Ninestiles, an Academy Prospectus

Summit Learning Trust

The Summit Learning Trust family is currently made up of three secondary schools, four primary schools and a sixth form college educating almost 8000 learners. All of our academies are located in the Birmingham and Solihull areas which allows us to work closely together for the benefit of all our children, young people and the communities we serve. After another highly successful year, all of our academies have now been judged by Ofsted as ‘Good’ providers with an increasing proportion of ‘Outstanding’ features.

We are relentless in our ambition for all our children and young people to make exceptional levels of academic progress and achieve strong portfolios of qualifications. Across Summit, our focus is on developing responsible, knowledgeable, highly skilled, global citizens who will have a positive impact on our communities now and in future years. We are developing our already established links with higher education establishments, local employers and charitable organisations to ensure that all our young people can benefit from these positive partnerships within our wider communities.

Our Trust is committed to providing vibrant learning communities in our schools and college, where our children and young people are happy, safe and supported to work hard. We are all acutely aware of our core purpose of educating all learners through exceptional teaching and learning, underpinned by high levels of care and support and we challenge our children and young people to do their best, every lesson, every day. We strive for all our learners to have as many life choices available to them as possible.

Being part of the Summit Learning Trust family means that all our academies benefit from a wide range of expertise, support and challenge. Leaders, teachers and support colleagues work with each other across our academies to develop and share excellent practice and provide support where needed. Our academies benefit from highly-trained, expert, hard-working and dedicated staff teams who are all committed to providing an outstanding education and the highest levels of care for all our learners. Whilst other schools and colleges struggle to recruit and retain high quality, specialist teachers and support colleagues, we are proud that we attract a high calibre of professionals due to our happy, warm, and hard-working environments and the growing reputation of Summit Learning Trust as a great place to learn and work in.

We pride ourselves on working in partnership with parents, carers and families and hope that this prospectus provides you with an insight into our school. We look forward to welcoming you and working with you.

Vince Green Chief Executive Officer

Welcome to Ninestiles, an Academy

At Ninestiles, we are dedicated to providing all our students with the best possible education to allow them to achieve their goals. We do so by actively tackling disadvantage and removing barriers to learning to ensure all students are able to reach their potential. We believe in the core values of respect, commitment and achievement.

Students learn to respect themselves and the community we are part of, showing understanding and tolerance of our culturally diverse student cohort. Our highly skilled and dedicated staff facilitate great learning, and through an inspirational, knowledge-rich curriculum they ensure exceptional progress. We believe that excellence can only be achieved through hard work and consistent commitment to improvement. When all of these factors have aligned, we celebrate the achievement that occurs, taking great pride in the academic success of our students and in their accomplishments in other areas such as the arts, sports and in contributions to the local community.

Students leave Ninestiles as self-respecting, compassionate global citizens able to contribute positively to their local community and wider society.

Alex Hughes Principal

Exceptional Outcomes and Ambition

At Ninestiles, an Academy we have the very highest aspirations of outstanding achievement for all of our young people; we believe that excellent teaching is the foundation of excellent student progress.

As such, we have a dedicated team highly skilled teachers supported by Lead Practitioners, teachers recognised as having excellent professional knowledge, who continue to be instrumental in improving outcomes for our young people at Ninestiles.

Staff at our academy prioritise high standards of education and we are proud of the first-class learning experiences students receive in a supportive and mutually respecting environment. At Ninestiles, an Academy we are proud that all our young people, regardless of their needs and students of all abilities receive a first-class education experience tailored to their needs with exceptional outcomes. Moreover, we take pride in the vast programmes of continued professional

development opportunities we offer our colleagues to ensure that everyone is highly trained in securing great outcomes for all our young people.

We are firm believers that, as leaders of learning, we also have a moral obligation to share best practice with other schools and academies within and outside our Trust. As such, we work very closely with other academies within our Trust. This ensures that all our staff receive, as well as deliver, excellent training. The additional support from colleagues within our family of academies further enhances our professional knowledge. Consequently, this leads to a greater impact in the classroom on our students’ learning, progress and overall outcomes.

Exceptional Care within a ‘Family Academy’

It is our firm belief that the way in which we nurture and care for our young people is intrinsic to their success. Highly effective systems support achievement, self-belief, and inspiration.

At Ninestiles, an Academy we have a highly effective and unique pastoral system led by a team of highly skilled Pastoral Leaders who are specialists in pastoral care. The Pastoral Leaders are responsible for a year group and focus their efforts on providing support and care to ensure all our young people have a platform to learn and succeed.

Students are supported with any personal challenges they face by our Pastoral Leaders and external professional partners where necessary. Professional partners are fully integrated into our school to support our pastoral systems and provide the highest level of care for our students. This integrated and coherent approach promotes an ethos of kindness, humility and acceptance where young people are encouraged to support each other and contribute to a safe and happy environment. As a result, our young people are assured and confident in the knowledge that well-managed problems will not stand in the way of their future success and, wherever possible, learning is never compromised.

Identifying and supporting young people and promoting emotional health and wellbeing is of utmost importance for our staff team at Ninestiles. We have a number of staff members who are trained Mental Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors, holding the necessary formal qualifications to ensure that our excellent pastoral systems are complimented by specialist mental health and wellbeing support for our students.

Ninestiles, an Academy offers an environment where students feel warmly supported and valued. Personal strengths are developed by praise and encouragement, not pressure. We pride ourselves on positive parental engagement involving parents and carers in all aspects of their child’s education and welfare. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, staff and visitors to the school.

Wellbeing

In the current climate of wellbeing and the need for more resources, our Ninestiles community are proud of the Mental Health and Wellbeing support available to our young people.

Identifying and supporting young people and promoting emotional health and wellbeing is a priority. At Ninestiles, an Academy there are a wide range of staff who are trained to support students including the pastoral team who are all trained as Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions. They all hold the necessary formal qualification to be on hand to support the wellbeing, confidence and resilience for anyone experiencing any challenges.

Students are aware of where to access help and support with emotional wellbeing and we extend our care to parents, carers and families by being able to signpost them to a number of services in challenging times.

Achievement for all

At Ninestiles, an Academy, we value the talent, ability, and achievement of each and every one of our students.

We strive to provide first class learning environments for all of our young people so that they can thrive with the confidence, knowledge, skills and understanding required to develop into successful and ambitious young people. We aim to develop our students to be respectful, courteous, and accepting of those around them so that they can collectively create a better world.

At Key Stage 4 the majority of our students follow the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) pathway. The Department for Education strongly recommends that the vast majority of students study the EBacc which is a combination of GCSE subjects (including a Modern Foreign Language) that offer an important range of knowledge and skills to young people.

Our students’ achievement across these subjects at GCSE provides them with the broad knowledge, skills, and attributes that all employers look for. In addition to the excellent portfolio of academic qualifications our students are afforded the opportunity to work towards wider qualifications including the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award; allowing our students to set themselves apart from others when they move on to further education, employment, or training.

We recognise that many of our students and families share the aspiration for future academic access to Higher Education at excellent universities. Our relentless ambition for all of our students, coupled with our extensive careers education offer at Ninestiles, an Academy has resulted in significant numbers of students moving onto some of the best universities in the United Kingdom.

Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are fully included in all aspects of school life, and all are encouraged to maximise their potential, both academically and socially. We run a very successful Learning Support Unit which has transformed the delivery of education to students who have specific challenges and barriers to overcome. Our amazing team of staff are available before and after the school day to further support our students with their studies and all aspects of school life.

Student Leadership

“At Ninestiles, an Academy, staff inspire us to focus on achieving the very best outcomes possible for us. With the support we receive from all staff we can flourish to reach our full potential. Ninestiles is not only where students achieve academically but where we are prepared to be ready for the future ahead. Our school has a good reputation in the local community as a place where young people are safe and looked after. Our GCSE outcomes are good; students leave the school with results they are proud of. This is primarily due to the continuous support the school and staff provide us with. Students enjoy learning here as we are all given exciting opportunities that simply can’t be missed. Teachers are extremely knowledgeable and have a great passion for the subjects they teach, they go out of their way to make sure that we are achieving exceptionally whilst enjoying our lessons. Ninestiles, an Academy promotes a safe

environment where young people not only feel secure but mature too. New students and staff alike will feel instantly welcomed here as we are not just a school, but a community. Settling into the school is easy with a plethora of extra-curricular activities, helping students to make friends from around the school and take a break from their studies.”

“As members of the Student Leadership Team we would happily recommend the academy to anyone ‘looking at’ secondary education for their child. The Student Leaders are proud to be involved with decision making to ensure their peers have the best opportunities available for them in order to be successful.”

Our Curriculum Intent

Ninestiles delivers a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum that is designed to cater to the needs of all students and enable our young people to flourish in whatever career pathway they choose to follow.

Our curriculum intent ensures that all are able to make exceptional levels of academic progress which is underpinned by our ethos and values of success through endeavour, ambition through challenge and strength and diversity.

At both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 all students participate in a knowledge-rich curriculum which provides a wide range of experiences and learning opportunities, to deepen knowledge and broaden horizons. Ninestiles curriculum is one in which we address the physical, mental, spiritual, cultural and intellectual health of each student, in a joined-up way. Our curriculum intent is to provide an ambitious, knowledge-rich curriculum which is sequenced to embed deep learning underpinned by our ethos and values of success through endeavour, ambition through challenge and strength and diversity. As a school, we want our students to become immersed in new learning experiences; our curriculum is designed to support students in making links between subjects through the sequential building of knowledge and the enhancement of their cultural understanding. Our curriculum provides challenge for all to secure the very best academic outcomes through the values of respect, commitment and achievement.

Our curriculum ensures that students leave Ninestiles, an Academy as well-rounded global citizens having broadened their horizons through cultural capital experiences. They will have a strong sense of identity

and moral purpose. Students will understand and engage with key societal issues on diversity and discrimination so they can make positive contributions to our community. Students will be equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding to secure meaningful employment or a place at a high-quality further education institute.

All students have the same entitlement to the full range of the academy curriculum, and we are committed to making this accessible to all our students, whatever age or ability. Support and extra provision are available for all, including the high attaining students, which includes providing greater challenges in their learning and providing opportunities to demonstrate and develop their abilities. Ninestiles, an Academy also extends the school day for every Year 11 student with an additional lesson after school to allow for more in-depth teaching and learning across all subjects.

Independent learning skills are developed in order to ensure students are equipped for future challenges of university and the workplace. To accompany this, we encourage employability skills and attributes to ensure all students are fully prepared for the world of work. Our amazing team of staff are available before and after the school day to further support our students with their studies.

Enrichment

Ninestiles, An Academy offers students the opportunity to grow and develop through our offering of enriching extra-curricular activities which are a vital ingredient in their development. An extensive programme of educational journeys and residential trips in Britain and abroad are organised each year. These include trips to Switzerland, Spain and the historic Belgian Battlefields.

Students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of enriching extracurricular activities that are available to all. The voluntary giving of free time by both staff and students produces a friendly atmosphere of mutual respect. These valuable activities are available to all students and the only qualifications needed are enthusiasm and a willingness to contribute regularly. There is a rich and varied menu of enrichment activities on

offer to all students throughout the school week with our in-house offer of sporting activities, volunteering and Chess with external agencies allowing us to offer exciting opportunities such as Japanese club, archery, volunteering. All students are encouraged to develop their interests and participate in the wide range of enriching extra-curricular activities available.

The Duke of Edinburgh scheme further enhances our excellent extracurricular offer to ensure students have the opportunity to grow and develop into compassionate global citizens whilst at Ninestiles.

Safeguarding

Ninestiles, an Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children – all staff and volunteers at Ninestiles, an Academy share this commitment.

We work closely with both the Birmingham and Solihull Safeguarding Boards. We have policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy which can be viewed on our website in the Safeguarding section, along with our Trust Safeguarding Strategy.

Parent & Carer Voice

The way in which we safeguard, nurture and care for our young people is intrinsic to their success. Highly effective safeguarding systems support self-belief, aspirations and achievement.

We actively promote the involvement of parents and carers in all aspects of academy life in order to raise aspirations, promote ambition and applaud success of young people at all levels.

With this is mind we use an intelligent behaviour management system called Arbor. Through Arbor staff award positive behaviour points for excellent behaviours seen in lessons and across the academy. These points build up for students whilst at Ninestiles, an Academy and can result in further rewards and recognition when they meet different award thresholds. As well as an online system, Arbor is also available on iOS and Android apps for parents and carers, providing a fantastic mechanism for parental engagement. You can easily stay up to date of your child’s positive behaviour rewards as well as attendance. In today’s busy world we want to utilise technology where we can provide you with real time updates on your child’s progress – Arbor allows us to do this.

Research shows increased parental engagement has a big influence on children’s attainment and we want to continue this with all students at Ninestiles, an Academy. When your child begins in Year 7, we issue information and codes for families to set up an account via the Arbor app or an online account to start viewing your child’s achievements.

We also use Arbor as our chosen method of communicating with parents and carers to ensure that essential information is shared efficiently and effectively.

Community

Ninestiles, an Academy welcomes collaboration with our local community, including local and national employers.

We are proud of our strong partnerships which we have forged within our community and always look forward to building on these further.

We are proactive in choosing our partners in order to provide our students with high quality services. Whether it is our determination to keep our community free from litter, carry out charity work, provide festive cheer or deliver hampers for those in need, Ninestiles, an Academy is passionate about our ongoing charitable and community work. All staff and students remain committed to all such worthy causes, and we take great pride in serving as ambassadors for our amazing local community.

Careers

In line with the Government’s strategy to have a world class careers service, we offer a robust careers programme for all students across both key stages.

At Ninestiles, an Academy we offer a robust careers programme structured around the eight Gatsby benchmarks. Every student at our school is afforded access to a high quality careers programme which is delivered jointly through the curriculum and organised activities from Year 7 to Year 11 to ensure our children and young people constantly consider all options for their chosen future career paths during their educational journey with us.

All students at Ninestiles, an Academy have the opportunity to engage in work related learning experiences. University visits, apprenticeship information events and links with Post 16 providers will be available to support the decision-making process for our young people.

Our careers team works closely with the Birmingham Careers Service and the NEC Group, amongst others, to ensure our young people have access to an outstanding careers programme. We are fully committed to the Gatsby Career Benchmark and have recently been awarded the coveted Quality in Careers Standard recognising the outstanding career guidance given to our students.

Inspiring all students is key to promoting positive attitudes to learning and success and we believe our careers programme stimulates ambition and confidence.