Believe | Achieve | Succeed
Gilbert Inglefield Academy Prospectus
Message from the Headteacher
Welcome to Gilbert Inglefield Academy, a caring community where discipline, hard work and aspiration are our guiding principles. Our aim is to ensure that through the delivery of high quality teaching within a broad and balanced curriculum each pupil can flourish. We have a strong pastoral system that fosters an environment where every member of the academy feels safe and is able to perform to the best of their ability. Our expectations of high standards, self-discipline and mutual respect encourage our pupils to grow into responsible citizens of today’s society. Our motto of “Believe, Achieve, Succeed” captures the essence of our desire to see all our children develop selfbelief, achieve their goals and experience success within school and beyond. The staff in school are equally driven by a clear understanding of our moral purpose in preparing pupils for the future and are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that those goals and aspirations are met.
“Both our children’s educational and social needs are met, but more importantly, they are happy.” -
parent
I am very clear that our pupils’ success at school can only be achieved by working in partnership with parents and carers. For us to help them to achieve, we need to work together to build the foundations for success and by doing so we can both guide and inspire the children to not place limits on their goals. I believe that high quality teaching combined with high expectations will lead to success. I look forward to welcoming you into our community personally. Steve Adams
Our Vision Within our caring community, we encourage everyone to believe in themselves and our school values of inclusion, integrity and independence. These underpin learning and development and enable every member of our school community to achieve excellence. With high academic and behavioural expectations we empower our pupils and staff to succeed in school and in life beyond Gilbert Inglefield Academy.
“You are always welcome here.” - pupil
Our Ethos We work hard to provide a secure and happy environment where children are able to live and learn together. We recognise that society changes rapidly and, whilst we see the need for tradition we also respond quickly to adapt our curriculum to ever changing needs. We also feel strongly that there needs to be a balance in the curriculum and see our school as one that educates the whole child. We are an outward, forward looking school that has a desire to receive, promote and stimulate fresh thoughts and ideas.
“Everybody is accepted for who they are and given great opportunities.” - pupil
The Journey “Staff are approachable, supportive and encouraging.” - parent
Moving from lower to middle school can seem a little daunting (for both children and their parents!) so we do everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible. Your child will enter Gilbert Inglefield Academy as an important and individual member of the school community. During the summer term our Year 5 teachers visit lower schools to meet pupils and gain as much information as possible about them. We send you, via your child’s lower school, a pack full of information for you and your child. In July pupils visit our school for a whole day to meet and work with their new form teachers. Parents and carers are invited to attend an information evening at our school on that same date. In their first weeks at Gilbert Inglefield Academy, there will be several more opportunities for parents and carers to visit the school, and during this time, pupils’ Year 4 teachers will meet with their Year 5 teachers to monitor their transfer from lower to middle school and ensure your child is settling in and enjoying life at our school. Our year group teams will work hard to continue to support your child in all aspects of their schooling.
Our Facilities We provide inclusively for the needs of pupils aged 9 – 13. Our facilities include: 18 classrooms each with interactive whiteboards Four fully networked Information Technology suites A science and technologies centre, including three well-equipped science labs
“We have fantastic facilities and resources to help give us the best education possible.� - pupil
A design studio; a dedicated art room where clay work can take place and a practical workshop for all the inventors of the future to develop their ideas A fully interactive, networked music suite that uses state of the art facilities to help pupils compose, and a wide variety of instruments including everything a samba band might need
A number of grassed areas for leisure and educational activities (watch out for the exploding volcanoes!)
A large hall that is used for gymnastics and indoor sports such as basketball, curling and dodge ball
A dedicated outdoor classroom used for a variety of purposes including drama
A well-stocked library and resources centre, again with a suite of computers to promote independent study
A dance studio
A dedicated food technology building
An extensive playing field
The Learning Experience Our curriculum encompasses 14 subjects:
English
History
Maths
Geography
Science
Religious Education
ICT
Music
Modern Foreign Languages (which may include French, Spanish, German and Japanese)
Physical Education
Design Technology
Personal, Social and Health Education Citizenship
Art and Design
These are taught both as separate subjects and in more cross-curricular approaches. We firmly believe that you may learn English, Maths or ICT in one room but you apply them everywhere. We believe in tapping into as many learning opportunities and styles as possible, therefore Gilbert Inglefield Academy embraces ideas like ‘maths out loud’ where a maths theme is explored through a speaking and listening task; or the use of physical theatre in science to explore the differences between solids, liquids and gases. Practical ideas are explored through design and technology then applied in English lessons through designing staging and sets for a Shakespearian play. We also believe in nurturing independent learners able to sustain focus for longer periods of time.
We are not all about classrooms. We believe in challenging pupils’ learning through educational visits to places as diverse as the local quarries, Woburn Safari Park and St Albans Cathedral. This enhances the school curriculum and furthers the understanding of our pupils at a deeper level. Our curriculum is both broad and balanced and provides pupils with a huge range of activities. In Year 5, focused and dedicated class teachers take approximately 50% of lessons; specialist teachers teach the other curriculum areas. In Years 6, 7 & 8 the curriculum is nearly all delivered by specialist teachers who are passionate about their subjects and dedicated to supporting pupils to achieve their full potential.
Special Educational Needs
More Able, Gifted and Talented
While children are still at lower school information is collected which helps to identify those with learning, emotional and behavioural difficulties. This information is passed on to the SENCo and to the Year 5 class teachers, and appropriate in-class support or individual attention is arranged and timetabled accordingly.
We expect around 10% of our pupils to be More Able, Gifted and Talented children, reflecting the cultural and ethnic diversity of our school.
In addition, during the first few weeks at Gilbert Inglefield Academy all children’s abilities in reading, spelling and maths are assessed, and those found to have difficulties are targeted for further help. The SENCo, class teachers and support staff all work together calling also on parental involvement. Partnership between home and school is vital if effective provision is to be made for children. The majority of lessons are taught in mixed ability groups where work is designed to allow children to develop at their own pace. In-class support for children most in need of help is provided. As children progress through the school they may find themselves in ability sets for some subjects where that approach is more effective.
Our aim is to provide these children with an education which meets their individual learning needs. We offer a depth and breadth of opportunities which extend and challenge their ability, increase their enjoyment and involvement in learning, maximise their potential and which recognise the social and emotional needs of More Able, Gifted and Talented children. All children, whatever their ability, benefit from challenge and high expectations in their lessons.
“I love it when the teachers make the lessons fun with games and figuring out problems.� - pupil
Extra Curricular Opportunities Our curriculum is not just five lessons a day, five days a week. By the time the pupils leave us 95% of them will have been involved in extra-curricular activities including: Sports Clubs
Graphics Club
Art Club
Young Geographers
Jazz Orchestra & other Music Clubs
Drama Productions
French Club
Dance Club
Wet and Wild’ Water Sports
Our dedicated staff offer a range of opportunities to attend residential visits to a variety of venues in Wales, Shropshire or the French Alps, where they can abseil, canoe, explore life of the Victorians, or learn how to ski. Sports tours to Holland and Spain have become a recent feature of Gilbert Inglefield Academy life too.
“ Any issues have been resolved with great support and empathy.” - parent
We see Gilbert Inglefield Academy as a milestone on the road to a successful future career. In Years 7 and 8, we offer opportunities for the entrepreneurs of the future with dedicated cross curricular “theme” days where the activities are diverse, but include designing, making and promoting new products; learning about different cultures or celebrating key events in world history. We also encourage the pupils to make the link between school and work with targeted ‘Learn to Earn’ days.
Pastoral Care All pupils belong to a form group with a tutor who is responsible for pupil well-being and overseeing academic achievement. The “Tlk 2 Uz” group provides somewhere individuals can go to get help with sorting out their problems or if they just need someone to talk to.
ASPIRE (Aiding and Supporting Pupils in Reaching Expectations) is a learning support unit that offers individual programmes tailored to your child should they require it during their time with us. It provides a successful and proactive link between home and school allowing any barrier to learning to be overcome and the pupil helped back on track.
School Community Houses
Young Leaders
When they start life at Gilbert Inglefield Academy, every child immediately belongs to one of our four houses: Hawk, Falcon, Kestrel or Eagle. This helps encourage positive behaviour and offers the children a system of rewards to celebrate achievement, whether it be for working hard or promoting positive values around the school.
We believe in developing pupils as mature and responsible individuals. In Year 8 we also have a group of Young Leaders to support and help younger students in sport, music or dance. They may get involved with our feeder schools, helping run after school clubs, or may take the lead in teaching students dance and cheerleading at lunchtime. Our pupils make a difference and we are rightly proud of this fact.
School Council We offer pupils the chance to have a say in how the school runs. Our school council represents the student voice on matters many and varied including taking a role in the interview process for key appointments within the school. The school council is also actively involved in charity fundraising, organising themed fancy dress days, fun activities or selling ice-lollies to raise money. We encourage all pupils in all year groups to be involved in the school council and give something back to their community.
“ The school community is a wonderful and fun environment to learn in.” - pupil
The Outcome When your child leaves us at the end of Year 8, we hope to have allowed them opportunities to gain the skills, knowledge, values and selfconfidence that will foster success in the future. We look forward to seeing you here soon.
skills
values knowledge “ We are very happy with the school and our son has gone from strength to strength this year.� - parent
self-confidence
Gilbert Inglefield Academy Vandyke Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 3FU T: 01525 372266 E: gia@gilbertinglefield.org www.gilbertinglefield.org
Linslade Academy Trust. A charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 07621395.
Photography by www.jojanephotography.co.uk