Hove Park School Prospectus 2018

TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE

WELCOME

A school is more than just a place where students come to learn. It is a place where a community develops and thrives. It is a place where we come together to support each other achieve. Whether in the classroom learning, on the sports field competing or on the stage performing, we know that success comes from us all working together.

Student progress will always remain a key priority because outcomes so often dictate future pathways and opportunities for young people. I’ve always believed it is important that our vision ‘Together We Achieve’ is more than just words: At Hove Park School, we believe every student is entitled to a ‘whole education’ that includes great teaching, the development of wider skills and the opportunity to see, hear and do amazing things. This is an exciting time to be part of Hove Park School.

CARING FOR THE

INDIVIDUAL We encourage students to discover their own individual strengths, whether academic, spiritual, musical, creative, sporting or any other. Students are challenged to question, analyse and debate.

We aim to appreciate the needs and aspirations of each individual and to encourage them to flourish.

We spend significant time visiting our partner primary schools to ensure a strong start to students’ lives at Hove Park. We also run a number of transition events so students feel familiar with Hove Park and will enjoy their first day with confidence.

All students have a form tutor who monitors attendance, achievement, progress, behaviour and well-being. Students see form tutors for 40 minutes each day - at the start of the day and during Leaning for Life sessions, which combine PSHE and a defined literacy strategy. Form tutors are the first point of contact for questions about school life.

Students will also join one of our 5 houses. There are a range of house competitions and individual rewards for achievement, which are recognised in assemblies and other celebration events.

STUDENTS’ VIEWS “When I first started I was so worried and anxious about fitting in and making new friends. The school has helped me so much with this! There are many weekly clubs to help me settle in and to make new friends.”

A Year 9 student

“I’ve had very supportive teachers. I have learnt so much and have enjoyed everyday here. I couldn’t have asked for a better school.”

A Year 9 student “This is a school where injustice is challenged, diversity is embraced and obstacles are overcome as a family. I truly believe that there is no better place to spend five of the most memorable years of your life. I can safely say I’ve been challenged but the staff, the students, the atmosphere and my friends have made it more perfect than I could of hoped.”

A Year 10 student

SUPPORT FOR

LEARNING We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to succeed, regardless of any Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND). We support our students with SEND and their parents and carers, so that they are able to reach their potential and secure positive life chances beyond school.

To achieve this, all young people with SEND are offered the same curriculum entitlement as all other students in our school community. The role of the SEND department is to offer (where appropriate) a package of tailored support which ensures each child, regardless of need, is able to succeed.

In line with the SEND Code of Practice, our provision is delivered by specialist teams: Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Sensory/ Physical needs. We also liaise closely with specialists from the Local Authority’s services, for example, the Education Psychology Service and the various support teams within the Brighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS). Further information on SEND can be found on our school website.

INNOVATION At Hove Park School we have a 1:1 Digital Strategy with all students using an iPad as a tool for learning. The iPad ensures that all learning opportunities are broadened and it gives our students the connectivity they need to access a wide range of resources.

Our digital environment allows access to learning not just in the classroom, but in all areas of the school and beyond. Students are able to access resources outside the classroom to extend their learning. For example, being able to direct

students to teacher resources, share an article or an image is hugely beneficial in helping students gain a deeper understanding of a particular topic or subject. Moreover, the availability of subject specific tools is an exciting way to enrich the curriculum, for example the wide availability of literature through iBooks has been an essential resource for widening reading experience, using the iPad in art has shown that creating art work in a digital way can be as varied and as exciting as exploring drawing, painting, printing or any other tactile medium.

WORKING IN

PARTNERSHIP Hove Park School is very proud of its links with the local area, be they local primary schools, businesses, universities or charities. Our outreach work with local feeder primary schools gives a clear insight into many of the skills Years 5 and 6 students will be developing as they move into secondary education, fostering a strong sense of familiarisation. Our peer tutor programme is central and engages students from Year 7 through to HP6 across a wide range of skills – from MADE projects,

to science and languages. Students learn key life skills through this partnership work – resilience, organisation, communication and team work.

We also have strong links with local universities and colleges as part of our widening participation programme. University students come into school to deliver support and mentoring, and our students travel to see further study opportunities and experience what study beyond school looks like.

INTERNATIONAL

DIVERSITY Hove Park embraces the term international. Be it in the rich and diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of the local area, or the numerous opportunities to travel and learn from other cultures across Europe and the world, we are a school that celebrates the ethos of exploration and expanding the mind through learning different languages, meeting different people and experiencing different places.

Our school is accredited with the coveted British Council ‘International Schools Award’ in recognition of high quality international projects. Digital

technologies have significantly lent themselves to collaborative and immersive projects with both our partner schools abroad and with language schools in the local area, deepening cultural understanding and supporting language learning. We have partnerships with German, South American/ Spanish, French and Chinese schools and offer fully sponsored stays to Italy and Spain. We are one of the few state schools with the Confucius Classroom Award and currently have over 60 students aiming to acquire a near fluent level of Chinese as part of the Mandarin Excellence Programme.

CURRICULUM The curriculum we offer students is broad, personalised and designed to build an enthusiasm for learning and high achievement. We provide an extensive range of subjects and courses which give our students the widest opportunities for career and future learning choices.

Hove Park School’s curriculum is constantly reviewed and developed in response to student needs and local and national change. We carefully combine more innovative approaches within the framework of a traditional academic timetable.

What your child will study In Year 7 students study: Computer science; drama; English; geography; history; languages (on a carousel that includes German, French, Spanish and Chinese Mandarin); literacy; MADE (making, art, design technology – which includes cooking and engineering); mathematics; music; personal, social and health education; religion, philosophy and ethics; physical education; and science.

This programme of study continues into Year 8 but students begin to specialise a little more, choosing two languages and studying art, cooking and design and technology as separate subjects.

At the end of Year 8 students make a guided choice, involving parents and carers, of which language and option subjects to take for GCSE. Only students with significant special educational needs do not continue learning languages after Year 8 and enthusiastic linguists can continue with two languages at GCSE level.

Baccalaureate At Hove Park School we reward students for their progress in the Hove Park Baccalaureate. This is a framework that helps keep students on track to achieve their full potential across all subjects.

Students will pass if they:

• Make progress across a range of subjects; • Maintain a good level of attendance; • Meet our attitude to learning expectations.

All students can aspire to pass with honours if they achieve excellence in these 3 areas.

Students who pass receive certificates at the end of each term in recognition of their achievements.

Form tutors and the year teams are able to support students towards success in the Baccalaureate and parents and carers are easily able to keep track of their child’s progress through our halftermly reports.

GRADUATION Passing the Baccalaureate is a considerable achievement and, at the end of Year 7, a formal graduation ceremony takes place where we join parents and carers to celebrate their children’s success, hard work and commitment to learning.

The graduation ceremony is one of the highlights of our school calendar and also includes musical

performances from students and speeches from form tutors where they review the accomplishments of their groups over the course of the year.

Education is a partnership between schools and families, so it is appropriate to end the first year of secondary education with an event that brings the school community together!

EXPERIENCE At Hove Park School we are dedicated to developing a sense of entitlement to opportunities and experiences for all students. Across the curriculum, faculties are committed to offering a range of activites, both on site and out of school, to enrich the learning within each subject area, as well as building bridges between them.

Trips and experiences are developed to offer students intriguing insight into the real world and we work with local universities and businesses to enrich opportunity, as well as looking to expand students’ outlooks by travelling far and wide.

Our popular and successful MADE days, where Year 7 students experience design, technology and engineering, linked together through enticing one-day projects, letting their imagination and artistic flair run wild, are just one example of Hove Park’s commitment to doing things a little bit differently!

WELLBEING

At Hove Park School emotional wellbeing and mental health of our students is one of our top priorities. We are considered to be the leaders in this area for schools in Brighton and Hove and this year the work we did to support our young people has resulted in local and national recognition. We were also privileged to be featured on a BBC Radio 4 series about Adolescent Mental Health.

In 2018, Hove Park was chosen to take part in the Department of Education’s Mental Health Champions Project. Our tiered response to mental health, strong pastoral teams and fully integrated counselling service were praised. Having mental health and emotional wellbeing embedded across the school has reduced stigma around mental health, ensured shorter waiting times for counselling and built a team of staff who are supported, skilled and feel confident offering emotional support to students. We were thrilled to be published as a case study of good practice.

SUCCESS

Once again there was lots to celebrate with this year’s exam results, as the school saw a second consecutive year of improvement. Outcomes were above the national average in many key areas. For example:

• The proportion of students achieving both GCSE English and maths was 67% compared with the national average of 63%

• The proportion of students achieving the EBACC (GCSE’s in a minimum of English, maths, 2 x sciences, geography or history and a language) was 37% compared with the national average of 24% and a local average of 28% Success in the EBACC once again demonstrates our commitment to a broad curriculum where the majority of students continue to study a language at GCSE. The school’s Mandarin Excellence Programme continues to flourish and this year’s Chinese results reflected our continuing strength in this area with a 100% pass rate. There were also many individual success stories to celebrate, including 22 students who between them achieved over fifty grade 9 results across their subjects.

SIXTH FORM Hove Park Sixth Form continues the fantastic learning that students experience throughout their time at Key Stages 3 and 4. Students are able to follow 4 distinct pathways, Health and Travel, Business and Sport, Digital Fluency and People & Society to continue their studies. These 4 pathways offer a range of subjects that will ensure students are prepared and ready for their next steps. On top of this each pathway also offers a wealth of experiences and awards that will give students the edge on their UCAS application or CV.

Work experience is offered in each pathway alongside other qualifications related to that pathway. Being based at the Valley Campus also gives students the opportunity to get involved in various activities including coaching and mentoring, running a sports team or workshop for younger students and helping students in lessons.

Hove Park Sixth Form also offers a coaching academy which allows students to get involved and skilled at training and running a local sports team, again giving valuable additional experience for students’ next steps.

LEADERSHIP

The governors at Hove Park School and Sixth Form are drawn from different parts of our community, including a strong representation of parents and carers. The Governing Body draws upon the diversity of views and experience of its members to carry out its role; we act as a “Critical Friend� to support the work of the Head teacher, senior leadership and other staff. School governors are the strategic leaders of our school and sixth form, and have a vital role to play in making sure every child gets the best possible education within a safe, stimulating and highly professional environment.

Our overriding aim as governors, together with the school staff, is to ensure that all our students at Hove Park receive a high quality education in a safe and caring environment.

We believe every child is capable of outstanding achievement. We recognise the key role that parents and carers play in the educational partnership between students, school, college and the wider community and therefore welcome any views, issues and concerns they may wish to bring to our attention.

Leadership Team Head Teacher Mr Jim Roberts

Senior Deputy Head Teacher Mrs Michelle Prentice

Deputy Head Teacher Mr Kevin Alexander

School Governors Chair Ms Helen Davies - Co-opted Governor Mr Jim Roberts - Head Teacher Mr Marco Gallucci - Staff Governor Ms Elizabeth Maddison - Parent Governor Mr Roland Marden - Parent Governor Ms Claire Roberts - Parent Governor Ms Shahena Bashir - Co-opted Governor Mr Mike Nicholls - Co-opted Governor Ms Jackie Storey - Co-opted Governor Ms Lisa Williams - Co-opted Governor Mr Paul Williams - Co-opted Governor