Easter holidays. The design of the new building is based on a hub and spoke shape, with a main entrance area and four spokes occupied by either secondary, junior, infant or nursery children. Shared facilities, such as the kitchen and dining areas, will be at the heart of the building and each section of the ‘all-through’ school will be able to take advantage of central conference facilities and large meeting halls. Pupils will learn in bright, airy classrooms, equipped with the latest computer technology and interactive white boards. Each phase of the school will have state of the art teaching spaces which are adaptable to the changing needs of pupils. This will include dedicated areas for the nursery, infant, junior and secondary phases, but also many shared facilities, such as a large sports hall, all-weather playing areas, dance and drama studios and, of course, dedicated ICT suites. This is a once-in-a- generation opportunity to be part of an exciting new future, shaped by an inspirational building. Creating stars for the future
Quotes - from the Inclusion Quality Mark Assessor (2012) • Arrangements for primary to secondary transition are outstanding. • The school has a purposeful and dynamic working atmosphere. As a consequence the pupils are motivated and enthusiastic about their learning. • Staff at The Grange School know the pupils well. The pastoral and welfare system is outstanding. • The effectiveness with which the school promotes equal opportunities and issues of social inclusion is outstanding. • The school provides a safe and supportive learning environment. • There is a real commitment to raising aspirations and to removing as many of the barriers to learning as possible.
Quotes - from the Ofsted Inspector (2012) • Pupils feel safe in the school. • Pupils are friendly and helpful. They show respect for one another and for their teachers. • Pupils mix well together and are polite and courteous
THE
GRANGE SCHOOL DVDPRESENTATION
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www.thegrange.com
THE
GRANGE SCHOOL Latham Avenue l Runcorn l Cheshire l WA7 5DX Telephone: 01928 578115 l Email: info@thegrange.com
www.thegrange.com