SSCS Prospectus

08P R O S P E C T U S

09South Shields Community School,

A Business and Enterprise College

Contents

...

Aims & Values

Students’ Individual Needs

Student Support

Transition and Induction

Tutor Groups

Our College System

Advice and Guidance

Rewards and Sanctions

Working with Parents

A Wealth of Experience


The Curriculum

Religious Education & Collective Worship

Homework

Health Education

Extended School

Uniform

Times of the Day

02

04

08

10

12

14

16

20

24

26

28

30

34

06

18

22


09

36

32

South Shields Community School

Aims & Values03

The aim of South Shields Community School is to meet the needs of each

student so that:

They are happy

They are safe

They achieve well in school

They learn to lead healthy lifestyles

They make a positive contribution to their community

They develop the skills and enthusiasm to continue learning

We intend to do this through personalising their learning. This means treating each

student as an individual and providing learning opportunities and support to meet

each student’s unique needs.

We aim to work with parents and the wider community so that they are more able to

support our students.

We expect students to leave South Shields Community School as well rounded

citizens who have high expectations of themselves and are confi dent in their ability to

continue learning.

We expect our students to have developed a range of skills, which will allow them to

achieve their potential throughout their lives and to have developed attributes such as

resilience, responsibility and resourcefulness, which will mean that they are equipped

to deal with change and the uncertainties of life.

“Relationships are usually harmonious between students and with staff” (Ofsted, June 2008)


Prospectus 08/09 // for more information visit www.sscschool.co.uk

Aims & Values

0202

‘Flame on’

The Fantastic Four

meets Year 8 Science


Individual Needs05

There are three main ways in which we intend to personalise learning for

students.

Through individual support

A student profi le will be developed for each student to record their strengths and

interests. This information will be used by the student, their parent or carer and a

tutor or mentor to set developmental targets and agree the kinds of support which the

student will need.

Through providing a fl exible curriculum

The curriculum at South Shields Community School will aim to balance the

development of skills and attributes with the acquisition of knowledge and

understanding. The curriculum will include a range of vocational and academic

subjects during the school day and provide opportunities for students and the wider

community, to develop their interests both within the school day and after school.

Through matching teaching to students’ learning styles

Over recent years our knowledge of the way in which the brain works and how

different people learn in different ways has increased dramatically. At South Shields

Community School we will use this information to design our lessons and other

learning activities to ensure that students can learn in their individual learning style.



Individual Needs

04

Media

Filming on Location in

the Lake District.

By personalising the support and the curriculum for each student we intend

to motivate and enthuse them about learning and to ensure that they develop

a level of respect for themselves such that they are encouraged to set and

achieve their own personal goals which are challenging but at the same time

realistic.

Personal Learning Plans (PLPs)

The central element of our support for students is the relationship between the

student and his or her tutor or mentor.

The tutor or mentor will give guidance and support to each student through the

student’s Personal Learning Plan (PLP).

The PLP will contain information including attendance and assessment data

as well as personal goals and academic targets.

The Personal Learning Plan will be reviewed regularly in tutorial session and

twice a year with parents or carers.



Student Support

06South Shields Community School

Student Support07

A round of applause

Students celebrating

success in assembly.

Most students who join South Shields Community School will do so from one

of ten local primary schools at the end of year 6.

We are committed to working with the primary schools to ensure teaching and

curriculum progression as well as continuity of care for students.

We have appointed a Transition Manager who will promote links with the primary

schools.

This work will build on the work of the School Sports Co-ordinators and the language

teachers who already work with the primary school teachers.

Our aim is to ensure that all primary age students have an experience of working with

staff and students from South Shields Community School and have visited our school

before the end of year 5.

During year 6 we will work more intensively with students to ensure they are familiar

with the staff who will teach them in year 7.

From the beginning of year 7 students will be placed in year based tutor groups for a

period of induction until they are familiar with the operation of our school.

Those students who need additional support will be placed in our transition group

which is taught by a primary trained teacher and follows a routine similar to that found

in primary schools.

“Procedures for the transfer of students from primary schools work well and ensure new students settle quickly” (Ofsted, June 2008)



Transition and Induction


Transition and Induction09

Team building during

Enterprise Week.

After year 7, students will be placed in mixed aged tutor groups with students

with similar interests.

Each tutor group will be led by a teacher-tutor who will be supported by another

member of staff or a volunteer mentor.

Tutor groups will be divided into project teams of about six students. The students will

support each other in planning and implementing a project which will allow them to

realise their ambitions or goals.

These projects will enable students to develop their employability skills.

If a tutor or mentor feels that a student requires more support than they can provide,

the student will be referred to a Student Support Manager.

The Student Support Manager can arrange support from Learning Coaches on a

one-to-one basis, in small groups or within normal lessons.

The Student Support Manager can arrange support by the Additional Educational

Needs Manager who can provide expert support for students with Special

Educational Needs.

The Student Support Manager can also arrange support from outside of the school

from a range of different local agencies.

“Those students who access the well managed Additional Educational Needs department sometimes make good progress because of the effective teaching and the support they receive” (Ofsted, June 2008)



Tutor Groups


Tutor Groups11

Students developing

their team skills during

Enterprise week.


Our College System

All students above Year 7 will

belong to one of the colleges and

wear the tie appropriate to their

college:

Cardinal Red for Davy •

Imperial purple for Herschel •

Royal blue for Swan •

13

The colleges are all named after scientists who were involved in creating

something new, just as we are at South Shields Community School. All of their

work involved light in some way.

Sir Humphrey Davy was a local inventor who developed the miners’ safety lamp.

Herschel was a female scientist working in the 18th and 19th centuries who carried

out important work in the fi eld of astronomy, discovering at least eight comets.

Joseph Swan, another man from our region, many of you will already know as the

inventor of the light bulb.

Within the colleges the students will be grouped into smaller enterprise groups which

will meet daily. These groups will be made up from students across the year groups

so our students get used to working with a variety of people of different ages just as

they will have to when they join the world of work. The enterprise sessions will also

be the time when students receive their individual mentoring from one of their tutors.



Our College System

0112

All students receive appropriate advice and guidance:

At KS3, students’ personal social health education (PSHE) is delivered within their

Learning to Learn (L2L) lessons; citizenship is delivered through their ‘Culture and

Heritage’ lessons;

At KS4, students’ careers education, citizenship and personal social health education

(PSHCE) is delivered through their CRED lessons.

The school has excellent links with the Connexions Service, giving students access

to the most up to date advice and careers information.

The highlight of the careers programme is work experience – one week in year 10 is

spent on a placement in local industry.

“Students receive good support and guidance when making option and career choices” (Ofsted, June 2008)



Advice and Guidance


Advice & Guidance15

Work Placements are arranged to

give students an introduction to the

working environment.

The performance of each student will be carefully monitored at all times.

A code will be given to a student to indicate that they are doing very well (positive

code) or not meeting expectations (negative code). These are entered on to the

school computer system. Each code represents an aspect of behaviour with a

signifi cant impact on learning, for example, good attainment, co-operation or arriving

late.

Three negative codes will lead to an automatic 30 minute detention. More serious

incidents will be dealt with on an individual basis. At the end of each term positive

codes will be totalled.

25+ codes = Bronze certifi cate

50+ codes = Silver certifi cate

75+ codes = Gold certifi cate

Commendations will be given for exceptional effort or performance.

Students may also be rewarded with a letter home, a free place on a school visit or

their name being posted on the honours board.

“The school is an orderly community” (Ofsted, June 2008)



Rewards and Sanctions


Rewards and Sanctions17

Austria 2008

Skiing in the Tyrol.

As a new school we are very aware that we need to gain the trust and support

of parents. We intend to do this by keeping parents well informed and by

involving parents in the school.

Sharing Information

We will keep parents informed of events at the school through regular newsletters

which will also be posted on our website.

We use a system called Group Call which allows us to send texts to individuals,

specifi c groups, or the whole school. This can be useful for reminders or if something

unexpected happens.

We will report student progress every term but for those parents with internet access,

individual student records of assessment, attendance and rewards and sanctions can

be viewed at any time via a password protected connection to our database.

Parents Working With The School

We are setting up a Parent Support Group, which will have three main functions:

For parents to support the school

For the school to provide support to parents

For parents to support other parents

We will also train parents who wish to work as volunteer mentors to support students

by reviewing their Personal Learning Plan and helping students to set short and

longer term targets.



Working with Parents


Working with Parents19

Final Performance

Year 11 graduates perform

in front of their parents.

We recognise that for students to develop the skills and attributes they need to

be successful in later life, that they need to have a broad range of experience at

school.

Working With Other Organisations

Through working with other schools and colleges, local business and industry, work-

based learning providers, voluntary and community-based organisations, we are able

to provide students with experience of learning in many different situations within

school and outside of school.

This helps students to maintain their enthusiasm for learning and also means that

they are much more likely to develop skills like working with other people and

attributes such as dealing with change and uncertainty.



A Wealth of Experience


A Wealth of Experience21

Enterprise Week

More team problem solving.

Our vision is to create a school and centre of excellence in Business and

Enterprise that will have a relentless commitment to raising achievement,

standards and self esteem for all students and the wider community.

Enterprise Education is not so much about teaching things to young people; it is more

about teaching our students how to learn.

Why Business Enterprise Status at South Shields Community School

The status will:

help us raise standards in all subject areas

give us business and enterprise opportunities

increase the range and quality of opportunities for all students

improve employability skills

enable our developing enterprising attitudes and skills through learning and

teaching across the whole curriculum

encourage students to experience and understand the world of work in all its

diversity including entrepreneurial activity and self employment

create opportunities for students to participate fully in enterprise activities

including those which are explicitly entrepreneurial in nature, and in which

success is the result of “hands – on” participation



South Shields Community School,




Defi nition of “Enterprise

Capability”

“The ability to handle uncertainty and respond

to change, create and implement new ideas and new ways of doing things to make reasonable risk/

reward assessments and act upon them in a

variety of contexts, both personal and work”

23

The curriculum includes a Learning to Learn course designed to ensure that

students develop the attributes of:

Resilience

Resourcefulness

Responsibility

Reasoning

Refl ectiveness

The school is part of a national resilience pilot working with the University of

Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA.

Making Good Progress

The school is also part of a national pilot to raise standards at Key Stage 3. Students

will be entered for Key Stage 3 tests in English and maths when the teacher

assesses them as being ready rather than waiting for the end of year 9. Those

students who make good progress will be able to choose additional areas of study.

Those students who need additional support will receive up to twenty hours of

individual tuition.

Key Stage 4

The Key Stage 4 curriculum meets the statutory requirements including health,

citizenship and careers education. All students study English, maths, science and

ICT to GCSE Level and have a choice from a wide range of vocational and academic

courses.

All students take at least one vocational course and it is through those courses that

students cover the statutory requirements for Work Related Learning.



The Curriculum


The Curriculum25

At Key Stage 4 the curriculum

provides students with the

skills required to meet local

economic demands through

work related learning and

vocational education, as well

as academic subjects.

(Ofsted, June 2008)

Religious Education is taught following the South Tyneside syllabus.

Regular assemblies include consideration of moral and spiritual themes in a non

denominational manner. Parents have the right to withdraw their child from morning

assemblies and R.E. in accordance with the 1944 Education Act, but are asked to

visit the school to discuss the matter with the Deputy Headteacher before doing so.



Religious Education


Religious Education

Rook takes Bishop in the Learning Resource Centre.

27

Homework is set regularly for all students.

Homework is related to specifi c subjects and includes activities such as

investigations, research, interviews, simple experiments, essay writing and projects.

The amount and frequency of homework depends on the individual needs of each

student. Our Learning Resource Centre is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Students

can complete their homework in a calm, comfortable environment with modern

Information Technology and staff support.



Homework


Homework

Students reading as part

of the accelerated reading

programme.

29

Sex Education is part of the Health Education programme for all students.

The social, moral and physical aspects are covered in a number of subjects

including science, personal and social education and religious studies.

The Governors’ policy and year group programmes of study are available for

inspection upon request. Students will be withdrawn from Sex Education if the

parents request this. The school is happy to listen to parental concerns and take

these into consideration when planning the sex education curriculum.

We actively promote a healthy lifestyle of physical and emotional health within

both lessons and the school environment. We have fi rst class links with our local

community and health professionals.



Health Education


Health Education31

Year 11 girls gain their

fi rst aid certifi cates


Extended School

The school provides a

range of extra-curricular

activities; students can

participate in a range of

sporting activities as well

as pursue their creative

and artistic interests in

Drama and Music.

(Ofsted, June 2008)

31

The Department of Education and Skills (DfES) has defi ned an ‘Extended

School’ as:

‘A School that recognises that it cannot work alone in helping children and young people to achieve their potential and have therefore decided to work in partnership with other agencies that have an interest in outcomes for children and young people and the local community’.

At South Shields Community School we offer a varied menu of activities such as

homework clubs and study support, sport, music tuition, dance and drama, arts

and special interest clubs such as chess and archery. We believe that an extended

school maximises the curricular learning of our pupils by promoting their overall

development and by ensuring that the family and community contexts within which

they live are as supportive of learning as possible.

The aim of South Shields Community School is to:

Provide students and their families, services and support that help remove

barriers to achievement and participation;

Provide opportunities for a wider involvement in education and lifelong

learning;

Provide opportunities for participation in a variety of leisure activities (arts,

drama, sports) that involve children and have the potential to involve parents

and carers;

Provide a focus and forum for discussing community issues and initiating

action.



Extended School

32 33

Plain white shirt with collar and the correct tie for your year group or college.

Black blazer with school logo.

Plain black V-neck pullover (available from the school with school logo).

Black tailored trousers : not denims or cords.

Black skirt.

Black shoes : not trainers or boots.

You may choose to wear a black blazer (with school badge) or pullover or both.

PE Kit



Uniform


Uniform

A high standard of personal appearance

is expected of all students and anyone

arriving at school in non-uniform

clothing may expect to be sent home to

get changed.

Hair colour and style must be

appropriate for school. Jewellery and

make-up are not permitted in school.

Coats and other outdoor clothing may

not be worn in school. Trainers are not

allowed. Students must wear suitable

shoes in school at all times.

35

girls

boys

Lilac polo shirt

White socks

White or black training shoes

Plain Navy blue tracksuit

Plain navy blue sweatshirt (with school logo) optional

Swimming

Towel

Regulation navy blue or black swimsuit

Cap for pupils with hair over ear length

White polo shirt

Navy blue socks

White or black training shoes

Plain Navy blue tracksuit

Plain navy blue sweatshirt (with school logo) optional

Plain navy blue rugby top with white collar

Navy blue shorts

Football boots as appropriate

Swimming

Towel

Plain swimming trunks/shorts (above the knee)

Cap for students with hair over ear length

Lessons will be based on 55 minute periods in a six period day.

Morning break will last 15 minutes, apart from Wednesday morning break

which will last 20 minutes.

Lunch break will last 45 minutes



Times of the day


Times of the day37

Period One

Period Two

Break

Period Three

Period Four

Lunch

Enterprise

Period Five

Period Six

08.40 - 09.35

09.35 - 10.30

10.30 - 10.45

10.45 - 11.40

11.40 - 12.35

12.35 - 13.20

13.20 - 13.45

13.45 - 14.40

14.40 - 15.35

Period One

Period Two

Enterprise

Break

Period Three

Period Four

Lunch

Extended

Activities

08.40 - 09.35

09.35 - 10.30

10.30 - 10.55

10.55 - 11.15

11.15 - 12.10

12.10 - 13.05

13.05 - 13.50

13.50 - 15.35

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Wednesday

Too hot to handle!

Can someone hold this

for a moment?

South Shields

Community School

McAnany Avenue

South Shields

Tyne & Wear

NE34 0PJ

Tel 0191 456 8929

Fax 0191 455 8543

Email [email protected]

www.sscschool.co.uk


09

South Shields Community School,


SSCS Prospectus

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