welcome My name is Margaret Wilson and I am the headteacher at King John School. We are very proud of our school and of our students. The school’s reputation in the local area is second to none and that is because of the achievements of many of our students.
We’re an outstanding school. Our parents tell us that we are, our students tell us that we are and last academic year OfSTED told us that we are too. We are determined to provide an environment conductive to learning and teaching and this year will see the opening of two brand new sixth form wings. We will also be making improvements to other areas of the school over the coming year.
We demonstrate this through our fantastic results at GCSE, as well as our wonderful music, dance and drama performances, which you can enjoy throughout the year. Our sporting expertise also puts us at the top of the county championships in a whole range of sports and the school regularly competes at national level. But don’t just take my word for it. Watch the DVD and read the magazine to see what everyone is saying about our school. You can make up your own mind as to whether we’re the right school for your child.
In our school we’re about being caring and supportive – treating all of our students like one big happy family. That means having high expectations for all of our youngsters.
Dr Margaret Wilson, Headteacher
contents Our School
04
What our Students Say
05
KJS Briefs
06
Starting Out
08
Always Learning
09
Making the Grade
10
High Performance
11
Always Learning
12
Moving On
13
Essential Information
14
Please note, the information contained within this magazine is correct at the time of publication. However, the school reserves the right, at its discretion and for any reason, to make amendments without prior notice. Quotes from students and tutors and related articles are presented as recorded at the original time of filming. Students may now be in different year groups or may not still be studying at King John School or King John Sixth Form College.
2013-2014
3
why king john? The King John School is a mathematics and computing specialist college, with all the state-of-the-art facilities you would expect at such a well-respected modern school. From extensive ICT suites and a dedicated DT and vocational block, to exciting new spaces for performing arts and sports, King John has everything our students need to succeed.
everyone is treated as an individual and is committed to reaching their full potential – we offer a high quality educational experience for students and staff.
Combined with a supportive, caring and structured environment – where
In short, we aim to make The King John School the heart of the local community.
a teacher’s view
A great thing about working at King John is that all the staff are very supportive of each other. The students are very supportive of each other too. I’ve even heard students comment about how much they like working with our staff because they’re so friendly. It is an excellent working environment. There’s so much energy. The students come in and they clearly enjoy the lessons. There are great relationships between the staff and the students. You can see that from all the effort the students put in – not just in terms of academic work, but in everything they do around the school.
Mrs Durham, Geography Teacher
4
“It is an excellent working environment. There’s so much energy.”
your first day...
What our Students Say…
You might be quite nervous about starting at King John, but don’t worry – our students have some words of wisdom... It’s completely natural to be nervous on your first day at a new school – but we’re here to put your mind at ease and help you settle in at King John...
Ashleigh Greensleigh, Year 9
Eleanor Rowe, Year 8
Reece Bracci, Year 8
“When you come to The King John School after primary school, it’s great. You get to meet lots of new friends and get lots of different opportunities of lessons.”
“The other pupils and teachers helped me as they were kind and, if I got lost, they would direct me to my lessons.”
Ronnie Bearman Year 9
Lysa-Marie Asiedu Yeboa Year 10
“I would recommend King John to anyone because it offers a wide range of subjects and they are able to help you in any area you need.”
“I think the best thing about being a student at The King John School is that everyone is really friendly and everyone is really nice and lovely.”
“Teachers give you a lot of support – they’re always behind you making sure you do the right thing. They’re always there for you if you need them as well.”
Nancy Vasey-Reed, Year 11
Peter Livett, Year 11
Rianna Byom, Year 11
“It may seem daunting now, but King John is the same as your old school – just bigger. In fact, you’ll probably have more fun than in your last six years at primary school!”
“The facilities at the school are really good. We’ve got a good drama department with all the lighting, good dance and we’ve got our own radio station.”
“It’s good because the teachers can help you out, there’s a great selection of sports and you get to meet new friends and socialise with people as well as working hard.”
“The best thing about being a student at King John is the other students. When I came here I immediately felt happy and welcomed.”
Adison Poulton, Year 10
2013-2014
5
kjs briefs Respect for All
An International Flavour Year 7 came alive with the sights and sounds of the world, with students taking part in a spectacular ‘International Day’. Tutor groups worked together to create eye-catching displays, showcasing food, landmarks and music. The groups also produced adverts promoting their country with a view to encouraging visitors.
with the Mayor of Castle Point on hand to congratulate all the winners.
India, China, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, South Africa, Kenya, Argentina, Egypt and Ireland were all represented.
King John has gained level 1 of the Rights Respecting Schools Award and is now working towards level 2. This means the school is creating a more supportive environment. A Rights Respecting School is one where: • All students and adults in the school know what the UN Convention of the ‘Rights of the Child’ is • They know the areas that the rights cover • They take responsibility for ensuring those rights are met Pupils have a responsibility to make the most of their opportunities to:
Egypt were the overall winners with a very clear video advert and detailed display.
• • • •
The day was an overwhelming success,
Giving Students a Voice
Fulfil their rights to an education Be safe Be healthy Be treated fairly
You can find out more about the Convention and the award online at www.unicef.org.uk/crc and www.unicef.org.uk/rrsa
The Student Voice Body within the King John School has continued to do fantastic work with the ‘Student Focus Groups’. All year groups have two members selected from each tutor group to take on the exciting role of Focus Representatives. The students then form three focus groups – Teaching and Learning, Rights and Responsibilities and Communication. These focus groups have worked with members of the School’s SLT on projects to enhance the learner’s experience within school’s community. The students worked hard in developing a reward system
within the school to support the ‘Rights and Responsibility’ Charter and also developed questionnaires and provided student feedback on the VLE. Students also focused on many aspects of ‘Teaching and Learning’ within the school. Students met with members of the Board of Governors to share their thoughts on improvements that could be made including the quality of catering.
The Student Voice Body has maintained its links with ‘The Young Essex Assembly’ and the ‘Castle Point Youth Council’. This has enabled our students to contribute to key decision making and issues that affect them outside of our school. This year, student voice worked with the Castle Point Youth Council to organise the “Youth Conference” and took part in exciting events like ‘Local Democracy Week’ in the council chambers at county hall.
Creative and Performing Arts ‘Streets’ Ahead Students have many, many opportunities in Creative and Performing Arts to study Art, Dance, Drama, Music and our newest addition, Photography, both as exam subjects and through our extensive extracurricular programme. Exam results continue to be outstanding in all areas with Drama achieving some of the highest results in the school and Music
6
being awarded the ‘Good Schools guide’ A Level Award for best results at BTEC Nationals at an English School. Trips to West End shows, workshops and school productions are in abundance. This year, our Gifted and Talented dancers were fortunate enough to be involved in street dance workshops led by a tutor from ‘Pineapple Studios’, which culminated
in a very successful show to parents and members of the public. And now we again begin our auditions and gruelling rehearsal schedule for our next CPA School Production. What better way to prepare students for life as a professional ‘performer’.
Investing in the Future Our curriculum is predominately GCSE, which runs alongside a selection of accredited vocational courses so that there is something for everyone. To ensure all our courses are delivered to the highest standard, we work very hard to not only maintain, but improve the school facilities. Recent improvements have included specialised accommodation in engineering, media, hospitality and catering, business enterprise, ICT, hairdressing
and beauty. In addition, the school offers outstanding music and sports facilities.September 2014 did see the opening of two new wings to our sixth form giving students an even better learning environment. Other building projects are in the pipeline and we will report regually on progress in the school newsletter.
Trip to Barcelona Each year, the Modern Languages Faculty organises a variety of trips to France and Spain with the aim of encouraging students to practise their linguistic abilities in real-life situations, whilst also enjoying the culture of the country they are studying. One such trip is the Year 7 and 8 annual visit to Barcelona and its surrounding regions. During our stay in the Catalonian capital, amongst other attractions, we visit the beautiful cathedral, La Sagrada Familia; the football stadium, Camp Nou; and the famous main street, Las Ramblas. Lunch is enjoyed at the unusual
and interesting Park Güell. Other days during this trip to Spain include a day experiencing the thrills and spills of the Port Aventura theme park as well as a visit to the exciting Dalí museum in Figueres. Students also spend time relaxing at the small, pretty resort of Tossa de Mar where our hotel is based. Evening entertainment includes walks to the old castle, ice cream along the sea front and discos at the hotel. Other trips offered in the MFL Faculty include visits to Saint-Omer, Le Touquet, Paris and Andalucía.
Outside the Curriculum F1 in Schools club The Science & Engineering Department at King John is in top gear thanks to a new activity run through the after-school club. Funded by STEMNET (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and the DCSF, the scheme enables talented students to work on exciting, high profile projects. The latest work is based on the F1 in Schools club, which sees students designing, building and even racing their own F1 cars. Students can compete both at regional and national levels. We wish everyone involved good luck – and safe driving!
What OFSTED said about the school – September 2013
Students’ attainment at GCSE is consistently well above the national average in almost all subjects, including in English and Mathematics. The proportion of students achieving the top grades at GCSE is rising.
The wide range of extra-curricular activities, clubs, trips and visits make a very strong contribution to students’ social moral, spiritual and cultural development.
The sixth form is good and improving. Increasing numbers of students are gaining top grades in examinations.
Within a collaborative, supportive environment the head teacher and her senior leadership team have created a learning ethos that permeates the school, for staff and students alike.
Students’ behaviour is exemplary. Students are polite and friendly and relationships between staff and students are very good. The school is a happy and harmonious community; students support each other and enjoy learning together. They are proud of their school.
The proportion of students achieving 5 or more GCSEs including English and Mathematics at grade C or above has been consistently above the national average. Students make rapid progress so that a high proportion make better than expected progress overall, especially in mathematics.
2013-2014
7
starting out... Starting a new school can be daunting. There are new buildings, new teachers, new friends and new lessons to get used to, so it can be both exciting and nerve-wracking for students and parents alike. However, there is nothing to worry about. Starting at King John is the beginning of a fantastic new era in your life and a great opportunity to work towards becoming a happy and successful young adult. To help give you an idea of what it can be like to be in Year 7, we spoke to some of our current students and found out what made their first 12 months at King John School so special…
Reagan O’Dea
2013
How have you settled in at King John? “I have settled in really well at King John. When you come you will probably think the school is frightening but it is really two long corridors. The school is full of great opportunities.” Outside of lessons, what can you do at King John? “Outside of lessons, you can join extracurricular clubs. I do all sports but you might have a different club that you want to join.” What are your favourite subjects? “My favourite subject is obviously P.E because it is entertaining. I also enjoy Spanish because it gives me an opportunity to learn a new language”
Kerry Attfield How have you settled in at King John? “I’ve settled in amazingly, the teachers are friendly and prepared to help but also the older students were willing to help with any questions I had. If I got lost, all I had to do was ask and someone would help me.” What are your favourite subjects? “My favourite subjects have to be Science and English. In Science we do fun experiments to help us learn about what actually happens, and in English we do enjoyable tasks like role-play and advertising.” What are you looking forward to achieving at King John? “I am looking to do well in my tests and general work at King John. I am trying to get the highest mark I possibly can and the teachers have really helped me get good grades so far.”
8
2013
always learning...
To hear the full story from Ms Fordyce, take a look at our DVD!
At King John, we pride ourselves on providing the very best facilities for all our students. However, our commitment does not end there. Every member of staff is committed to bringing the best out of every student, through continued support, guidance and active encouragement at every stage in their development. In short, our aim is to bring every subject to life and inspire a desire to succeed through hard work and fresh thinking.
To help showcase our ongoing commitment to providing an inspirational and supportive learning environment, we spoke to several members of staff to find out about their experiences at King John and to discover how they are bringing lessons to life.…
Since joining King John, I’ve noticed that the quality of teaching is outstanding. The enthusiasm individual teachers have for their subjects helps foster the enthusiasm for the students. It is clear in lessons. The buzz in lessons is great. It’s a really open environment for children to learn in. And this goes much further. For example, this enthusiasm means that there are several trips for language students in every year group – this helps to give the subjects real meaning and purpose. Our teachers support students in a number of ways, mainly by sharing their love for a subject in their lessons.
virtual learning environment, where students can access learning resources at home if they need it. There is a range of extracurricular activities on offer at King John. In Modern Languages, we have Language Clubs and trips abroad too – Barcelona, Madrid, Paris. There is a particularly wide range of opportunities for students to use their skills outside of the classroom. Ms Fordyce Director of Modern Foreign Language Faculty
I have noticed that, more than in other schools, there is an open door policy. Lunchtimes, after school – the teachers are always ready to help students if they need it. We’re also working on our
Lunchtimes, after school – the teachers are always ready to help students if they need it. 2013-2014
9
making the grade... Life at secondary school is about giving you all the skills and self-belief you need to succeed, whether academically or in fields of performing arts or sporting achievement. If you are passionate about taking the next step, the staff at King John can help support and guide you, giving you all the opportunities you need to make the most of your talents for the future. To help illustrate our commitment to supporting all of our students throughout their time at King John, we spoke to some of our students to find out how life at the school has helped them prepare for their GCSEs and what they are looking to achieve in the future…
Nathan Bryant
YEAR
11
What are the staff like at King John? “Teachers are really helpful. Whether it is lunchtime, after school, even during the holidays – they’re ready to give up their time to help us students get as far as we can in our education.” What is your favourite subject? “I especially enjoy IT because it is always fun and the work is never something you would rather not be doing. Back in year 7 and 8 I really enjoyed Drama too.” How has life at King John helped to shape you? “Over my time at King John, I feel that I have matured in many ways. I’m more polite, respectful and care more about others.”
Rianna Byom
YEAR
11
What extracurricular activities are there at King John? “The after-school activities are really good, there are lots to choose from. My favourite is athletics. It’s good because the teachers can help you out, there’s a great selection of sports and you get to meet new friends and socialise with people as well as working hard.” What’s your favourite subject? “My favourite subject is Product Design because although you’re learning as well as working, you’re making things and being very creative. So it’s more fun for us to enjoy and we learn better.” What’s next for you? “When I leave The King John School, I think I would like to join the sixth form because I know my way around, the teachers are good and I think, if I left, I’d miss it.”
10
star students shine... Although it is well known as a mathematics and computing specialist college, The King John School has so much more to offer. Many students take advantage of the performing arts and sports facilities and have achieved great things. We talked to two students who have already made their mark...
Sophie Rajah “I was lucky enough to be chosen for a role in Billy Elliot in the West End. It’s been an amazing experience and I’ve loved it. King John’s been really good with me being in Billy – they’ve been supporting me twice a week for six months. They even arranged a trip for some of my friends to come and see me, so that was really nice. I would say that King John is an amazing school. It’s really good for academic subjects, sports, everything and the teachers are so lovely too. It’s a really nice school. King John is great for extracurricular clubs. Obviously there are sports clubs, but there are science and maths clubs too. There’s dance and drama too, of course – and they’re all so much fun.”
Kiera Tippett “Since coming to King John, I’ve been able to compete in the district and the regional cross-country team. I’ve now qualified for the national track and field too. I’m also involved with hockey and swimming too. I’m looking forward to achieving more in my sports and hope to be in the Olympics one day. The teachers at King John have been really helpful. They have introduced me to new sports and have supported me in the sports I was already doing to help me improve. They’ve given me a training schedule and they’ve encouraged me to achieve what I want in sports. And the facilities at King John are really good too. Best of all, there’s a fantastic gym that I am able to use whenever I can.”
head for success... To get a look at what students can achieve while at King John, we spoke to the current Head Boy and Girl to see what they thought about life at the school…
Tristan Lewis & Christina Taylor YEAR
What have you learnt from your time at King John?
11
Tristan Lewis: I am very privileged to have been awarded this role and look forward to taking on the new responsibilities. I am excited to make my mark on The King John School. The school has helped me to be the person I am today and I look forward to giving something back to them. Christina Taylor: As Head Girl, I will try to be a positive role model. I consider myself an approachable person and I hope people will feel comfortable speaking to me, whatever the situation. I hope to have a positive, long-term influence on The King John School and to encourage students to achieve their full potential. 2013-2014
11
always learning... We spoke to another member of staff to get a different perspective on life at King John.
There’s a fantastic range of support available to all students. All our teachers are prepared to go that extra mile. There are academic activities to stretch the most able students, but there is support for those who struggle with their studies too. There’s one-to-one learning and a whole host of extracurricular activities going on around the school. There are sports clubs and also those for specific subjects to allow students to take their interests further and make the most of their studies. There’s a wonderful, broad curriculum on offer at King John. There are the more academic subjects – like the one I’m engaged with, History – through to a whole host of other areas, so every student at King John has the opportunity to do their best. By the end of their studies, they will have been given every opportunity to succeed.
And, once students have completed their GCSEs, King John Sixth Form College is a great place to continue your studies. Whether you’re at the school and moving on to the sixth form, or you’re at another school, King John has great facilities and a wide range of course options which mean you really can achieve your best. Mr Sweeney Assistant Headteacher
Every student at King John has the opportunity to do their best A Healthier School King John holds the award for National Healthy School Status. This award was achieved within a rigorous quality assurance framework. Schools achieving NHSS have to have met national criteria using a whole school approach across the four core themes of: • improvement in health and reduced health inequalities
12
• raised pupil achievement • greater social inclusion • increased working between health promotion providers and education establishments. The students, parents, staff and governors worked together to achieve this award and the outcome is a tribute to all their hard work.
moving on... Life at King John doesn’t end in Year 11. With a great sixth form college on-site, students can take the next step with us. Our further education opportunities help prepare them for life at university or in the workplace. Offering a wide range of subjects and ways to learn, the courses on offer at King John are backed up by modern, vibrant facilities and enthusiastic, supportive staff. To provide you with further information on life at King John’s sixth form college, we spoke to some of our students and asked them about their time with us, what they’ve learnt and why they chose to stay on for two more years…
Hannah Copeland
YEAR
12
Wilson Copeland
YEAR
12
Why did you stay on at King John?
Why did you stay on at King John?
“I stayed on at King John because of the teaching staff and the environment of the whole school. I like the community feeling you get as well as it being a great place to meet friends as everyone is inviting and kind”.
“It was great because I had already had 5 years and built up relationships with the teachers which has allowed me to feel comfortable when asking for help if I am struggling”.
What are the teaching staff like? “The teaching staff are brilliant. They take time to find out the best way for you to learn which is extremely helpful. They also offer extra revision classes if you are struggling”.
Extracurricular activities? “As I love sport I have been involved in lots of sport at the King John. I have played in teams for Rugby, Cricket and since joining Sixth Form have started playing basketball”. Where next? “When I leave King John I plan to go to university to study P.E. and in the future become a P.E. teacher”.
Daniel Waggon
YEAR
13
What was it like coming to King John College? “Great. The best thing about being a student at King John is the other students. Having come from another school, they immediately made me feel welcome.” What’s your favourite subject? “Chemistry is my favourite subject because it’s very interesting with regards to the theory and enjoyable with all the different practicals.” Where next? “When I leave King John, I plan on taking a gap year to pursue my interest in music and then go to university to study biochemistry.”
2013-2014
13
essential information Taking the next step
Details of career destinations of our Year 11 students who left in the summer of 2013 are shown below. There were 316 students in the year group.
King John
91.8%
Remaining in full-time education Work-based learning
1.3%
Employment with training
3.8%
Employment without training
0.6%
Not available to the labour market
0.3%
Active in the labour market
1.3%
Unknown
0.9%
School Attendance 2012 – 2013 Number of students on roll
1894
Years 7 to 11
1588
% Attendance Authorised absence
Unauthorised absence
94.4%
0.8%
4.8%
Where can I find more information? You can find much more information on the school website www.thekjs.essex.sch.uk Including admission arrangements, policies and details of the school curriculum.
14
Castle Point