The proposed All Saints Church of England Academy, Plymouth
Foreword from the Sponsors It is time for positive change at John Kitto Community College and, as Sponsors, we are proud to be involved in this exciting journey. As an Academy, we will settle for nothing less than first-class education for our students. The proposed Academy will place the needs, talents and potential of its students at the heart of everything it does raising attainment levels, increasing opportunities for further and higher education, and offering every student a rewarding future long after their school days are over. Its October 2009 Ofsted inspection, John Kitto Community College received an overall grade of ‘satisfactory’. It is our aim that the next inspection (due around 2012) should result in the new Academy being awarded an overall grade of at least ‘good’. At the inspection after that we hope to be deemed an ‘outstanding’ Academy. It’s a big task but we are not starting from scratch; the John Kitto Community College has many strengths for us to build upon. For example, the college’s broad and balanced curriculum received particular praise in the last inspection. As did its
specialism in business and enterprise. Soon, new buildings and learning styles, designed for a 21st century education, will be helping the Academy to meet and exceed our high targets. As part of the consultation process, we are keen to hear your views on the proposals outlined in this document - and your thoughts on making our vision a reality. We look forward to your comments. Diocese of Exeter University College Plymouth St Mark & St John (UCP Marjon) Plymouth City Council
“We like working together to help each other to succeed” Year 7 students
Introduction We’ve put together this consultation document to give you an overview of the plans for your college’s transformation into a Church of England Academy.
Our aim is for the Academy to provide a first-class education for all our students, thereby: • increasing opportunities
The new Academy will educate 900 students aged 11-16 and 250 students aged 16-19. It will open in the existing buildings in September 2010, moving into a combination of new and remodelled accommodation in September 2013.
• raising aspirations
This project will bring a transformation to a college which serves a wide community. Creating a highquality Academy on the John Kitto site in the west of Plymouth is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise educational standards, reverse the eastward drift in school intake, and tackle social deprivation.
• contributing to the overall transformation of Plymouth.
• improving attainment • enabling each student to achieve their full potential • strengthening the local community
We welcome your views on our proposed plans. You can find contact details and a pre-paid response form at the back of this document.
What is an Academy? Academies are a new form of inclusive secondary school designed to meet the needs of students in the 21st century. They are independent of their local authority but publicly funded and monitored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofsted. The Academies programme is a major component of the Government’s education reform agenda, which encourages Sponsors from private, public and not-for-profit sectors to establish all-ability schools. Each Academy has a board of governors with local stakeholder representation, including the local authority. As main sponsor to the Academy, the Church of England will provide high-quality education to every child in the local community, welcoming students of all faiths and of none.
The partnership The proposed Academy’s lead sponsor is the Church of England Diocese of Exeter, with UCP Marjon and Plymouth City Council as co-sponsors. All bring strong commitment, experience and expertise to the project. The Diocese of Exeter brings: • professional support from a team which covers children’s and youth work in every parish in Devon • a track record of, and a commitment to, excellence in education • a supportive local community through the parishes in Plymouth • access to support from the Church nationally, through the growing network of Church of England Academies and through the work of the Church of England Academy Services Ltd.
• develop self-esteem and confidence • have a strong sense of right and wrong
The vision The proposed Academy will be an inspirational place of learning which makes a positive contribution to its community and the wider world. As well as striving for academic success, we aim for our students to grow into citizens who value their peers and seek to contribute to the common good. Through their education at the Academy, we expect students to:
• recognise the importance and value of each person • have a holistic, rather than compartmentalised, view of human life, growth and destiny • develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and values they need to stay safe, enjoy life, make a positive contribution to society and achieve economic wellbeing. Regardless of their means and abilities, all students will be able to join in the full range of activities offered by the Academy. Through student councils, consultation and contributions to governance, their voices will be heard in the day-to-day running of their Academy.
“We are looking forward to having an exciting range of activities and learning experiences” Year 10 students
Admissions: how it will work The proposed Academy will be an inclusive learning centre; a place of Christian worship where other traditions are respected too. The Academy is open to every child in the local community, admitting students of all faiths and of none. It will support children with special educational needs, and those deemed ‘hard to place’. The Academy will be a local school serving the local community. All current John Kitto students will automatically transfer to the new Academy.
Ways of learning: a revolution The recent improvements in teaching made by John Kitto Community College will be continued and accelerated in the proposed Academy, with: • the application of the Mathematics specialism across the whole curriculum • excellent subject knowledge applied consistently to challenge and inspire students • recruiting, retaining and rewarding highquality staff
Raising levels of attainment We aim to: • achieve standards of Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 attainment that are at least in line with the national average, within three to five years of becoming an Academy • be in the top 10 per cent of schools from KS2 and KS4 • ensure that the majority of students make at least three levels of progress in Mathematics and English from KS2 to KS4
The Academy Governing Body and the Diocese are committed to inclusive education in a faith-based Academy that is welcoming to all. The admissions criteria will ensure that students will come from the community around the Academy irrespective of ability, belief, gender or ethnicity and will be encouraged to become an equal partner of the learning community.
• mentors and high-level teaching assistants used to raise the quality of learning in lessons
• teachers and support staff developing flexible, innovative and creative approaches to learning
• ensure that 90 per cent or more students move into further education, training or employment upon leaving school
The Academy will value all of its community as individuals and will be fully compliant with all relevant educational legislation, to accommodate all those students with statements of Special Needs where mainstream schooling is considered appropriate.
• the development of a first-rate virtual learning environment using ICT
• ensure that the quality of teaching is at least ‘good’ in 80 per cent or more lessons
• our ability to draw on the college’s existing specialism in business and enterprise.
• ensure that the great majority of students engage regularly in one or more enrichment activities, such as music, drama, sport, community service, Duke of Edinburgh or student leadership.
Parents and carers will use the Local Authority Preference Form to apply for a place.
• exemplary feedback from teachers, through improved marking, verbal feedback and formal reports
• bring levels of attendance in line with national averages
The curriculum One of the most powerful tools we have for raising standards and achievement is an engaging curriculum, which offers personalised and innovative approaches to learning. The current college’s 2009 Ofsted report praised the “skilful development of the curriculum” taking place here, commending the fact that students have access to an “impressive range of qualifications” and that their “personal strengths and interests are more closely matching what they learn”. As an Academy, we will build on these strengths. The breadth of the current curriculum will be increased through participation in a ‘city-wide learning campus’, giving our students access to ten diploma lines. The Academy will continue its successful collaboration with the Tamar Valley Consortium, which involves local businesses, 25 training providers and two other secondary schools.
Literacy and numeracy drive In recent years, many students entering the college have not shown the levels of literacy and numeracy expected for their age. The proposed Academy will be committed to improving this situation, carefully managing the transition from primary to secondary school and offering a focused intervention programme working with its many partners in feeder primary schools.
Extracurricular activities John Kitto Community College already offers a good range of extracurricular activities - including music, drama, sport and Duke of Edinburgh and this tradition will continue at the Academy, with every student expected to engage in at least one club or programme out of school hours. Plymouth YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) is a key partner of the Academy, sharing the same campus and enabling the provision of a range of activities and core extended services for all ages.
The Academy specialisms John Kitto Community College’s current specialism is business and enterprise, praised in the 2009 Ofsted report for making “an excellent contribution to students’ achievement, development and enjoyment of school life”. Focusing on this specialism gives students the chance to develop entrepreneurial skills; get a sense of the responsibilities of business; and prepare themselves for the world of work. The proposed Academy will build on the college’s existing good record by further extending its relationships with the business community. Plymouth City Council will assist by offering work shadowing, mentoring and work-experience placements. UCP Marjon will offer similar support, including placements for post-16 students studying business or finance. The second specialism will be in Mathematics. The Academy will take innovative and exciting approaches to teaching Mathematics across the whole curriculum.
“Having the experience of meeting real challenges will help us develop the skills we need for the future” Sixth form students
The community The Academy aims to make a difference to Plymouth by: • setting and attaining ambitious targets • significantly raising standards of literacy and numeracy • becoming the school of first choice for all in the local community • being a key contributor to the family of schools in Plymouth • helping students in their aspirations • establishing students’ routes into employment and further or higher education • supporting and developing community cohesion within and beyond the Academy.
The Sponsors want the proposed Academy to be an asset to its community, using partnerships with local parishes and businesses to offer family learning and adult education seven days a week. This ‘learning hub’ will offer meeting rooms, office space and access to ICT – and is expected to make a major contribution to the regeneration of local communities in west Plymouth. In particular, the Academy will take a leading role in the delivery of joined-up services for children which, among other things, address the Government’s Every Child Matters outcomes and Working Together legislation to keep children safe. The proposed Academy will have an area for worship, prayer and reflection. There will also be high-quality facilities for physical education, sport and recreation – for use by the local community as well as by Academy students.
Transition arrangements The Academy will ensure that every individual choosing the Academy will be visited in their primary school. Each individual will be nurtured through the transition to the Academy. Every youngster will be academically challenged from the outset, through excellent liaision with their current teacher and parents/carers. The proposal is for the new Academy to open in existing buildings in September 2010, with the building project completed by September 2013. The new and remodelled accommodation will be inspiring and stimulating, with spaces that can be configured quickly and easily to cater for groups of different sizes. There will be breakout spaces for small groups; conference rooms and wireless network rooms - all with electronic whiteboards.
“Working with primary schools and helping younger students to learn will also help us to understand learning� Year 9 students
Want to know more? More information about the proposed All Saints Church of England Academy, Plymouth is available on our dedicated consultation website at www.jkcc-academy.org
Tell us what you think This consultation process involves creating an Academy on the site of John Kitto Community College which offers inspiring and stimulating facilities fit for 21st century learning. Your comments will help to determine the way forward so please do not hesitate to get in touch and offer feedback. You can do this by returning the attached response form or via the website.
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www.jkcc-academy.org