Governors

The St Augustine of Canterbury School School Profile – December 2007

The school profile aims to give parents and guardians key information about the standards achieved in the school, and the plans the school has to improve further.

The actual government ‘school profile’ was finally produced last year, but was subject to significant criticism, and is currently being re-drafted. As a school we are committed to providing parents with accurate and meaningful information about the school, and your child’s education. Hence we have taken the key headings from the government school profile, and produced the following report. We hope you find the information interesting and useful.

How well do our students achieve at age 11?

As a school we measure the abilities of our students as they join us by looking at their KS 2 national curriculum results in English, Maths and Science. In 2007, our Year 7 students achieved the following Key Stage 2 test results:-

Level 4+

English        65%
Maths            73%
Science        84%

Typically students enter St Augustine’s with results below the national average.

CAT testing on entry for the past four years has a school profile that is below the national average. In 2006, the national average was:-

English        79%
Maths            76%
Science        89%

How well do our students achieve at age 14?

In the Key Stage 3 national curriculum tests our students achieved:

Level 5+

English        61%
Maths            64%
Science        64%

We are pleased that we achieved our challenging targets in Maths and Science. English missed their target by 1% for Level 5+ which was disappointing. However, due to our small numbers this equates to half a child underachieving. We have appointed intervention TAs in English, Maths and Science to support student progress at KS 3.

How does attendance compare with other schools?

Our target for 2005-2006 was for no more than 10% absence but our actual absence rate was 10.2%. The Local Authority said we have good systems and we cannot do anything more about this. Unauthorised holidays taken in term time make the figures worse, yet we never allow holidays in term time. We quickly prosecute in these cases, as we have such good systems for checking attendance.

What have been our successes this year?

10% rise in the number of students achieving GCSE A*-C in English and Maths.
We have ten students registered with the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth.
100% of students taking BTEC PE achieved two grades C and above.
Whole school communication has improved by using internal email.
We achieved our Healthy Schools Status.
We achieved our FMSIS standard for the financial management of the school.
We significantly reduced the days lost to education through fixed term exclusion.
Refurbished main hall and reception area.
Improved the student voice by restructuring the Student Council.
Our ‘early entry’ programme in Maths, Art and Geography continues to be very successful.
Our work as a restorative school was recognised in the ‘Changing Lives’ DVD produced by the Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Our Community Science Day was a huge success with over 3,000 people attending.

What are we trying to improve?

A consistent approach to both learning and behaviour.
Skills for learning by introducing a ‘Learn to Learn’ curriculum in Year 7.
Standards at both Key Stages but particularly KS 4 in all subjects.
Growth of the school.
Assessment for learning policy and practice.
Literacy levels by Renaissance Accelerated Reading Programme and achievement of Basic Skills Mark.
The Christian ethos of this Church School.
Our provision for Science education as a Specialist Science College.
Provision for the well being of all students by providing a ‘Body and Soul’ drop in resource.
Closer tracking and targeted intervention including mentoring of vulnerable students.
Family learning sessions in Numeracy and Science.

How have our results changed over time?

The school results have shown a good level of progress at KS 3 since 2003/04, in 05/06 we were in the top quarter of the country for value added. This has dipped this year due to a year group with more challenges and a dip in the English result (we believe this to be as a result of inconsistent marking and not a school based issue).
The picture at KS 4 remains disappointing. Individual under performance is often linked to social and emotional problems and poor attendance. The school remains committed to working with all our young people to achieve their potential.

How are we making sure that every child gets teaching to meet his or her individual needs?

In 2004/05 we introduced a broader and more appropriate curriculum at Key Stage 4. The white band has access to at least 10 GCSE’s. Some students have taken Art, Maths or Geography in Year 10, this will add to their portfolio of results. The blue group is our vocational route. Students are identified using their CAT scores and professional judgement as being suitable for this style of learning. We offer Health and Social Care or BTec PE on this route, students in Year 10 and 11 also do a day at SCAT on a variety of link courses (eg Hair and Beauty or Car Mechanics). Blue route students also study English, Science, Maths, Citizenship, ICT and Religious Studies at GCSE.

Our Emmaus Centre continues to support our most vulnerable students either by offering a nurture base environment or by targeted support for specific learning difficulties. We run a number of personalised learning packages for individuals. These may include courses at Bridgwater College or extended work experience. We offer a range of small intervention groups around emotional literacy, self esteem, communication and anger management.

How do we make sure that our pupils are healthy, safe and well-supported?

This area is a strength of our school. There is a wide PE curriculum, both in and out of school; we have Sportsmark designation and train Sportsleaders; we run festivals of sport with local primaries. Our meals are healthy and balanced, and we have achieved our Healthy School status. Sex, relationships and drugs education is very good.

Our students are safe. The site is secure and protected by CCTV. Issues of bullying are dealt with effectively; pupils are confident that instances are dealt with quickly, either by staff or by prefects using restorative justice. Incidents of racist behaviour are rare and dealt with in line with school and Local Authority policy.

Our last Ofsted report noted that “the care, support and welfare the school provides for pupils are good… staff are kind and helpful”. Two Chaplains work in school, and a Restorative Justice system helps to solve interpersonal problems. We are looking to extend this provision by opening ‘Body and Soul’ as a drop in student resource. We have a robust system of attendance monitoring.

How are we working with parents and the community?

We are a specialist science college. We deliver science events to the local community, host community science activities, and provide training and resources in science for local primary schools.

We contribute significantly to community sporting activities and our Junior Sportsleaders work with partner primaries to organise and support tournaments.
Chaplains and students run a Holiday Club for Year 6 pupils.
Our Faith Newsletter circulates to local churches and faith primary schools, as well as to students and their parents.

We raise large sums each year for charities, including CLIC and CAFOD which have been nominated by our students.

We consult widely. We question parents, students and governors regularly, and survey the views of specialist science stakeholders. We build the findings into our future planning.

We have appointed a Parent Support Advisor to work with our vulnerable families.

What activities are available to pupils?

There is an extensive extra-curricular programme attended by approximately 65% of the school population. Activities include Art Club, Street Dance Club and a full range of PE opportunities. We run a large number of clubs at lunchtimes to engage the students and to cater for those who live a distance from the school.

The school also provides extra lessons outside normal hours where numbers are too small to justify an ordinary class. We hold an Arts Evening in the summer and an annual production (this year it will be The Dracula Spectacular.). The Christmas Concert and Church service is well supported with music and readings. We have a small but active Christian Union led by our Chaplains.

What have pupils told us about the school and what have we done as a result?
Students disliked the school uniform. Extensive consultation led to uniform being changed to one which students feel happy to wear. They now have both a choice of uniform elements and a range of prices.
Year 11 students have asked for the privilege of being allowed off site at lunchtimes. We will be trialling this.
The number of ICT rooms is being trebled, partly as a result of student concerns.
Student demand for additional subjects has led to the school providing extra lessons outside normal hours in areas such as, Small Animal Care and French.
When we asked 2007 Year 11 Leavers what they liked about their school experience, we found that most of them had enjoyed school, had been encouraged to do well and were given good assistance by their teachers.
Students have introduced recycling bins into school and were part of the interview panels for the school catering contract. There is a student panel for all teacher interviews.
Students requested that the school toilets should be refurbished as a priority for the school, this was done in the summer of 2006.

How do we make sure all pupils attend their lessons and behave well?

Every child is valued and an appropriate curriculum pathway is developed for all students including access to The Emmaus Centre which is our Flexible Learning Centre. Restructuring has meant that there are no longer Heads of Houses to monitor behaviour and attendance but a Care Team who provide a consistent approach monitoring and evaluating each student’s access to their provision. Regular reviews of attendance and monitoring of lateness with the Educational Attendance Officer and the Lead Practitioner for the Care Team, means that there is an effective graduated response and efficient allocation of support and resources. A classroom discipline plan is displayed in every classroom so that all students know what skills they need to be effective learners. A graduated response is part of the behaviour monitoring system as well as an effective reward system which includes a draw for an Ipod every half term.

What do our students do after Year 11?

Data for School Leavers July 2007
Further Education - 84
Apprenticeships - 9
Jobs (Some training) - 4
Jobs (No training) - 7
Supportive Training - 1
Unemployed - 4
Other - 11

What have we done in response to Ofsted?

Our last inspections took place in Spring 2005, with both a general inspection and one of faith provision.

As regards the general inspection we are:

Bringing the quality of teaching up to the standard of the best already in the school
Improved attendance, punctuality and behaviour of a minority of students.
Removed weaknesses in the timetable and curriculum
Developed assessment for learning further.

As regards the faith inspection we have

Developed a coherent understanding of our Christian nature
Ensured that SMSC is consistently applied
Advanced the quality of teaching and learning in RE
Improved collective worship
Communicated our Christian ethos more effectively.