School Prospectus

2006-2007

Headteacher: Christopher Marks M.Phil., Dip.Ad.Ed.

Upper School Lower School

& Appleton College

Broomfields Road Hall Drive

Appleton Appleton

Warrington WA4 3AE Warrington WA4 5JL

Tel: 01925 263919/266973 01925 263814/264879

Fax: 01925 861434 01925 861449

Website: www.bridgewaterhigh.com

e-mail: sch_bridgewater_clerical@warrington.gov.uk

Contents
Introduction
Our Main Purpose	1
Our Aims	1
Specialist Arts College Status	2
General Information
How to Join Us	3
Admissions Policy	3
Subjects Pupils Study	4
School Policies	4
Assessment and Reporting	5
Recording Achievement	5
Sixth Form (Appleton College)	5
Teacher Training	5
Parental Involvement	6
Other Publications	6
School Organisation
Pastoral Organisation	6
Lunch and Break Times	7
Transport To and From School	7
Medical Matters	7
Attendance	7
Absence Statistics	7
Holiday Dates	8
School Uniform	8/9/10
Security	10
Mobile Phone Policy	10
Every Child Matters	10
Extra Curricular Activities
Clubs and Visits	11
Arts College	11
School Improvement Plan	12
Outline Summary of External Examination Results and School Targets	13
Full details of all examination results for the academic year 2004/05 and the destinations of school leavers will be published in November 2005, following confirmation of data by the Department for Education and Skills.

Introduction

Bridgewater is a popular and successful 11 to 18 comprehensive school, situated on two attractive sites to the south of Warrington. Pupils at Lower School (Years 7-9) enjoy all the facilities and opportunities of a large school, within a smaller, caring environment, before transferring, at the end of Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum, to Upper School. There they begin a broad range of courses leading to public examination.

Our Main Purpose

Our main priority is standards of learning and achievement across the curriculum as a whole for all our students. To achieve this we work in partnership with other local schools and the wider community to share resources and develop good practice. As a Specialist School for the Arts, we aim to promote an educational climate which is creative and expressive, inclusive, technological, vocational and relevant to the needs of all our students across the ability range.

We encourage, and are committed to, equality of opportunity for all, and value diversity.

Our Aims

¨ Opportunity – To provide all members of the school community with opportunities to develop their individual potential during and beyond their school years.

¨ Enthusiasm and Success – To stimulate enthusiasm for learning and for all pupils to experience success.

¨ Curriculum – To provide each pupil with a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.

¨ Environment – To create an environment which encourages and recognises hard work, self-discipline and a sense of personal responsibility.

¨ Care and Support – To provide a caring school community which supports both pupils and staff.

¨ Values – To help children to develop their moral and spiritual values.

¨ Respect – To encourage respect for people of all backgrounds and traditions.

¨ Lifestyle – To stress the value, benefit and importance of a healthy lifestyle.

¨ Relationships – To build strong relationships between all members of the school and the larger community we serve.

We are proud that Bridgewater High School was designated as a Performing Arts College under the Government’s Specialist Schools Initiative from September 1998, and redesignated for a second term from September 2001. This has meant that both school and community benefit from additional government funding to promote and develop opportunities in the Arts and across the school as a whole.

The benefits of Arts College Status

§ extra staffing across a number of subject areas

§ increased curricular provision; support for minority subjects

§ enhanced facilities – editing facilities, recording studio, music technology equipment, computer suites, dance studio

§ school open seven days a week, including evenings, for school and community use

§ promotion of opportunities for adults and young people to learn together

§ varied extra-curricular activity programme including

extension activities for

talented performers

§ development of creativity and confidence in all our pupils

§ work with professional artists

§ contact with the entertainment industry

§ use of the performing arts to enrich the learning experience within all subjects of the curriculum

§ opportunity for pupils to work in the wider community

The targets and performance indicators against which success is judged are set out in the Arts College Development Plan.

This also describes the aims of the Specialist Schools Programme, which are:

§ to extend the range of opportunities available to pupils with an increased uptake of this provision

§ to raise standards of teaching and learning in the specialist subjects

§ to raise standards of achievement for all pupils of all abilities

§ to develop an identity and ethos which reflects the school’s aims

§ to benefit other schools and the wider community

How to join us

* Study our School Prospectus

* Attend our Information Evening and Lower School Open Day in October.

* Apply to the Local Authority for a place after receiving their Admissions Booklet.

* As a prospective Year7 pupil, experience two full days at Bridgewater during the Summer Term as part of our Induction Programme.

*If joining beyond Year 7, contact us for further details about places and procedures.

Admissions Policy

The Local Authority manages admissions to all Warrington schools. Details are published in a separate booklet entitled:

Secondary Education: A Guide to Parents on Education Services and School Admission Arrangements.

This is sent directly to parents of Year 6 pupils and is also available from:

Children’s Services Directorate,

Warrington Borough Council,

New Town House,

Buttermarket Street,

Warrington. WA1 2NJ

Tel: 01925 444400

Bridgewater High School’s designated partner primary schools are:

Appleton Thorn Primary

Broomfields Junior

Grappenhall Heys Community Primary

Stretton St. Matthew's C E Primary

St. Thomas' C E Primary

Stockton Heath Primary

Daresbury C E Primary

Moore Primary

In recent years admission to Year 7 has been over subscribed. Where the school reaches its Planned Admission Limit a formal Appeals Procedure operates and is managed by the Local Authority.

Last academic year, September 2004:

Proposed admission limit 2005 - 300

First preference applications - 341

Admitted Sept 2004 - 301

Siblings - 136

Medical/Psychological - 1

Partner Primary School - 155

Proximity to School - 0

Admitted on appeal - 9

Subjects Pupils Study

Bridgewater teaches the full National Curriculum. At Key Stage Three (KS3) pupils study English, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), one or two Modern Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Science, Religious Studies, Design Technology, PE, History, Geography, Art, Dance, Drama Music and Citizenship. Our aim throughout is to develop a wide variety of knowledge, skills and understanding as a sound foundation for the future.

At Key Stage Four (KS4) pupils continue to study Science, English, Mathematics, Religious Studies, PE, ICT and Citizenship. They choose from a variety of further subjects designed to reflect their own interests and abilities. These include Art, Textiles, French, German, Technology (Product Design, Graphics, Food), Drama, Music, Geography, History, Business Studies, Physical Education, Dance, Information Technology, Child Development, Leisure and Tourism and Performing Arts. Most of these courses lead to GCSE or GNVQ qualifications. There is also the opportunity to follow a more vocational course taught in partnership with WCI.

At Key Stage 5 (KS5) many students choose to remain at Bridgewater, joining the school's sixth form 'college' provision, where a range of academic and vocational courses are on offer. Further detail about the sixth form is available in a separately published Prospectus, available from the School.

Detailed information about all subject areas is available on the school web site at www.bridgewaterhigh.com and through additional publications (see page 4).

School policies

Careers advice is provided for all students in Years 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 via the Connexions Partnership. This includes work experience for Y10 pupils, work shadowing in Y12 and Higher Education advice for Y12 and 13 students. Religious Education is taught as a foundation subject to all pupils, in all years, unless withdrawn by parental request. School Assemblies are held for all year groups, which incorporate collective worship, unless pupils are withdrawn by parental request. Alternative arrangements are made for these pupils. Sex Education is taught within a moral framework and aims to develop knowledge and understanding. The subject is treated with sensitivity and care as part of our Health Education Policy, approved by the governing body. Citizenship is also taught to all pupils in all year groups.

Homework plays an important part in

all pupils’ development. Regular assignments are set and entered into the Pupil Planner for monitoring by staff and parents. Educational Visits are also arranged for pupils both

during and outside of the school day. Costs are regulated by the Governors’ Charging and Remission policy.

The Special Educational Needs of pupils are given careful consideration and include pupils with learning difficulties as well as those who may be gifted or talented. We also have a Learning Support Centre, to help those pupils experiencing difficulties adjusting to school life. Particular provision is also made for the full integration of pupils with physical disabilities, in line with The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2001. Full access is available in all areas of the school. Our Equal Opportunities and Social Inclusion Policies support our commitment to constantly review our provision and equality of treatment of all pupils with any Special Needs.

Assessment and Reporting of Pupils' Progress

Pupils' progress is carefully monitored and assessed. Parents receive termly reports and the opportunity to meet with staff at a parents’ evening once a year. Reports highlight pupil progress in relation to their individual ability and previous achievement in the context of the National Curriculum.

Recording Achievement

Pupils are encouraged to take an active part in assessing their own achievements. Key Stage 4 students receive their own Progress File, in which they keep evidence of their personal and academic progress.

6^th Form (Appleton College)

Our sixth form provision offers a broad range of academic, and some vocational, courses. It enjoys an established level of success in public examinations and the majority of students take up places in Higher Education. College students enjoy all the facilities of a large comprehensive specialist school along with their own social and private study facilities. A major building programme, in 2004, has enhanced substantially the sixth form study and seminar facilities. A separate Sixth Form Prospectus is available from the school. Student destinations at the end of year 13 are published annually for all parents via the school’s newsletter.

Teacher Training

Bridgewater is fully committed to involvement in the training of the next generation of teachers, and has established training partnerships with three local University Education Institutes: Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University and University College, Chester. Trainee Teachers observe and teach lessons while on placement at Bridgewater. They are always closely monitored by class teachers, who retain responsibility for the quality of teaching and learning within the classroom. Overall the training is supervised by a number of trained and experienced school ‘mentors’.

Parental Involvement

We believe strongly in home-school partnership which is clearly expressed in our Home-School Agreement, published in Pupil Planners. The door is always open and parental opinions and concerns will always be given our full attention. Our Parent Teacher Association contributes to the success of the school through parental events and the provision of additional resources.

Other Publications

· Home-School Agreement

· 14+ Curriculum Booklet (relating to courses on offer in Y10)

· Sixth Form Prospectus

· Public Examinations Entry

· Public Examinations Results

· The Bridge and Reachout Newsletters

· Latest OFSTED report

· School Improvement Plan

All publications are available from the school.

Pastoral Organisation

Our pastoral system provides pupils with a happy, secure environment where they can flourish academically and socially. Tutor groups normally consist of 30 pupils, each child having a tutor who gets to know them individually

and is responsible for day to day concerns. Each year group is divided into Stockton and Appleton House. Each House has a Pastoral

and Achievement Leader to

oversee each pupil’s welfare in

school and they are the first point of contact for parents. In addition there is a Pastoral and Achievement Manager at Key Stage 3 and at Key Stage 4 who ensure that Pastoral issues are dealt with promptly and oversee the academic progress of pupils across the curriculum.

In years 12 and 13 a personal tutor system is in place which ensures that students have regular one-to-one meetings with their tutors, to monitor progress and deal with concerns.

Other educational support services available to the school include the Psychology, Welfare and Careers/Connexions services.

Lunch and Break Times

A cafeteria system operates on both sites and pupils may also bring their own packed lunches. Enquiries regarding free school meals may be made to the Education Department, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington WA1 2NJ

Tel: 01925 443117

Parents whose children are entitled to free school meals are assured that applications are dealt with sensitively and confidentially and are strongly encouraged to take up their entitlement.

Transport to and from School

Buses for pupils travelling a distance from school are provided and managed by both Warrington and Halton Borough Transport. Contact details are available from the school and Transport Depts.

Medical Matters

Pupils who are ill during the school day are sent to the school office and, after consultation with their Pastoral and Achievement Leader may either be returned to lessons or sent home, following contact with parents.

Attendance

The school has a statutory responsibility to record and monitor the attendance of all pupils. All absences should be notified by phone on the first day followed by a written note (letter or in planner) from a parent or guardian on return to school. If pupils need to attend appointments outside school for medical or other reasons, they bring a note to their form tutor and sign out of school at the appropriate time. Absence from school without permission is recorded as unauthorised on a pupil’s record. In cases of prolonged or frequent absence, a medical certificate may be required and reference made to

the Education Welfare Officer.

The school very strongly discourages absence due to holidays taken during term time, for which written permission from the Headteacher must always be sought.

Absence Statistics 2004/5

No. on roll of compulsory age 1532

Authorised Absence 5.6%

Unauthorised Absence 0.6%

Holidays 2006/2007	Closure Date	Staff Training Days	Re-opening Date
Training Day		Mon 4^th Sept
Training Day		Tue 5^th Sept	Wed 6^th Sept
Autumn Half Term	Fri 20^th Oct		Mon 30^th Oct
Training Day		Fri 10^th Nov
Christmas 2006	Wed 20^th Dec		Wed 3^rd Jan
Spring Half Term 2007	Fri 9^th Feb		Mon 19^th Feb
Easter 2007	Fri 30^th March
Training Day		Mon 16^th April	Tue 17^th April
Spring Bank Holiday	Fri 4^th May		Tue 8^th May
Summer Half Term	Fri 25^th May		Mon 4^th June
Training Day		Fri 29^th June
Summer 2007	Fri 20^th July

Boys	Girls
Plain white shirt	Plain white blouse/shirt
Plain mid-grey trousers	Plain, mid-grey skirt, approximately knee-length (Y7,8,9) Uniform mid-grey trousers
Navy blazer with school badge