Senior Leadership Team
Principal
Ms Kate Marrill
Deputy Principal Pastoral
Mrs Michelle Edwards
Deputy Principal Curriculum
Miss Philippa Bigden
Assistant Principals
Mrs Marcia Blair
Ms Tania Carolan
Miss Wendy Case
Ms Sarah Chapman
Mr Regan Deale
Ms Allison King
Ms Tahera Patel
I am proud to be the Principal here at Woodcote High School where I am privileged to work with such exceptional students and staff. At Woodcote we have unashamedly high ambitions for the students in our care. Alongside our partner schools in The Collegiate Trust, we work collaboratively to achieve the vision of an exceptional education for all. We are a diverse, dynamic and vibrant community school where every student is valued as an individual.
Despite being a large school, Woodcote is a community which cares for the individuals within it. We want to ensure that our students live by our ASPIRE values of high ambition, self-reliance, perseverance, inquisitiveness, respect and enthusiasm for life and these are embedded across our curriculum and personal development programmes. Through living these values, our students achieve excellent academic results and enjoy a range of experiences building character and preparing them to make exciting choices in their future. At Woodcote we believe that learning changes lives.
Whether it’s through a local excursion, a cultural visit abroad or participating in school clubs, competitions and performances, our students benefit from a holistic approach to education that prepares them for the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Our stimulating and enriching curriculum enables students to be confident in their learning within the depth, rigour and challenge that ensures every child can develop their literary, scientific, mathematical, sporting, musical, creative or technological talents.
We have high expectations and maintain a calm and purposeful school environment based on an inclusive culture where we celebrate success. Central to this is our partnership with parents and carers, which is crucial in ensuring students achieve their full potential; we see parents and the school working together to deliver remarkable outcomes.
We are excited to share the Woodcote High School experience with you and your child.
Ms Kate Marrill
Principal
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“The values of ‘excellence, responsibility and aspiration’ are at the heart of the school’s work.”
Ofsted 2024
At Woodcote High School we work collaboratively within The Collegiate Trust to deliver the shared vision of an ‘exceptional education for all.’ We passionately believe that ‘learning changes lives.’
Our students live by our ASPIRE values of high ambition, selfreliance, perseverance, inquisitiveness, respect and enthusiasm for life. These are embedded across our curriculum, celebrated through our varied rewards programmes, and delivered through the ASPIRE curriculum in Tutor Groups. Through this values driven approach, our students build the skills, characteristics and resilience for life in the modern world.
“Safeguarding is effective.”
Our aim is to deliver an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all learners in the Woodcote High School community. It is our aim to ensure that the knowledge and skills we teach to our students is carefully sequenced and developed over time, enabling our young people to be successful in their future learning and employment and fully embodies the culture and ethos of Woodcote High’s ASPIRE.
We are proud of the diverse and stimulating curriculum we offer that helps students achieve their highest potential and engenders students to become lifelong learners. We recognise that ‘learning changes lives’ and we endeavour, through all of our work with our young people, to support students to become articulate, caring and responsible citizens of our community. Throughout Key Stage 3, all our students engage in a broad and balanced curriculum that includes English, Maths, Science, History, Geography, a Modern Foreign Language, Dance, Drama, Food Technology, Religious Studies, Art, Music, Design & Technology, Physical Education, and Computing. In Year 9, students receive detailed guidance and support to select their GCSE option subjects and in Years 10 and 11 students will complete GCSEs in English, Maths, and Science, as well as additional option subjects of their choice. The study of PE, PHSCE and Religious Studies are also undertaken in Key Stage 4, alongside every student being afforded the opportunity to pursue the English Baccalaureate.
We recognise and appreciate that transition from Primary School is a significant time for all members of the family. To provide children and their families the best possible experience, we have a programme of transition that starts in the Summer Term of Year 6, where students will meet a member of staff from the school, learn more about us and have the opportunity to ask any questions they have. At the Transition Evening in July, new students and their parents/carers hear more about the school ethos and meet their Tutors. This prepares them for an exciting Transition Day where they start to make new friendships and experience lessons ahead of their start in September.
Ensuring that students feel happy, welcomed and supported by the school is a priority so the pastoral team work closely with each other and the Primary schools to share information and build a good understanding of every student. To build on the sense of community and belonging from Transition Day, students are provided with a pack for the Summer Holidays, including a book to read, which they then explore together in English lessons. The pack also includes activities to help them get to know the school better, so that every child feels excited and ready for the start of their seven year journey at Woodcote High School.
“The school has strong support from parents and carers.” Ofsted 2024 “
Extra-curricular activities play an integral part of day-to-day life at Woodcote High School. We believe that students should have an enriched education and our extracurricular programme allows them to develop their life skills and ambitions. These extra-curricular activities follow our school ASPIRE values, allowing students to be challenged in a different environment, to persevere and be independent learners.
We offer a range of different activities as we understand all students are different and have different interests. Sport is an important part of our extra-curricular offer where students can participate in a range of sports onsite. We are incredibly lucky to have outstanding facilities with a floodlit 400m running track, two sports halls and a fitness suite on our school site. Through the sports clubs, we have strong teams who regularly compete in fixtures against other schools and clubs. There is an opportunity for students to take part in sport every day after school and they can develop their skills and knowledge in football, netball, trampolining, badminton, rugby, cricket, athletics and many more.
At Woodcote High School we also offer an array of other activities, for example the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award where students are able to lead expeditions and take on a sense of adventure through careful planning and preparation. We have a fantastic performing arts department where students can develop their singing, acting, dancing and instrumental skills, which are showcased in our termly productions. In addition to this, we also have chess club, art club, drama club and science club, with other subjects offering a variety of opportunities to develop students’ interests and broaden their educational experience.
At Woodcote High School, we are committed to nurturing the development and wellbeing of our students, guided by our core ASPIRE values. We encourage our students to aim high, both academically and personally. Our pastoral care is designed to support their ambitions by ensuring their emotional and mental wellbeing is prioritised, enabling them to thrive in all aspects of school life.
Through personalised pastoral support, we empower students to develop independence and resilience. Our dedicated Tutors provide daily guidance, encouraging self-reliance while being there when targeted support is needed.
We understand that challenges will arise, and our strong pastoral team is there to help students persevere. Whether they face health or emotional hurdles, we ensure they have the support needed to overcome these obstacles and remain fully engaged in their learning.
Our pastoral care fosters an environment where students feel safe to ask questions, explore their feelings, and seek help when needed. This curiosity helps them build a deeper understanding of themselves and their social interactions.
Respect is at the heart of our school community. We work closely with students, teachers, and parents to build respectful relationships that ensure every student feels valued and supported in both their academic and emotional journeys.
We want students to feel enthusiastic about their time at Woodcote High School; we understand every student is unique and our pastoral care supports students to meet their individual needs by helping them to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically as they move toward a bright and successful future.
At Woodcote we recognise that excellent attendance leads to excellent outcomes and we expect all students to attend on time every day. We know that being in school allows pupils to learn and achieve well and also provides then with very important social interaction with their peers. It creates a vital sense of community and belonging. Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school, and to establish the positive life habits that are necessary for future success.
To help keep good attendance and punctuality we recommend that students arrive to school before 8.25am and that all medical and dental appointments are made outside of the school day where possible. Term time holidays will never be authorised.
“Pupils with physical disabilities are fully integrated into the school, and they are positive about their learning and support.”
Ofsted 2024
Applications for places must be made on the Common Application Form provided and administered by Croydon Council or by the Borough in which you live.
If the number of applications for the school is higher than the number of places available, the allocation of places will be made in the following order, after the admission of children with Education, Health and Care Plans where Woodcote High School is named on the Plan:
Siblings: children with a brother or sister who will be in attendance at the school at the time of enrolment of the new pupil who live within a threemile radius as the crow flies.
Children of staff at the school:
a) where the member of staff has been directly employed by the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and/or
b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage
Distance: priority will be given to pupils living nearest to the school as measured in a straight line.
For further information, please see our Admissions Policy, which can be found on our website: Documents | The Collegiate Trust (tct-academies.org)
Woodcote High School is part of The Collegiate Trust, which works in Croydon and Crawley, educating children and young people from 3-19 years of age with a clear vision to deliver exceptional education for all. Such an education achieves excellent outcomes in student progress and attainment, a rich creative, cultural and physical learning experience, and great personal and social development for all students.
More information about the trust can be found at www.tct-academies.org.
Welcoming Happy
Supportive
Ambitious
Self-reliant
Persevering
Inquisitive Respectful Enthusiastic
Through hard work and with positivity, Woodcote High School takes pride in developing respectful, resilient, successful students who use their initiative and embrace challenge as they develop skills essential for lifelong learning. Our community promotes integrity, embraces friendship and provides support so that all enjoy school.
Woodcote High School
Meadow Rise, Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5 2EH
Tel: 020 8668 6464
www.woodcotehigh.org.uk enquiries@woodcotehigh.org.uk
Company Number 8058921
URN 138187
DfE number 306/4031
UKPRN 10037475
For admissions information, please visit woodcotehigh.org.uk/admissions