St Augustines Prospectus 2009-2010 (v1.0)

St Augustine’s Catholic College Technology and Sports Specialist Status

Prospectus

―ora et labora‖ ―prayer and work‖

tel: 01225 350001 www.st-augustines.wilts.sch.uk

www.st-augustines.wilts.sch.uk tel: 01225 350001

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In this Prospectus

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4-5

6-7

8-9

10-11

12-13

15-15

16-17

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19

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Headmaster‘s welcome

Spiritual Life at St Augustine‘s

A Highly Successful Place To Learn

Developing A 21st Century Curriculum Supporting Every Child

Specialist School Status in Technology

Specialist School Status in PE

Learning Beyond The Classroom Post 16 Learning at St Augustine‘s Sixth Form The College Uniform

Contact details


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I am very proud to welcome you to St Augustine‘s Catholic College and am confident that by reading th is prospectus and attending our open days you will see that we have a tremendous amount to offer. St Augustine‘s is an outstanding Catholic College with a long history of success. We see ourselves as a vibrant and supportive Ch r i s t i an com m un i ty committed to developing in our students a passion for knowledge and experience. We expect high standards of work and behaviour and believe that through relationships based upon the Gospel values of faith, hope and love, mutual respect and positive affirmation of achievements, everyone can

achieve their potential. We believe in a ‗can-do‘ culture where everyone can enjoy success. Every person is included and valued regardless of background or ability. The temptation to settle for second best must never be a feature of our work at St Augustine‘s. Great emphasis is placed upon the co-operation between home and school and we believe that this is essential in developing the individual. Together, we can achieve the very best for the children entrusted to our care helping each one to become equipped for an adult life of learning and service to others.

Welcome to St Augustine‘s Catholic College

―Parents and

students are

overwhelmingly

enthusiastic about the

school‖

—James Sage

OFSTED 2007

―St Augustine‘s is a community committed to excellence, innovation and

preparing young people for the challenges of the 21st century.

Our students leave College having developed their unique gifts and talents,

mindful of their responsibility to use these to shape the world they live in for

themselves and for others.‖

Brendan Wall

—Headmaster


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The OFSTED report of 2007 described the College as 'an excellent Catholic School' where the Governors, Headmaster and staff combine to create a di st inct ive ly Cathol i c Christian identity for the College. Our standards of w o r s h i p , s p i r i t u a l development and moral development were viewed as 'excellent.' The high level of commitment and quality of the Headmaster in the promotion of the Catholic ethos was seen as a major strength. The College places Jesus Christ at the centre of the College community and we are trying to lead our young people to Him. The celebration of the Eucharist with our supportive Deanery

Priests occurs as a whole community on major feast days and all students are expected to attend. A voluntary Mass operates weekly and individual form masses throughout the year. The College provides a training course for parish catechists of the Deanery. Prayers are a major feature of College life as they are shared at the beginning of all lessons. From Year 7 to 11, students have the opportunity to take part in a full day residential retreat – 6th form have a full day with options for a residential. For residential trips, students travel to our Retreat Centre in Kintbury, Berkshire as we are members of the De La Salle network of Schools in Great Britain. St Augustine's

―The RE Curriculum Directory, the selection of suitable examination

content and the College‘s General RE Programme constitute a

significant contributor to the spiritual, cultural and moral

development of students‖

—(Section 48 Inspection Report, 2007)

Catholic College forms part of a La Sallian Association of Schools/Colleges in the United Kingdom and Malta. These are Schools/Colleges who use the principles of the Patron Saint of Teachers, John Baptist De La Salle, in the leadership of their institutions. Local priests act as

chaplains for years 7-11 with

an assistant lay chaplain for

the 6th Form. The contact

between parish priests and

their student parishioners is

enhanced by their inclusion

in the RE forum that can be

accessed via MERLIN. The

LAM B team prov i de

chaplaincy for Y7-11

students as well as

p r o v i d i n g o n - g o i n g

spirituality for staff. They

spend two full days in the

College organising and

running Yr 7-9 retreat days

as well as supporting extra-

curricular activities.

―Take much more care of the young people entrusted to you than if they were

the children of a King‖ —(St. John Baptiste de La Salle)

Patron Saint of Teachers


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The teaching of Religious Education in the College is in accordance with the Roman Catholic Faith and under the direction of the Clifton Diocesan RE commission. All students are expected to attend religious education lessons and education for personal relationships is presented within the context of the KS3/4 curriculum along with the Drugs Education Programme (KS3&4). The College prides itself in maintaining close links with the Diocese and regular visits are made by the Diocesan Adviser. St Augustine's makes a major contribution to the mission of the Church through catechetics and evangelisation in our Deanery. The College is at

the heart of the religious developments of the Clifton Diocese under the direction of His Lordship the Bishop. The Headmaster is a member of Clifton Diocesan Schools Commission. Assemblies for each year group are excellent in quality, making a strong contribution to spiritual and moral development. Time is spent in prayer and reflection, both in tutor groups and assemblies as well as in each lesson. Spiritual and moral issues are highlighted in the study of many subjects within the teaching of the Catholic Church. The College provides an enormous range of opportunities for students to develop their social awareness. The wide

range of activities supporting charities help to provide a real sense of community. Apart from major appeals for Diocesan and other specific charitable causes, several students use their gap-year to become members of charismatic communities serving school missions, here in the UK and abroad.


―Love one another as I have loved you‖

—(John 15:12)

‗The Kingdom of God is within you‘ —(Luke 17:21)

―God loves a cheerful giver‖ —(St. Paul)


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―I think the College has good facilities and we have a wide range of

subjects and sports‖

—(Student)

―Teaching is outstanding overall, and ensures

that students achieve extremely well.‖

—(OFSTED Report, 2007)

A Highly Successful Place to Learn

To enable students to learn effectively and to make excellent progress, every effort to provide a purposeful and pleasant learning environment has been undertaken. The site is attractive and kept superbly, students and staff taking pride in its appearance, aspects that we believe are conducive to raising standards and motivating our students. Teaching and Learning is excellent and our dedicated and highly skilled staff work hard to provide stimulating, w e l l - r e s o u r c e d a n d ch a l l e n g i n g l e a r n i n g opportunities. St Augustine‘s prides itself on knowing the strengths and areas for improvements of i ts learners. We expect students to take responsibility for their own learning, and promote student and peer assessm ent a longside teacher assessment to monitor progress and to set rigorous targets. We adopt a positive approach to rewarding progress and challenge disengagement or underachievement where appropriate. This well-

structured approach to learning, coupled with high expectations of behaviour and a respect for other learners‘ rights to learn ensures that all students have the chance to achieve their personal best. Indeed, our results at all key stages are excellent – at GCSE for 10 years our students have achieved 80% 5A*-C or better, with the more recent performance measures for 5A*-C including English and Maths being the most impressive in Wiltshire – 72% (08 ) an d 69% (07 ) respectively. The College has excellent

modern accommodation and

the provision and use of new

technologies has had a

significant impact on the

quality of teaching and

l e a r n i n g . I n t e r a c t i v e

whiteboards, laptops and

PCs are widely available and

are a common feature of

lessons. The development of

our own e-learning facility

(Learning Platform) enables

learners and their parents to

access curriculum materials

at any time, providing both

accessibility and flexibility.


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Students‘ individual needs are at the heart of the teaching and learning experience. We endeavour to promote a range of learning experiences, both within and outside of the classroom: these could include - practical activities, problem-solving assignments, team-building tasks, individual presentations. Learning challenges are set to encourage students to stretch themselves within the context of the lesson and beyond the classroom. Assessment is rigorous with feedback targeting areas for improvement. This is shared with parents via the College‘s open evenings, progress reports and 1:1 interviews. Whenever there

are areas of concern, these are shared with students and parents and plans made to address the issue. In this way, students and parents are encouraged to engage in the learning journey and to monitor the improvements needed to progress. ―The standards achieved in each Key Stage are very high.‖ (OFSTED 2007) St Augustine‘s is a caring, inclusive and supportive l earn ing env i ronment catering for all levels of learners. Appropriate stretch and challenge is offered via a range of Gifted and Talented opportunities, within College and via outside links, such as Bath University or Model United Nations Conferences. A range of Intervention

strategies to promote effective catch-up for those that need it has been developed. Students take advantage of 1:1 mentoring sessions, specific Literacy or Numeracy activities or an extensive range of Special Educational Needs (SEN) support programmes to enable them to fulfil their potential.

―Students are

enthusiastic about the

quality of teaching

they receive and

fulsome in their praise

of their teachers and

the attention given to

their individual

needs.‖

—(OFSTED Report,

2007)

A Highly Successful Place to Learn


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―The school provides an exciting and stimu-

lating curriculum‖

—(OFSTED Report, 2007)

St Augustine‘s offers its students a broad, relevant and balanced curriculum. This allows us to respond to the interests, needs and aspirations of every student. We offer a blend of academic and vocational school based options, as well as courses that have been developed in partnership with a range of training and educational providers, including learning experiences such as the new Diplomas, extended work placements and our own Preparation for Work course. This ensures that we are able to match the needs of our learners and to provide individually tailored learning programmes.

Education at St Augustine‘s is intended to develop the whole person. As such, students‘ learning is rich and diverse. We aim to develop our young people to accept responsibility; to develop leadership skills; to be sincere, conscientious, honest and for their lives to reflect Christian virtues. From Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) to Learning to Learn, students‘ experiences are enriched by their understanding of themselves, each other, how they learn and the changeable world in which they live.

Developing

A 21st Century Curriculum


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In the lower school students follow a learning to learn programme alongside the statutory programmes of study with the aim of helping students acquire the skills they need to succeed in school so that they become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.

A levels and GCSEs have b e e n u p d a t e d a n d modernised. GCSE English, Mathematics and ICT are being revised to incorporate functional skills and most coursework is being replaced by controlled assessments. For most A levels the number of modules has been reduced with different learning pathways are available. Those students following the AQA Baccalaureate will additionally study critical thinking and undertake an extended project.

Developing

A 21st Century Curriculum

At Key Stage 4 all students follow our statutory core curriculum and are additionally given the opportunity to personalise their own learning pathway from a range of courses.


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―The school support system is phenomenal...I would be in real trouble now if not for this school‖ —(Student comments 2007)

Supporting Every Child


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The pastoral care in the College is recognised as outstanding with ―staff going to considerable lengths to provide individual support and guidance for students.‖ (OFSTED 2007) We work hard to ensure our students feel supported, cared for and valued. Jesus Christ is our role model for our pastoral ministry – the Good shepherd who cares for his flock. At St Augustine‘s, emphasis is placed upon Christian love in action. This is achieved through courtesy, respect, care for others and self-discipline. In this way,

students our successfully guided and are able to adopt a value system based upon the Christian gospel. Parents are kept informed of College activities via letters, the student planner, monthly newsletters and have daily access to the College website. We believe that parents are the first educators in faith and life and that success is achieved through close working relationships between home and the College. We encourage regular contact with school and adopt the attitude that if we are aware of issues, we can deal with them. Students are placed in tutor

groups in Years 7-11 which

are overseen by a Year Head.

The tutors ‗travel‘ with the

students through the school

and it is our belief that in

this way a strong link

between home and College

can be made, one that

remains constant, one that

inspires trust and

reassurance and one that

can enable careful

monitoring of all aspects of

students‘ experiences.

The welfare of students in each year group is supported by a team of tutors, a Year Head and a member of the Senior Team who oversees Years 7-11. In addition, the College offers a confidential counselling service, a drop-in clinic for health, social and emotional issues, and, as part of the extended schools provision, family link workers who liaise directly with families who need extended support. An academic mentoring system operates to target and support students who are ‗at-risk‘ of not achieving their full potential. Students take on roles of responsibility and our prefects and mentors fulfil

valuable roles, supporting and nurturing the social, emotional and academic development of younger students. We believe that if students can model exemplary behaviours towards each other and can carry out service for others in their own community, then they are developing as fully rounded individuals who are ready to take their place in the wider world. Through the pastoral

system, tutees are elected to

the School Council, Sports

Council and Young

Chamber.

―Students are very confident that adults

will resolve issues‖

—(OFSTED 2007)

“An extremely strong, thoughtful, caring

ethos permeates the school...older

students support younger ones and

provide exemplary role models.

Exemplary behaviour throughout the

school has a very positive impact on

learning.‖

—(OFSTED 2007)

It is our belief that these leadership opportunities provide our students with vital chances to exercise their student voice and to shape their school and local community, learning to develop ideas, discuss proposals and take moral decisions within a real situation that has real implications.


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The College has been a Specia l i st Technology College since 1998. It has been successfully re-designated on three occasions and is awaiting re-designation in 2010. A modern five-roomed purpose built Technology block was opened in 1995 and since then a state of the art rapid prototyping manufacturing centre has been added, providing outstanding facilities for our students and enabling us to share our expertise with the local authority, community, industry and Higher Education Our Technology department is at the forefront of curriculum innovation and design, having been visited by Government advisors on

a number of occasions and f e a t u r i n g i n D C S F publications for outstanding practice. Culminating in student work being featured as one of only six case studies on the government website for the new design and technology curriculum. The impact of the specialism on standards has been far reaching, not least in the p r o v i s i o n o f n e w technologies across all subjects and influencing ways of using technology to raise attainment and engagement in subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Business Education and ICT. Beyond our Col lege,

opportunities to extend the

practice of Technology have

seen links forged with our

Specialist School Status in

Technology

― The moderators

would like to congratulate the

centre on the quality of the work submitted‖

—A Level 2007

own feeder schools, other

secondary schools and

H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n

establishments involved in

teacher t rain ing. As

members of national

advisory groups our

teachers take a leading role

in the promotion of

Technology Education and

are at the forefront of

advances in learning for

students of all ages.

―Candidates demonstrated imagination and innovation‖ —GCSE Moderator


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able to make use of state-of-

the-art equipment from Yr 7

o n w a r d s p r o d u c i n g

outcomes of the highest

quality, especially at KS4

and KS5, as recognised by

external assessors and exam

boards.

All students follow a Technology subject at KS4, with specialism's available in Graphic Design, Resistant Materials, Food Technology an d T e x t i l e s , Ch i ld D e v e l o p m e n t i s a n additional subject available at GCSE level. Technology teaches students

vital qualities. It is our belief

t h a t b y d e s i g n i n g ,

demonstrating creative flair,

showing resilience and using

analytical and evaluative

skills, students develop the

d i sc i p l in e an d sk i l l

necessary for any career,

practical or otherwise.

Students enjoy their

Technology lessons and are

―The Technology Specialism has had a very positive impact on the

school and its work with partner schools. In particular the use of

information and communication technology across the curriculum

is exemplary‖

—(OFSTED 2007)


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Specialist School Status in

Physical Education

―The more recent sports specialism is already having a positive effect

upon students‘ overall development‖

—(HMI. OFSTED 2007)

In April 2006, the College added sports college status as a second specialism. In line with the National Strategy for delivering high quality PE with high quality o u t c o m e s a n d o u r commitment to the Healthy Schools status, students receive 2 hours of PE per week and all students have opportunities to engage in school sport and associated programmes. Housed within a purpose built Sports Hall, with r e ce n t l y r e fu r b i sh e d changing facilities and a brand new PE lecture room, the PE department is at the forefront of leading initiatives that are having a positive impact on other

subjects and targeted student groups for whom the sport has been a motivating and engaging w a y o f i n c r e a s i n g p a r t i c i p a t i o n a n d attainment. All students follow either a

full-course or short-course

PE GCSE.

It is our belief that sport has

the ability to inspire and

unite people in ways that

other disciplines may not.

We believe it is vital that

y o u n g p e o p l e a r e

encouraged to develop a

lifelong commitment to

health and fitness. To enable

us to do this, an extensive

range of opportunities are

available before, during and

after school, in addition to

those sports schools

traditionally offer. These

include: use of the

modernised multi -gym;

dance classes; martial arts

coaching; trampolining and

table-tennis.


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We have adopted exciting programmes to develop and extend our learners. Sports College initiatives such as Step into Sport, Junior A t h l e t e E d u c a t i o n , Leadership pathways and pioneering work with the Youth Sports Trust have seen our students and staff take a lead a local, county and national level. Our recent partnership with the Olympic Arts Foundation saw a number of our students participate in a Bu s i n e ss an d S po r t

exhibition. Other links have been developed with Bath University Elite Athletes with whom a project developing Sports Journalism was piloted with resounding success. The adoption of a Sports Council - an extension to the School Council – has led to our students taking a leading role in developing and showcasing their cross-curricular work at our inaugural presentation evening this summer (July 09). We believe that it is

through such projects that team-work, self-confidence, c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d presentation skills can be developed, a t t r i butes essential for a life in the modern day and qualities that are highly desirable amongst employers or further education providers.

―A particularly interesting development

is the links between sports and literacy

to raise standards‖

—(OFSTED 2007)


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Learning Beyond The

Classroom

―We have so many opportunities to express our talents...the school

is justifiably proud of students who do well in competition with

their peers in other schools, for example, Young Enterprise and

Paperclip Physics ‖

—(Student comment to OFSTED 2007)

T h e C o l l e g e p l a c e s considerable emphasis on the personal development of students via extra-curricular activities as they can offer experiences beyond the classroom. Students are encouraged to participate in the extensive sporting, arts and cultural activities on offer, ‗ Young Musician of the Year‘ being an exemplary example We have undertaken numerous outdoor activities to Kilvrough Manor; History trips to the USA; Ski Trips to Europe and USA; Duke of Edinburgh and Ten Tors trips in the UK; Modern Foreign Languages trips; Art trips to Barcelona and Paris; Business Studies trips to Cadbury World and to local

businesses ; countless Drama, English and Music trips to shows in the South West or London, not to mention the RE retreats to St Cassian‘s Centre, to list but a few. It is our passionate belief

that these educational visits

enrich the lives of our young

people, academically and

socially, enabling them to

broaden their horizons and

to discover an aspect of

themselves, an interest or

talent that had previously

been hidden.


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―I have gained a greater sense of self-esteem on this trip and I feel more confident around groups of people I an not familiar with‖ ―I think the mentality of us as a group grew as we needed to rely on one another or ourselves. I also think that we learnt that teamwork is the key to success and that we could bring this back to school life‖ — Student Comment


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Post 16 Learning at

St Augustine‘s Sixth Form

The aim of the Sixth Form is to provide a Christian education of the highest quality and to equip our young people with the skills necessary to make a positive contribution to 21st century society. Our courses are academic although a broadening of the pathways on offer is being introduced in 2010, with stretch and challenge being offered in the form of the AQA Baccalaureate and Extended project. We strive to develop the whole person and offer opportunities for retreat, s p i r i t u a l r e f l e c t i o n , community service and extra

-curricular development. S i x t h f o r m e r s a r e encouraged to participate in s u b j e c t l e a d e r s h i p p r o g r a m m e s , s p o r t s leadership courses or subject specific areas of interest, such as music, drama, and debating. There are numerous trips run by subjects and an annual water sports holiday, usually to the Ardèche. Charity fundraising events are an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f demonstrating a life of service to others and social justice and the sixth form support a range of local and national charities, engaging in numerous sponsored

events over the year. Our experienced team of tutors and Head of Sixth Form seek to develop students‘ independent study skills and oversee academic, social and emotional progress, guiding students‘ progress towards university, further education or employment. The Sixth form is supported by a lay chaplain, Michael Thorp who also leads days of spiritual reflection.

Results in the sixth form are excellent

and we are oversubscribed annually.

Parents should contact the Admissions

Secretary for details of application and

appeals.


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The College Uniform

Co-operation and firm guidance from parents are essential to ensure that students attend the College correctly dressed. Jewellery must not be worn and fashion hairstyles are not permissible in years 7-11. Make up within College is not allowed. In order to maintain the highest

standards of appearance, any problems concerning uniform should be raised promptly with your child's Head of Year. There will be occasions w h e n c l o t h i n g a n d equipment of a more specialised kind are required eg for physical education/technology.

Every student at St Augustine's wears College uniform. The College uniform has been agreed in an effort to produce distinctive but serviceable and readily available clothing. It is worn to the highest standards.

GIRLS

Official Maroon Blazer with

college Crest

Tie (maroon, grey and white)

Shirt - short sleeved /white

with college Crest

Official skirt - grey, plain

with two front pleats (knee

length)

White ankle socks (not

trainer socks)

Black or grey tights (70

denier)

College Pullover - plain grey

(optional)

BOYS

Official Maroon Blazer with

college Crest

Tie (maroon, grey and white)

Shirt - short sleeved/white

with college Crest

Trousers - plain charcoal

grey

Plain black belt

Socks (plain, dark)

College Pullover - plain grey

V neck (optional)

GIRLS PE CLOTHING

Games Polo - grey with logo

Games Shorts - black

shadow stripe

Training Shoes - white

Games Socks - maroon with

amber band

White Ankle Socks (optional)

Towel

Games Jacket - black

Football Boots (optional)

Black Tracksuit Bottoms -

plain (optional)

BOYS PE CLOTHING

Games Shorts - black

shadow stripe

Plain White Gym Socks

(optional)

Games Socks - maroon with

amber band

Rugby Jersey - maroon with

amber band

Football/Rugby Boots

Plimsolls/Training Shoes -

White (not baseball/

basketball boots)

PE Polo - grey with logo

Towel

Games Jacket - black

Black Tracksuit Bottoms -

plain (optional)

St Augustine’s Catholic College

Wingfield Road Trowbridge Wiltshire BA14 9EN

Tel: 01225 350001

Fax: 01225 350002

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.st-augustines.wilts.sch.uk

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St Augustines Prospectus 2009-2010 (v1.0)

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