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welcome to Giles Academy, Lincolnshire

Introduction

Giles Academy is a popular, non-selective secondary school for students aged 11-19 situated in Old Leake, a small rural village to the north of Boston. Students travel to the school from a very wide area.

The school has a large site with dedicated areas for each subject, including science laboratories, arts studios and gallery spaces, technology workshops, computer suites and our own 25m swimming pool – to name just a few.

We aim to provide the very best possible educational experience for every single one of our students.

We all work hard to provide this through:

• a wide range of opportunities for students to learn in a safe, supportive, creative, happy environment

• having the very highest expectations of the entire school community in everything that we do

• working together with others inside and outside the school to meet our aims.

In addition to academic success, we also place extremely high value on the development of character; responsibility, ambition, honesty, confi dence, compassion and courage. This is done via a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities including sports, performing arts as well as many others. We are committed to the benefi ts which can be gained from outdoor education. All students work towards the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

I hope that this prospectus gives you some idea of what we do here and of our ethos. If you have any further questions then please contact us, we would be more than happy to help. I would add that we are all extremely proud of our school and would be delighted to show you around. Please call to arrange this if this is something that you would be interested in.

Ian Widdows | Headteacher

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Introduction

Contentsour aims 4our curriculum 4our specialism 6our community 9joining us 10our voice 12success 14

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our voice success

our aims

our specialism

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our curriculumWe believe that all students are entitled to a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum for the first five years of compulsory secondary schooling

This covers the main areas of human knowledge and experience and leads to a very well balanced range of public examinations. Our young people will be entering an adult world marked by rapid technological and social change. Even greater demands will be made on them, needing adaptability, self-reliance, confidence and high standards of education. We firmly believe that by working in partnership with our parents we can achieve the best for the young people in our care.

The 11-16 curriculum is divided into Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8) and Key Stage 4 (Years 9, 10 and 11). In Key Stage 3 students follow English, Mathematics, Science, Design Technology, Spanish, French or Italian, History, Geography, Religious Education, Art, Music, Information Communication Technology, PE/Games and Citizenship.

In Key Stage 4 students follow a broad range of subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education/Citizenship and PE/Games are all in the core curriculum followed by all students. The Grammar curriculum also covers French/Spanish/Italian, History, Geography, and Double or Triple Science.

As a specialist in Visual Arts many Key Stage 4 students study at least one Art and Design related subject, including Fine Art, Photography, Textiles and Media.

Academic study is supported by regular and purposeful homework.

We also offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities at lunchtimes and after school which include:

our aimsMaking the most of our children by securing the highest levels of success and self-esteem for all

n To develop in all students a sense of personal and social responsibility towards themselves and others.

n To develop links with the local community, particularly parents, feeder schools and prospective employers.

n To develop as far as possible the skills of oracy, literacy, numeracy and Information Communication Technology.

n To develop as far as possible the necessary skills for problem solving, interpretation of information and evaluation leading students to independent learning.

n To provide students with sufficient political, economic and social awareness to enable them to understand and contribute to society as adults.

n To foster the spiritual and moral development of students so that they are able to formulate personal values appropriate to their role as adults in society.

n To foster in all students (as far as possible) the skills of physical and manual dexterity for employment and leisure purposes.

n To help students to develop aesthetic sensitivity and appreciation.

n To foster an enjoyment of the learning process.

n To foster the self-image of students.

n To provide pastoral guidance, support and counselling.

Giles Adventure

Science Club

Giles Chess

School Productions

Giles Equestrian

Educational Visits

Giles Rowing Giles Voice

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

Ski Trips

Art & Design Club

Sporting Activities

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our aims | our curriculum

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Art – still special to usThe Giles applied to the Specialist Schools Programme in 2005 and successfully achieved Specialist Status in Visual Arts

This achievement enabled us to construct a purpose built art block which was completed in 2006. Giles now has the added advantage of 10 art teaching rooms, a central gallery space, photographic studio, darkroom, office, storage space and toilets. The art block is situated in landscaped gardens designed by the students.

The key to our continuous improvement has been the introduction of effective policies for teaching and learning, pupil tracking, monitoring and evaluation. This also includes the successful introduction of a vocational based curriculum into Key Stage 4 which started with Art and Design in 1997.

Visual Arts was found to respond most effectively to these innovations by raising achievement at Key Stage 4 and 16-18. This led to significant improvements in progression at 18+. Visual Arts also took the lead in establishing links with feeder primary schools, supporting secondary schools, establishing links with local businesses and supporting local artists. This builds on the very successful partnership with Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston. The gradual increase in achievement in this department was recognised by the award of Artsmark in 2003.

Specialist Visual Arts status enhances the learning experience for all students at the Giles. The entire school community benefits from the focus on excellence that comes with a specialism, and this attitude permeates all learning, whether visually-based or not. Additionally, recent research into how the brain works identifies the value of visual learning for many individuals. Our emphasis on

visual arts enables all subject areas to use visual learning techniques to inspire and support students as they aim to achieve their personal best during their time at the Giles. Students in Year 8 choosing their options now have an additional choice of art based subjects.

The options available in this block are: Vocational Art and Design, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Textiles, Graphics and Product Design. A wide variety of extra curricular and vocational activities will form part of the existing links by developing new activities to broaden the students experiences of Art and Design in a wider context. Community activities include student exhibitions, workshops, masterclasses and working with the Spalding Flower Parade on an annual float. Students also have the opportunity to work with an Artist in Residence, employed regularly by the school. This is often extended to work experience visits to artist studios and local companies involved in the creative arts industries.

Art Block

Community activities include student exhibitions

“The Art Exhibition.....I am a proud mum. Thank you to all your dedicated staff, I know they are well thought of by the students. It shows by the talented students you continually turn out. My son leaves the Giles in the next few weeks with great results and even greater memories.”

Parent

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our specialism

“The Performing Arts department is a very hardworking part of the school, making the most of your education and stretching you to your limits.”

Year 12 student

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“Giles Academy provides a good education and has a fantastic library. The teachers and children are amazing.”

Year 8 student

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our communityAt Giles we understand and embrace the fact that a school community extends far beyond the reaches of our classroom walls.

Over the last few years we have organised a variety of highly successful events which have involved many parts of our local community, including the “Wellython”, the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”, our 50th Anniversary and Remembrance Services.

Community Arts is also an important link between the Giles, its students, the wider educational community and the general public. Through workshops, exhibitions and

special projects in and around Boston, we are able to make an impact on the imaginations and aspirations of lives far beyond the walls of our school. Not only do these activities provide our students with a focus on others, thereby developing community spirit, they also pave the way for more opportunities for the community to come into the school, using it as a resource outside the conventional school day. We turn these opportunities into realities.

‘There are so many opportunities to get involved.’

Year 11 student

our community

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joining usAt the Giles, we believe Primary Liaison is a continuous process.

The continuity of a pupil’s education is of paramount importance to achieve full potential within the National Curriculum and create a secure environment for the general well-being of the whole child.

Our Primary Liaison Co-ordinator maintains contact with our feeder Primary Schools throughout the academic year. This process is reciprocal both seeking information and giving updated reports on students. Our Special Needs Co-ordinator maintains close contact with the feeder schools from November.

Year 5’s spend a day with us in June.

The actual visits to speak to teachers and students involved in transferring schools begin in March. There are up to three visits involved in the transfer process. One visit is arranged to speak to the teachers and support services involved with the students in their individual schools. This visit is often scheduled outside normal school time at the convenience of the Primary School. The next visit is to speak to the students, to put them at their ease and give them the required information. The third visit is much closer to transfer and is to give out booklets and necessary forms. It is also a time for updating information on specifi c students and their needs.

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During the Summer Term Year 6 students are invited to visit the school for a day and in the evening. The New Intake Day aims to give the students a taste of the Academy and its structure and is intended to be enjoyable and experimental. Our Intake Evening is aimed at both students and parents/guardians. There is also the opportunity for parents to speak to Special Needs teachers or the Headteacher.

“I am enjoying it. I have made loads of friends and the teachers are kind and helpful”

Megan, Year 7

Joining us

“My Life Guard Duties are a way of giving back to the school community”

Senior Prefect for Swimming

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Students celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the school and the opening of our Swimming Pool.

October 2011

Cael, Heidi, Jamie

“The role of Head Boy and Head Girl have given us a fantastic opportunity to be involved in developing the ethos of our school.”Cael Atkin-PalmerHead Boy

Students celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the school and the opening of our Swimming Pool.

October 2011

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our voiceOur Giles Voice (School Council) is very active and we link with the Senior Leadership Team of the staff via one of the Deputy Headteachers.

Over the last few years we have organised a variety of highly successful events which have involved many parts of our local community.

We achieved our Gold School Council Award in July 2011 and have since then aimed to maintain this high standard.

We are also a Healthy School and we are working towards enhanced status. As part of this work we want every student to be able to swim and to improve their fitness by swimming regularly in our new swimming pool.

The Giles Voice enables us as students to have our voices heard and share our views. We are able to make decisions about things that might affect our futures. For example, the process of choosing our new uniform and PE kit involved a lot of voting and decision making by us.

Every student at Giles is a member of their own tutor group council with the opportunity to take part in discussions and be involved in decision making. One boy and one girl are elected, by secret ballot, to represent each tutor group on the Year Councils. Year Councils meet at least once a term, led by the Senior Prefects. The full council is made up of two representatives from each year group and we meet at least six times a year.

The Senior Student Leadership Team meet with the Senior Leadership Team and Governors to let them know the views of the students.

One of the most important activities we organise is our annual Takeover Day. The idea originally came from the Children’s Commissioner for England, Maggie Atkinson, whose job is to make sure that the adults in charge listen to

our views. However, we don’t think she imagined that a whole school would be taken over!

Every year we take over the role of all the adults at Giles for the day, both teaching and support staff. We have done this very successfully for seven years now. Often we have official visitors on the day, for example, the Mayor, the local MP or even an Ofsted inspector. Wreaths were laid on the memorial at the church.

The Giles Voice also likes to take the lead with fun community activities that raise money for the charities that we think are important. In 2009 we organised the Old Leake “Wellython” and raised lots of money for the air ambulance by getting 1336 people to walk 2km in wellies. In 2010 the Mad Hatter’s Tea party involved over 1000 people doing lots of silly things in fancy dress. We raised a lot of money for the six charities voted for by the students.

Macmillan charity is one that is very close to our hearts. Giles Academy staff and students have excelled themselves in raising money for this very worthwhile cause. From baking cakes to a sponsored pedal car event, which saw staff and students embarking on a 230 mile trip from Flint in North Wales to Skegness, we have so far managed to raise over £20,000 with this total increasing daily.

2016 was also the year that we raised money for a guide dog. We are proud to report that we now have a guide dog called Giles and will keep everyone updated with his progress.

The Giles Voice team is led by the Senior Student Leadership Team. These Year 13 students are elected by the students and staff in the school and are given specific responsibilities based on their interests and skills.

our voice

Armistice Day

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Our VisionGiles Academy aims to provide the very best possible educational experience for every one of its students.We all work hard to provide this through:

n a wide range of opportunities for students to learn in a safe, supportive, creative, happy environment

n having the very highest expectations of the entire school community in everything that we do

n working together with others inside and outside the school to meet our aims

In addition to academic success, we also place extremely high value on the development of character; responsibility, ambition, honesty, confidence, compassion and courage.

map

Giles AcademyChurch RoadOld LeakeBostonLincsPE22 9LD

t: 01205 870693e: gilesparents@gilesacademy.co.ukw: www.gilesacademy.co.uk

Church Rd B118 4

Church Rd B1184

Shaw LaneMain Rd A52

Main Rd A52

Old Main Rd

School Lane

School Lane

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Church EndOld LeakeBostonLincsPE22 9LDadmin@gilesacademy.co.ukwww.gilesacademy.co.uk