The proposed academy at
Winsford
Foreword I am delighted to present our plans for a new academy in Winsford. E-ACT is a highly successful education sponsor responsible for developing and opening academies across England. We are currently responsible for eight open academies, with more in development. As a sponsor we guide and support schools as they prepare to become high-performing academies, focusing on delivering an excellent education for our young people. More than 6,000 students and 1,000 staff now study and work in our academies. We invest heavily in new technology and facilities and most of our academies are preparing to move to new multi-million-pound buildings over the next few years.
In addition we always work in partnership with a wide range of organisations, all of whom join us to support the academy’s ongoing development and focus on improving opportunities and results for all students. We look forward to receiving your views on our plans. Sir Bruce Liddington Director General E-ACT
Introduction This document provides details of a new academy, planned to open in September 2010, which will replace Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge High School. Academies are a new form of inclusive school designed to meet the needs of young people in the 21st Century. They are independent of the local authority, but publicly funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and monitored by the Office for Standards In Education (Ofsted). The proposed academy will be sponsored by E-ACT which is a not for profit charity* with extensive experience of opening and running academies across England. E-ACT is committed to significantly improving the aspirations, learning, achievement and personal development of young people. E-ACT academies are inclusive and reflect the multicultural nature of British society and the common values shared by its citizens. *registered charity number 1124189
The Vision The establishment of a new academy will transform the education of young people in Winsford. The academy will heighten aspirations, radically improve attainment and broaden opportunities. The academy will provide for: • 1,500 places for students aged 11 to 16 and • 200 places for post 16 students Our vision is to create a new academy which will quickly establish itself as a sustainable centre of educational excellence which will: • Treat all young people as individuals, ensuring each has explicit and clearly understood learning paths for success which are actively and regularly reviewed • Aim for and celebrate high achievement in all aspects, whether they are academic, vocational, artistic, sporting or social • Ensure that each student has effective guidance and support to succeed in their learning, personal development, future employment and lifelong aspirations
• Enable young people to progress at their own optimum rate, moving to the next stage in their education as soon as they show themselves to be ready. The rate of progress of able students will be accelerated. Those facing greater challenge will be supported and prepared to achieve success when the time is right for them • Take advantage of the power of information technology to engage parents, families and the whole community with the learning process by making the academy’s resources available in the home, local libraries and to local community groups
• Empower young people and parents as active partners in learning by providing frequent, rigorous and valid assessments of progress and engaging with learners and their parents in reviewing targets, and setting learning objectives • Foster rounded personal development by offering an extended curriculum with a wide range of enrichment opportunities
Consultation The views of the people of Winsford and beyond count and will influence the plans set out in this brochure for the new academy. Over the coming weeks we will be holding a series of consultation meetings. Some of these will be open public meetings and some will be aimed at specific sectors of the community such as the governors, staff and students at the Verdin High School and the Woodford Lodge School, pupils and headteachers from the town’s primary schools and the local business community. We will be seeking your views on our plans in general and in particularly on: • How we plan to transform the education of young people
When the dates of consultation meetings are finalised they will be widely publicised around the town and beyond.
• The way we design the academy’s sixth form
Our website - as well as attending consultation meetings you can give us your views about the plans for the academy online by visiting www.winsfordconsultation.info
• Whether we extend the number of partners we plan to work with
The consultation period will close on Friday 2nd July.
• What the academy looks like and how it is branded including the uniform for students, the name of the academy, the new names for the Verdin and Woodford Lodge sites, and how the academy signs its presence in the town
Following the consultation process a formal proposal will be presented to the DfE. If this is approved, and if Cheshire West and Chester Council approve the statutory change, a funding agreement will be signed and the academy will open in September.
• The specialist subjects we have selected for the academy
Transforming learning From its first day of operation the new academy will start to transform the way students learn: • There will be a focus on the essential skills of literacy and numeracy. All students lagging behind in these key areas will receive one to one support and small group teaching to rapidly develop them to the required standard • The way in which year 7 and year 8 students learn will be centred on developing the skills they need to become independent, self directed learners. Learning will be activity and research based. Students will develop an understanding of the interrelationships between knowledge, skills and understanding traditionally taught separately in school subjects
• The transition for year 7 students from primary to secondary education will be phased over the entire year. The academy will provide separate teaching and recreational areas for year 7 and a team of teachers dedicated to delivering the year 7 curriculum. The year 7 students will be introduced into the mainstream academy gradually and their integration will be closely monitored to ensure that they are confident and happy, and as a result effective learners • The power of information technology to improve learning and accelerate progress will be used to the full. Students will start work on developing a portfolio of qualifications in this vital skills area from their first week in year 7. The academy will have an outstanding virtual learning environment (VLE) and teachers trained to use its potential to the full. The VLE will make learning accessible in the home and across the community
• Key stage three at the academy will be two years instead of three. All students’ learning will be directed toward gaining national qualifications from the start of Year 9. Most students will gain at least some GCSE and equivalent qualifications by the end of year 10 enabling them to focus with greater success on the remaining subjects in year 11 • The academy’s most able students will achieve GCSE qualifications in a number of key areas by the end of year 9 to move onto A level study in year 10 and/or undertake a range of enrichment activities in the sciences, the arts, sport and community involvement
Specialisms In addition to providing a full range of learning opportunities, the academy will have two specialist subjects, mathematics and music:
The Sixth Form The academy will have a sixth form. In its first year of operation (2010-11) the Academy will not recruit students into year 12. It will continue to educate the students currently in year 12 for their year 13. From Sept 2011 the academy will be offering a range of A level and vocational courses for its new year 12 students. In part the actual range of courses will be developed to meet the needs of year 11 students as they start to plan the shape of their sixth form education. Initially, however, the academy will offer at least five A levels including english, maths and probably music. For vocational students the academy will offer level 3 diplomas in Engineering, and Creative and Media. The sixth form will also offer opportunities for students to continue with GCSE courses to enable them to improve grades or extend their range of qualifications.
• Mathematics and numeracy will pervade all aspects of the academy so that all students are fully engaged. There will be early entry to GCSE and A level examinations and attendance at university master classes for students who are gifted mathematicians • All students will have the opportunity and will be encouraged to engage in music and allied activities such as dance and music based drama. Every student will have the opportunity to play a musical instrument. Those showing particular aptitude will receive special coaching and support to develop their talent to the full. The development of an outstanding academy orchestra and choir will form a key element of the academy’s ethos
Partners The University of Chester will be a key partner to the academy. The University has regional expertise and a national reputation for teacher training. The university will add value to the academy in a number of ways including: • Support with the teaching of specialist subjects such as mathematics and music, particularly with the most able students • Developing vocational initiatives, including links with business The academy will work extensively with Cheshire West and Chester Council and form close working relationships with the local family of primary and secondary schools and local post 16 education providers.
Branding and uniform The image the academy projects is an important way of promoting a sense of pride and belonging on the part of its students and a vital part of enabling the town to be proud of its school. Central to this image will be the academy’s uniform. We will be keen to hear from parents and other stakeholders about their ideas on the design of the uniform and we will be working very closely with current students from Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge School who will provide a major input to the design of the uniform. For September 2010 the academy uniform will be supplied free of charge to all students in years seven to eleven who are on roll at the academy at the start of the school year.
The Community The new academy will be an asset to all members of the local community. It will be open outside of school hours and during holidays to offer a wide variety of classes and activities for students, adults and various community groups. Family learning opportunities will be a feature of how the academy will transform learning with out of hours courses designed to encourage parents to learn alongside their children. The academy’s specialist subjects of mathematics and music will be used to strengthen its link with local primary and secondary schools, working in partnership to mount whole town maths challenges and music events and festivals.
Accommodation The academy will open in the existing Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge School buildings in September 2010. Renaming these buildings will form part of the consultation process. The expectation is that the academy will move into a new building in 2013. In September students in years 7, 8 and 9 will be based at the Verdin site with arrangements in place for them to use some of the specialist facilities on the Woodford Lodge Site for one day per week.
Students in year 10 and 11 will continue at their current sites. Students returning to year 13 will be based at the Woodford Lodge Site. We are currently researching local public transport and Cheshire West and Chester transport provision and will devise plans to assure the availability of easily accessible and economical or free transport for those students whose travel to school will be significantly increased as a result of being based at the Verdin site.
Whilst the specific design of the new building will be determined at a later stage, the multimillion pound facility will aim to provide: • Flexible classrooms and learning spaces that can be used in a variety of ways • Excellent fitness and sports facilities • State of the art specialist spaces for art and design, science, design and technology, drama, dance and music • High quality catering facilities providing a wide variety of healthy meal options • High levels of security and safety for all users
Admissions and Transition Arrangements All existing students at Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge School, as well as students who have been offered places in year 7 in these schools in September will transfer as of right to the academy. The new academy will be a local school serving the local community. The admissions criteria for the new students entering the academy will be the same as they currently are for the Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge School.
There will be no selection by ability, specialism, gender or religion. Parents/carers will use the local authority preference form to apply for a place. Members of staff and their representatives will be consulted extensively on the academy proposals. For more information about E-ACT academies visit www.E-ACT.org.uk
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