ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A RURAL SETTING
Meopham School A member of The Swale Academies Trust
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Welcome to Meopham School
Meopham is a small rural school with a strong family ethos. We focus on delivering traditional academic subjects, in small teaching groups. We also are committed to teaching in traditional classroom spaces, now and in the future. We strongly believe that this is the best way to secure high quality learning for our students. Our new building, which will be completed in 2017 as part of the government’s priority schools rebuilding programme, will further facilitate this approach. We value the hard work and good behaviour which make it possible for every student to fulfil their potential. We are proud that visitors to our school often comment on the mature and courteous manner in which our students present themselves. Their pride in our school can be seen in the way they wear their uniform, for example, and in the way they confidently guide parents around the school during our open days. We are confident that our school community will offer your child the support and challenge to excel, both in school and beyond. In partnership with parents, we provide sound guidance and unwavering support so that our young people can meet the demands of today’s world. The best way to discover what life is like at Meopham is to visit us and speak with both staff and pupils. I look forward to welcoming you here soon. Kindest regards
Suzanne Dickinson (Headteacher)
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A RURAL SETTING
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“Friendly, approachable teachers, good teaching methods, generally a very nice atmosphere within the school” Parent “My daughter has a brilliant rapport with all teachers at the school. This is a great contribution to her achieving above her targets. Thank you” Parent
Achieving Excellence
At Meopham School we understand that every child is unique and so we tailor our teaching and our curriculum to help all our students reach their full potential. Our aim is to ensure each student makes the greatest possible progress from their own individual starting point. To this end we use students’ targets as floors to help raise aspirations, not ceilings to limit their ambitions.
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Our teachers are highly qualified and their enthusiasm helps stimulate high expectations, positive relationships and good learning. The staff use a range of learning and teaching approaches to ensure all students experience challenging and engaging tasks, which are matched to their learning stage. As a smaller school we are able to focus fully on individual development and children are taught in small teaching groups, which are ‘setted’ in each subject. Our close tracking of student progress enables us to adjust the setting decisions regularly, to ensure students are always in the most appropriate groups. Students are set varied homework tasks to help consolidate their learning and progress is assessed regularly, with our programme of tailored interventions ensuring that all students are kept on track to meet their potential. Students make full use of the opportunities which our staff offer for out of hours learning, whether it involves staying into the early evening or coming in on Saturday mornings.
Learning Growing Thriving
Our teaching approach helps to build our students’ skills and encourage independent thinking. We want Meopham students to become engaged and self-aware learners and so we foster a sense of resilience and self-reflection to ensure that our students are active ‘drivers’ of their own learning, rather than passive ‘passengers’.
Our assessment of students’ work is centred on identifying the “what went wells” and the “even better ifs” in order to celebrate success and to guide further improvement. This approach extends beyond marking to cover every aspect of the school’s work with and for students.
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“Teachers are really helping us Year 10 Student to get our grades�
Our Vision
Meopham is a small rural school where there is a solid focus on securing the best possible progress for all students, with a strong emphasis on traditional academic subjects.
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Our distinctive features
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We are a small community, where each individual is well known and supported.
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We provide close monitoring, support and intervention when students experience difficulties within and beyond the classroom.
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We extend an open invitation to parents asking them to visit the school during term time to see how we operate on a normal working day.
We have small class sizes, which allow for greater individual attention. We can offer outstanding teaching, particularly in the core subjects We maintain an orderly environment built on courtesy, co-operation and commitment to learning.
“I have been encouraged by the staff’s knowledge of my child and their progress/potential” Parent
“Everyone is very welcoming.”
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“They treat our child as an individual, helping and encouraging him as he progresses on his learning journey” Parent
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A RURAL SETTING
Year 8 Student
Our Curriculum
The Meopham School Curriculum has been designed to flexibly meet the needs of today’s students and help them thrive amidst the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s world. The essential core skills of literacy and numeracy are developed through daily lessons in English and mathematics, as well as through cross-curricular initiatives and re-enforcement in other subjects.
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“I like starting to pick subjects in Year 8” Year 9 Student
Access to Success
A broad common curriculum of subjects is taught throughout year 7 and year 8. Students gradually increase the degree of specialisation in their studies over the course of years 9,10 and 11. They make some subject choices in year 8 for courses they will start in year 9 and finish in year 10. In year 9 they make some further choices for courses they will start in year 10 and carry through to GCSE. In year 10 there is then scope for a final set of choices or for some intensive targeted intervention to be undertaken during year 11. This allows choosing options to become an ongoing process, which can develop as students’ interests and aptitudes mature. We feel that this approach is better tailored to each individual’s needs than having all option choices concentrated in a single year.
Choose to Develop Year 7 and Year 8
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English Mathematics Science History Geography Modern Foreign Languages Information and Communications Technology Religious Studies Art Music Dance Technology Physical Education
Year 9 In place of Art, Music, Dance and Technology, students choose one or two areas in which to specialise to GCSE standard.
Year 10 Students continue with English, Mathematics, Science (core and Additional) to GCSE standard. They pick two further subjects in which to specialise, with an emphasis on the subjects of the English Baccalaureate. They also follow core PE and complete the GCSE standard subjects they started in Year 9.
Year 11 Students continue their GCSE studies, but may take an additional subject for a one year GCSE or receive some focussed support to ensure the best possible progress in core subjects.
“The practicals in science are fun”
Year 7 Student
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Student Support
At Meopham School, we endeavour to make all our students feel safe, comfortable and happy, with good levels of engagement and motivation. We understand that students who feel confident in themselves and their work are more likely to succeed both academically and personally.
The Student Support Structure Our House based system of tutor groups helps to create a supportive environment where students receive individual attention from a form tutor and a house leader. The team of highly effective pastoral support managers ensure that any problems are picked up early and addressed decisively. This helps each student to feel safe, respected and free to achieve, belong, learn and enjoy. Our team of highly trained and dedicated staff can collectively meet the needs of every student, whether it is developing the academically gifted students, fostering the particular talents of individuals, or meeting any student’s special educational needs. To find out more about our Pastoral System, please see the accompanying insert, or feel free to call the school with any questions you may have. If you have any concerns about the welfare of your child, you will be able to contact the tutor, Head of House or Assistant Headteacher at any point.
“They offer good discipline and ‘pastoral care’. Consequently the students are always well behaved and a credit to the school when involved in sporting fixtures” Parent
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“My son feels safe and well respected by staff and students. He speaks well of staff telling us they are friendly, helpful and supportive” Parent Meeting the needs of every student
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Extra Curricular
There are a variety of after school clubs and activities at Meopham, which means that many students stay on beyond the end of the school day to access support and further learning opportunities.
Opportunities to Excel We have an exceptionally strong PE department and, despite being a small school, we achieve well in inter-school competitions thanks to our outstanding young sportsmen and women, some of whom have competed at National and International level. Our Creative Arts department stages a vibrant programme of performances, productions and art show cases, through which students get the chance to hone their talents and developed their confidence. At Meopham School we offer a varied programme of trips both national and international, such as our ever popular trip to the Loire Valley. We also have regular trips to New York, alongside annual trips to the First World War Battlefields and special ‘rewards’ trips to Chessington World of Adventures.
“I found my own name on a battlefield war memorial” “Being in a production kick started my ambition to be a dancer” “I gained so much confidence from it”
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Our Sixth Form
Our Sixth Form specialises in providing A level courses and advanced vocational courses. Along with our partner Trust schools we can offer over 35 courses in subjects that cater to a range of student interests, giving our students everything they need to build towards their future. The Sixth Form has a dedicated learning centre equipped with ICT facilities for independent and extension work studies and our students follow a full weekly timetable, which includes voluntary or paid work either within the school or in the wider community.
Student Progression
Because of our focus on academic achievement, we expect the majority of our students to progress to University or an Apprenticeship scheme. Many of our students currently go on to University and, for those who prefer a vocational route, The Swale Academies Trust has developed unique links with a wide range of businesses that help them to find apprenticeships or employment opportunities that suit their talents and interests.
“Facilities are excellent”
Sixth Form Student
“The development of independent Sixth Form Student learning is good.”
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Meopham School Wrotham Road Meopham Kent DA13 0AH Tel: 01474 814646 Fax: 01474 813083 email: meopham@meopham.kent.sch.uk
Trust Principal Mr J Whitcombe MA Headteacher Mrs S Dickinson Chairman of Governors Mr D Stevens LLB (Hons)