In May 2019, Ofsted stated Leaders have a clear vision for the school’s development. Strong leadership from the principal and her senior leadership team has led to improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the previous inspection.
I am extremely proud to be the Principal of the Academy and I will work alongside the students to create an environment that encourages every member of our community to live well together.
We take considered decisions and afford dignity to all members of our community, regardless of background or circumstance. Our position as a Voluntary Aided Church of England Academy means that the Christian faith has a central role in all our actions and decisions. We aim for excellence in all that we do, enabling our students to transform their lives, fulfil their potential and hope for happy, successful futures.
We understand that the best progress is only achieved when teachers know their students well and plan lessons with expertise, ensuring that all become the best they can be. We are highly ambitious for everyone and believe that no ceiling should be placed on ability.
Our students will be happy, confident and secure so that they can make the most of the opportunities they are given. We will work to form strong relationships between staff, students and the local community in the hope that this will produce dignified and accomplished young people who are prepared to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. We pride ourselves on personal development of the whole child through our Character Education programme, where skills and virtues are delivered across the whole school and within every subject. We also want our parents to value the work that the Academy undertakes and trust that their children will be placed at the centre of everything we do.
Liz Furber Executive Principal
We will give our students the best possible start to their secondary education and this begins before they have even arrived! We work with local primary schools throughout Year 6 to ensure that we have a wealth of information that we use to prepare our staff for the moment your child arrives in the Academy to ensure that they get off to a flying start.
Mark 12: Verse 31
Throughout Year 7 your child’s learning will be further enriched through the focus each month on a virtue and skill. Relating to current events and national awareness days, each month assemblies will be themed, to ensure students embed the eight ‘Skills Builder’ competencies and progress through recognising, understanding and actioning the virtue.
Every month we will focus on a ‘Big Idea’, for example in October students answer the question, ‘Is life fair?’ when spending this month focusing on the virtues of Justice and Truthfulness. The skill of leadership will be honed as students vote for representatives on the student parliament.
This allows students not only to consider the world around them but to approach learning in a philosophical and considered manner. Big Ideas include ‘Is there ever such a thing as a just war?’ and ‘How can I make a difference in the world?’.
Students will become inquisitive, empathetic and informed young adults.
Students will have more time in the core subjects of English, maths and science and, in addition to this, a literacy and numeracy catch-up programme will be offered to those students who need it. Any students who are significantly below their chronological reading age will be placed on the Ruth Miskin Fresh Start programme giving them 1:1 specific support for up to two hours a week.
All of our Year 7 students will be given a homework booklet that outlines the homework tasks that will be issued throughout the year. After looking at the expected end point knowledge for Year 6 and the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum, these tasks are focused on ensuring knowledge from previous years is consolidated. All homework will be set on the Edulink platform.
We are delighted to have wonderful facilities so that our new Year 7 students can make use of our specialist accommodation which creates an environment fit for the 21st century.
Academy staff will formally assess your child three times during the year and will make contact with you at each Assessment Point. At these times, staff will advise whether additional support, or stretch and challenge, is needed.
We will have a ‘Settling In’ parents’ evening in September where parents can meet the Tutor informally and a more formal parents’ evening later in the year to meet with subject teachers.
Every student who has SEND needs is given a staff SEND champion who meets with the student regularly to discuss learning and progress. Targets are set and reviewed every half term. This is to ensure students have confidence in their learning and they build a relationship with an adult who they know they can talk to about their strengths and anything they are struggling with. It also means that you as parents and carers have regular communication with the school and can discuss any issues that may arise.
Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than this.
It is very important to us that your child feels safe and secure, that they are free to learn and that they enjoy their time at All Saints Academy. We want your child, as part of this caring Academy, to fully understand their role in building a community where we can all live well together. In fact, our mission statement is ‘Living Well Together with Dignity, Faith and Hope’ and this translates into our everyday practice.
All Saints Academy subscribes to Operation Encompass which means that our school will be told, prior to the start of the next school day, when police have attended an incident of domestic abuse where there is a child or young person who attends our school who is related to any of those involved in the incident.
We operate a phone free Academy where students place their phone into a Yondr pouch on the way into school, keep it on their person locked away for the day and then unlock it on the way out. This means that students can focus fully on their lessons without the distraction of a phone and are able to learn in a safe environment.
pride ourselves on personal development of the whole child through our Character Education programme where skills and virtues are delivered across the whole school and within every subject. Character development involves caring for and respecting others as well as caring for and respecting oneself.
are determined to build a society that enables its members to live well together and believe character education is something to which every child has a right.
every lesson teaching staff will develop one of the 8 key skills and one of the 10 virtues. Students will consider questions about the kind of person they will become and how the development of good character contributes to a flourishing life. To flourish is not only to be happy, but to fulfil one’s potential. Flourishing is the ultimate aim of character education.
LIVING WELL TOGETHER WITH DIGNITY, FAITH AND HOPE
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17: Verse 20
We moved to our current building in 2012. We have amazing accommodation and expect that All Saints will be a most exciting learning environment for our Year 7 students.
Our superb facilities include:
Six science labs
Four Business/ICT Suites
Six English rooms including a tiered lecture theatre for sixty students
A Library with 30 computers
Specialist studios for each of dance and drama, together with bespoke changing rooms
A Recording Studio and Ensemble and Practice Rooms
Impressive rooms for art, media and music
A Sports Hall
Outside and inside gyms
A cafeteria with indoor and external dining areas
A floodlit All-Weather Pitch
A Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA)
A dedicated sixth form common room
A nurture area to support students with a variety of needs
A Hair and Beauty Salon
Design technology workshop
A Reflection Centre and garden where students can go to reflect
We know that excellent facilities in themselves do not raise achievement. We believe, however, that the continual improvement of our facilities will help us to fulfil our vision by making All Saints Academy a place of nurture and support where all students can develop spiritually and personally, as well as academically.
All Saints Academy is a Voluntary Aided Church of England Academy meaning that the Christian faith has a central role in all of our actions and decisions. Our admissions criteria are fully in line with Central Bedfordshire’s joint admissions criteria but we do have support from the Diocese of St Albans in developing a Christian ethos across the Academy.
The Diocese provides spiritual and moral support and helps Senior Leaders embed the core Christian values across the Academy.
Our Christian ethos underpins our work and our relationships with each other, and the Sponsors are clear that All Saints Academy is a school for students of all faiths and those of none. We are also privileged to have the support of the University of Bedfordshire, as Co-sponsor of the Academy, and they have set out to work with us in developing our staff through continuing professional development and Governance.
We are delighted that the University has chosen to work with us in this way. As Sponsors, both the Diocese of St Albans and the University of Bedfordshire bring a unique blend of experience, expertise and support to ensure that the students of All Saints Academy get the best opportunities to outperform expectations.
The house system has always promoted a feeling of community, support and belonging within the Academy.
There are five Houses which represent qualities that we expect all students and staff to aspire to – Courage, Determination, Excellence, Inspiration and Respect – and every student and member of staff belong to one of these houses. The house qualities are embedded into the Academy through House assemblies, activities and competitions.
Students wear House ties, with each house easily recognisable by a coloured stripe – red, blue, yellow, orange and black. Students are able to earn House Points throughout the year which contribute to both individual and House totals.
Providing opportunities and experiences that challenge and enrich our students is an important part of Academy life.
This year, we will continue our Electives Programme where both teaching and associate staff offer activities beyond the curriculum; these include Reflection Centre gardening, forensic science, astronomy and choir. Every student also has the opportunity to take part in lunchtime activities which include table tennis, basketball, music club, reading in the library and using gym equipment. Students at the Academy opt into doing one of these every term so that there is structure to their social time. We also offer fully funded music lessons to all students where they are able to be given one-on-one tuition in piano, drums or singing.
Once your child’s place for Year 7 at All Saints has been confirmed by the Local Authority (at the beginning of March 2023), we will write to you directly to keep you informed of every stage leading up to your child’s admission in September 2023. We will continue to work directly with your child’s current school to gather information, ensuring that a comprehensive timetable is constructed around your child’s specific learning requirements.
There will be an Information Evening on Wednesday 7th June 2023, when you and your child will be welcomed into the Academy. You will be given information about what to expect from us, details about our uniform, and also about our Transition Programme. There will be a series of visits to the Academy throughout the year giving your child the opportunity to experience our wonderful facilities and teaching staff.
We are very proud of how smart the students look when they are at school and we follow a strict uniform policy. We are always happy to support families with uniform as we want all students to look smart for school. We provide all Year 7 students with a free uniform to support families and to ensure that students have a high standard of presentation when at school.
WITH DIGNITY, FAITH AND HOPE
All Saints Academy follows the procedures adopted by the Local Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council. Any changes to the policy are subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for Education.
We look forward to welcoming current Year 6 pupils, and their parents/carers, to our annual Open Evening on Wednesday 12th October 2022. The Academy will be open from 5.00pm to 7.00pm for prospective parents/carers and their children to look around our facilities and meet with staff and students.
There will be a talk from the Principal and the Chair of Governors at 6.00pm in the Main Hall.
Tours will run on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th October at 9.00am so that parents/carers and their children can visit the Academy during a normal school day. You will be able to sign up for these tours on the evening.
If you are unable to attend on any of these dates and would like to visit at an alternative time, please contact the Academy and we will advise you of a further opportunity to visit us during working hours.
We can be contacted at: 01582 619700 or office@asadunstable.org
