every student matters
thomas tallis school
prospectus
As you walk through the gates of Thomas Tallis
the whole story. We want our students to achieve
School and are struck by its grey, breezeblock
the very best results they can but we also
The saying, ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover’
young person is equally important.
about our building, but what is happening inside it.
Thomas Tallis is a place where we take risks. We
exterior, you could be deceived by appearances. could not be more appropriate. Our school is not
recognise that becoming a rounded and confident
Our philosophy is that everyone matters. The staff
want to make learning fun and are constantly
learning.
working here. They know that they belong to a
work hard with the students; we all share a love of It’s all about mutual respect. We treat the students
with respect, and we expect the same in return. All
looking for new ideas. I think this is why staff like thriving school.
In my opinion, it’s a great school and I love being
staff share these values. Obviously, it sometimes
the head - but I recognise that I might be a little
the issue and work to resolve it. Much hinges on
us on any Wednesday between 9.00 and 11.00
breaks down. Then we listen, get to the bottom of
effective communication - we are a community
where everyone has a voice and their opinion is valued.
We want everyone to be proud to be a part of our
biased! If you want to find out more, come and visit am. Tour the school, either with a guide or on your
own, and meet with me. When you see us in action you will know whether we are the school for you.
As I said at the beginning, every picture tells a
community. We want our students to feel safe and
story. The faces of our students show how they
becoming independent learners. Our academic
Rob Thomas, Headteacher
that they belong. We also want to support them in success is rooted in this approach but that is not
feel about our school - I feel the same way.
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every picture tells a story...
the achievements of an organisation are the results of the combined efforts of each individual. VINCENT THOMAS LOMBARDI
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enjoy and achieve
If lessons are stimulating and engaging, then
students will love learning; not an easy challenge
but certainly one we believe we are up to. We
spend many hours planning and reviewing
schemes of work to ensure they are well
All this, combined with regular homework, helps us
to support all our students in adding value to the
progress they have already made. It is one of the reasons why we regularly appear in the top 500
comprehensive schools for our achievements in
differentiated and meet the needs of all. Lessons
the Sixth Form and at GCSE. We are very proud
curriculum and to develop as independent
us as successful, well-balanced individuals, ready
are structured to enable all students to access the
learners.
We constantly review our curriculum to make sure
it offers the best choices for all. Full details are
of this but prouder still that our young people leave to face the challenges of the 21st Century.
As an Arts College, we celebrate success in the
arts and all students study at least one arts subject.
contained in our fact sheets at the back. Some of
We believe this helps stimulate other areas of the
additional support whilst others take 10, 11 or 12
their creative side.
our students take 5 GCSEs and receive a lot of
subjects and, of course, we have a variety of pathways in between.
We set all students challenging targets and report
on their progress each term. In addition, each year
group has an annual parents’ evening and termly
Academic Review Days. During these, students
meet their tutor, discuss their progress and set
themselves targets for the term ahead.
curriculum and allows other faculties to explore
Our next challenge is planning our new school
building. Students, staff, governors, parents and
carers have all been involved and we hope that by
2009 we will have a new school which will be the
pride of the community.
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being up to the challenge...
success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get. DALE CARNEGIE
make a positive contribution
Everyone in our community can make a positive
contribution and that’s why we believe we are an inclusive school.
Regular lively debates take place at School Council meetings; its members bring a variety of issues to the forum.
These ideas are often
and we want the very best for all of them. Here everyone is valued equally.
Inclusion isn’t just
about the students though. We want parents and
carers to feel that they are part of Thomas Tallis by
signing the Tallis Agreement and by checking the student planner regularly. The planner is a very
important document; it is our first means of
progressive and sometimes radical and we value
communication with you and is used to record
life. We are a school that listens and we believe
addition, we welcome any thoughts about how we
these meetings as a very important part of school
homework and other important information. In
that people feel valued if they have a voice and can
can make the home-school link stronger.
encouraged to become independent learners and
We are fortunate to have an extremely committed
make a difference.
After all, our students are
thinkers. That’s why, when they have something to say, it’s generally worth listening to. For instance,
our students like wearing their school uniform
because they helped to design it. We
receive
students
from
many
different
backgrounds and cultures: we have students who are deaf or hearing impaired, students with speech
and language delay and students with a variety of
other needs. There is one common factor which
unites them all: they are all Thomas Tallis students
and helpful group of governors who work closely
with the school, supporting us but also asking us
those questions which keep us on our toes.
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everyone has a voice...
with every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas thought by thought, choice by choice. OPRAH WINFREY
stay safe
Safety and belonging are very important in our community.
We find out quite a bit about our
students before they arrive here by visiting their
Some students are less confident about using local
transport and we have a “Travel safe” programme
in place which allows them to develop their
primary school and meeting their Year 6 teacher.
confidence in travelling to school.
new students spend a day at Thomas Tallis, meet
Our pastoral system is excellent. Heads of Year
group. It gives them an insight into life at Thomas
five years and the relationships which they develop
We also have our Headstart Day in July when all
their tutor and get to know the rest of their tutor
Tallis. It helps to provide them with an excellent
start.
We realise that some students may find the
and tutors normally remain with their students for with students, parents and carers are very important ones.
We have our own ‘Beat Bullying’ Campaign where
transfer difficult and we invite them into school with
every member of the school community is invited to
are able to meet support staff and are teamed up
monitor the success of our initiative by asking the
their parents or carers before Headstart Day. They with a mentor, a Year 8 student who also faced
difficulties on transfer but has overcome these
initial problems. We also give a number of them
the opportunity to come to the Summer School. Our Year 7 students settle so quickly that we even use them as guides on Open Days to reassure
visiting Year 6 students about the transfer process.
sign a ‘beat bullying’ petition.
We constantly
students to evaluate its effectiveness.
The
response has been overwhelming and a brochure
is available if you would like more information
about our campaign. We like to work together to ensure our students remain happy and safe.
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looking out for one another...
all our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. WALT DISNEY
be healthy
On that memorable November day when Jamie
basketball, dance, drama, choir, orchestra,
certain amount of upheaval. However, the benefits
steel pans to mention just a few. It was only when
Oliver first came into Thomas Tallis, it caused a
have far outweighed the problems caused by those
chaotic first few days and we now have a healthy, well-balanced menu on offer.
signing, creative writing, yoga, samba band and
I looked at my watch that I realised it was 4.30 pm and everybody could have gone home an hour
It’s great to see
ago! It speaks volumes that Thomas Tallis is a
With all this healthy fare and regular drink breaks,
Centre in Wales, our diverse range of school
haven’t forgotten that their brains need to be
experiences with immeasurable benefits.
Learning’ comes in. We get them thinking about
to develop at the school using our own trim trail
students at lunch with plates filled with healthy
food.
we know their bodies are well looked after but we exercised as well and that’s where ‘Brain Friendly
their learning - the how as well as the what and, in
turn, this has made us think about how we can be better teachers: a win-win situation.
place that people don’t want to leave.
From the Empire State Building to our Activities journeys provide our students with positive They
learn team building skills which they are also able
and low ropes course. Visitors could be forgiven for thinking they were in a circus at times when we
have our juggling, diablo and unicycle practice. It’s just one of the many extra-curricular opportunities
However, we’re not just excellent classroom
that we provide.
long and I had been stuck in my office all day, I
We try to make learning fun both within and
teachers. When I hadn’t been at the school very
thought I would take a stroll around the school and see how things were going. It was great to see all
the students involved in various activities: art,
beyond the classroom.
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food for thought...
education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open
achieve economic wellbeing
We want our students to become lifelong learners
These allow students to make connections with the
know this won’t happen overnight. There are a
After their GCSEs, many of our students - and a
and successful members of the community but we
number of themes that we revisit throughout their time with us which help students along this path.
Even in Year 7, we work with students to make
them aware of all the possibilities that lie ahead of them. This is part of a careers programme which
supports students throughout their time at Thomas
Tallis.
As they progress we help them select their options
in Year 9. We work closely with the Connexions
service at Greenwich who provide further guidance
and we have a range of alternative pathways to stimulate and engage all our students.
In Year 10 students experience the world of work
when they complete two weeks work experience.
This insight into life beyond school often helps
students identify where they are heading. Work related learning and enterprise are two more
themes which are woven into the curriculum.
world outside and link up their learning.
large number of students from other schools, join
our Sixth Form, taking advantage of the extensive
range of courses on offer. Our Sixth Formers are
an integral part of the school: many mentor younger students or run extra-curricular activities.
Most of our Sixth Formers leave us to go on to
university. We have specialist members of staff
who take students through the UCAS process; another member of staff is responsible for our Oxbridge applicants.
Citizenship is another theme which runs through the curriculum and beyond.
We offer students
opportunities which help them become thoughtful,
helpful and proactive members of the school and wider community.
By the time they leave Thomas Tallis, we know we
have prepared our students for all the challenges
they will face as citizens of the future.
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preparation is the key...
it is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. ALBERT EINSTEIN
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Buses and trains
Buses 286, 178 and B16 South Eastern trains London to Dartford/Gravesend (Kidbrooke Station)
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it’s where we’re at...
i see my path but don’t know where it leads; not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it. ROSALIA DE CASTRO
Thomas Tallis School Kidbrooke Park Road London SE3 9PX Tel 0208 856 0115 Fax 0208 319 4715 www.thomastallis.greenwich.sch.uk