KIRKBY STEPHEN GRAMMAR SCHOOL PROSPECTUS

 

 

 

 

Mission Statement

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Sports College is a learning community committed to success for all.

KSGSSC promotes lifelong learning. It is a place for all to shine, where there are no failures, only successes, where everyone has a chance to be a winner:

KSGSSC will build on its sporting strengths to become a rural Centre of Sporting E.xcellence with access for all in the Upper Eden Valley and beyond. The Sports College will empower young people to succeed by increasing the focus on independent learning, investigative approaches to learning and by using innovative teaching methods. The self esteem of our pupils, and those of our partner schools, will be raised through promoting leadership opportunities and participation in a wide and varied range of physical activities, including expression through the aesthetic medium. We strive for continuous improvement in all areas.

KSGSSC fosters learning partnerships between home, school and the local community, to work collaboratively towards common goals. We will build on this work to promote lifelong learning to members of our community, and to our pupils. We will actively seek to engage those members of the community who do not participate in health-related fitness activities because of isolation, poor access to facilities and lack of provision.

WELCOMEHeadteacher

Welcome to Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Sports College Prospectus.

The purpose of this prospectus is to give you a flavour of what our school is like, as well as sufficient information to enable you to feel confident to send your child to Kirkby Stephen Grammar School Sports College.

Ours is a community school in the truest sense of the word, serving a catchment area of 400 square miles, and providing lifelong learning for all members of the community, whatever their age or abilities. If you have the talent, we will develop it and help you to achieve success.

We are also a caring school, and because of our smaller size, we are able to offer the kind of support and guidance that is both personal and relevant to the individual student. Our school is also a successful one in terms of academic achievements; we serve the needs of the most able, the average pupil and those with special needs. We set the students and ourselves challenging targets and strive to meet them.

In September 2003 we were successful in being designated a Sports College. This means we are part of a national programme of specialist schools whose aim is to improve standards in all subjects and develop the specialist subject both in school and in the community. Over the next few years, we will be part of an exciting programme of new developments and partnerships, which build on the excellent links we already have as a community school. However, your child does not have to be a talented sports person and we of course continue to offer the full National Curriculum. Whatever their talent, then we will develop this to its full potential. The character of the school will change with a strong emphasis on sport, although we are very successful in Music, Drama, cross-curricular events and extra-curricular activities are a real strength of this school.

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School develops the whole child and in 2002 we were awarded the School Achievement Award. In sport, Drama, Art, Music, residentials, visits, charity days and whole school activities we aim to prepare our students to be positive citizens for the twenty first century. We praise the full range of achievements that young people obtain and we reward all that is good about our pupils. At the same time, we insist on high expectations and high standards of behaviour.

Our school also looks to the future. We have improved the standard of our buildings in Science, Design Technology, Food Technology, IC1; Art and PE. We have ambitious plans for Information Technology as well as developing the 6th Form curriculum and implementing The National Strategy and Citizenship in the main school curriculum. Above all, we wish to raise the achievement of every student so that they achieve their full potential. The special' triangular partnership between the school, parents and pupil is essential for successful education. We try hard to foster this relationship and build on it throughout your child's career.

We have ambitious plans for a new PE/Dance base and a dome to cover our floodlit tennis courts to provide year-round play. We also want to develop the 14-19 curriculum by extending vocational opportunities for our students. 1his will mean working in closer partnership with our partner secondary schools in the Eden Valley, as well as the Appleby Heritage Centre and the University of Central Lancashire at Newton Rigg.

Ofsted inspected our school in January 2004 and judged it to be "a good school", where "the quality of education is very good. The standard of teaching is good and "partnerships between the school and community are excellent. "

Having read this prospectus, you may wish to visit the school and look at the school in session. We are happy to do this, so please contact me and we will arrange an appointment. Pupils joining us in Year 7 from our partner schools will spend time here on organised visits.

David Keetley, Headteacher

OUR SCHOOL AIMS

  • To promote lifelong learning

  • To promote an ethos in which everyone can develop and be successful

  • To encourage everyone to improve standards of academic progress

  • To develop self-discipline and positive social behaviour to enable students to become effective citizens in society

  • To provide a wide and exciting range of enrichment activities beyond the classroom

SPORTS COLLEGE AIMS

SCHOOL AIM 1

To raise standards of achievement in each specialist subject through the increased quality of teaching and learning.

SCHOOL AIM 2

To extend curricular opportunities in the specialist subjects, including subject enrichment areas, out of hours learning, industry/business links and the relationship between specialist subjects.

SCHOOL AIM 3

To increase take-up and interest in specialist subject courses, particularly post-16. 

COMMUNITY AIM 1

To provide high quality learning opportunities in the specialist subjects and higher standards through sharing specialist facilities and resources with partner schools and developing and disseminating good practice.

COMMUNITY AIM 2

To provide high quality learning opportunities through the specialist subjects for members of and groups within the school's wider community, including local businesses

THE OFSTED VIEW

OFSTED visited KSGSSC in 1993, 1998 and 2004.

These are some of the things they said about Kirk by Stephen Grammar School:

  • "Pupils display good attitudes to learning; they behave well and co-operate with each-other."

  • "Staff are enthusiastic, committed and well-qualified."

  • "The School has clear established aims and values and these are reflected in the day to day life. There is a strong ethos of support and care for pupils and a strong sense of community."

  • "Kirkby Stephen Grammar School is a good school." ."The School gives good value for money."

  • "The qualities of teachers is a strength of the school." ."Pupils are well known as individuals by their teachers and benefit from being taught in small groups."

  • "The taught curriculum is supplemented by an outstanding programme of extra-curricular activities."

OFSTED 2004

  • "This is a good school."

  • "The quality of education is very good." 

  • "Pupils' achievement is good."

  • "Pupils' personal development...is good." 

  • "Teaching is good overall."

  • "Leadership and management are good."

  • "Pupils achieve very well in years 7 to 9."

  • "Excellent links with other local schools and education providers, and with the community, reflect the quality of continuity from one phase of education to the next, and also the access pupils have to extensive vocational opportunities, sport and out-of-school activities."

  • "The school places a high value on seeking and acting on pupils' views.

  • "Parents have confidence in the school."

The School aims:

  • to provide a secure and safe environment and to foster co-operation between home, school and the local community.
  • to provide a happy but challenging atmosphere in order to equip pupils to respond to new opportunities in an ever-changing society.
  • to widen cultural horizons and to promote learning of all kinds including high academic standards and personal development for pupils of all abilities.

THE WHOLE CHILD

In a rapidly changing society the role of the school has gained greater significance than ever before, as education changes to meet new demands and prepare its young people for the outside world.

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School is concerned with the whole child, as well as with individual pupils. It creates an atmosphere of sound, healthy, discipline in which learning of all kinds flourishes in an environment that is both challenging yet realistic, whilst being happy and friendly. As well as developing high academic standards, in partnership with parents, we nurture those most important social qualities of caring, loyalty and integrity.

We are proud that our pupils leave school willing and able to make a responsible contribution to society.

THE FOUNDATION OF THE SCHOOL

KSGS has a long and interesting history. On 22nd November 1566, Queen Elizabeth I signed a Charter authorising Thomas Lord Wharton to found a Grammar School in Kirkby Stephen. In about 1909 the ancient Boys Grammar School was re-founded as a Girls Grammar School, and in 1955, the school under-went a further re-foundation as a co-educational Comprehensive and Community School. This was a bold and forward thinking initiative providing one of the earliest comprehensive schools in England.

The swimming pool was added to celebrate the quarter centenary in 1966-67. The intention was always that the school should be used for the benefit of the whole community. In 1970, combining grants and Youth Service resources to add another workshop and Coffee Bar, reinforced this intention.

The school and community celebrated further successes to the expansion programme with the launch of our extensive all-weather sports surface and floodlit tennis facilities in 1997.

The school has undergone a number of changes in the course of 400 years and is today, still flourishing and serving the needs of the Upper Eden Valley as our founder, Lord Wharton intended.

THE SCHOOL

KSGSSC is a learning community committed to success for all. This stated vision is implemented daily through the commitment and hard work of staff and pupils who together have successfully raised standards of achievement across all abilities year on year. We believe every pupil has a chance to shine, and every one is a winner.

KSGSSC is a mixed 11-19 comprehensive community school, which serves a wide rural catchment area of some 400 square miles in the Upper Eden Valley in Cumbria. The school roll is generally of about 400 pupils, with some 70 in the sixth form, thus giving on average about one pupil per square mile of catchment area! Many pupils live in small villages or isolated farms. At the head of the Eden Valley, Kirkby Stephen is a thriving market town of some 2,500 inhabitants. It lies amid some of the most splendid scenery in the North of England. Access is good via the A66 with links to the northwest on the M6 and the northeast on the A 1. The spectacular Settle to Carlisle railway line also serves the town. The area is therefore a beautiful and desirable place to live.

Physical Education and sport are already strong features of our school. However, we want to do more: we want to be at the hub of educational and sports developments in this remote rural area of Cumbria. In order to achieve this, we intend to offer a more diverse curriculum in PE and sport and to raise standards of achievement not only in these aspects but also in all subjects for every pupil in the school, whatever their ability or age. We will increase participation rates in both pre- and post-16 age groups and those who have a talent in physical education and sport will have it directed and nurtured. Those who want to enjoy health-related physical activity will be encouraged to do so, without discrimination.

The school is the focal point for community activities including sports, adult education, clubs and societies, public meetings and social events. Sports facilities are good, with a floodlit all-weather pitch and tennis courts. Local primary schools use our facilities and our PE staff and Community Sports Development Officer coach a wide range of activities to all ages and abilities. The school has an enviable record in sporting success and community sports use. OFSTED described our extra- curricular provision as "outstanding" in their 1998 report. These existing strengths provide a foundation that will enable us to forge closer links with our partner primary and secondary schools and other groups as we become better able to provide access to expertise and improved facilities, thereby raising standards and increasing participation rates generally in community sport. Current connections with local sports clubs will be extended and, as hosts of countywide courses and competitions, we are in a position to become a centre of excellence in PE and sports development. WE also intend to fill a gap in provision for pre-school age children through coordinating the TOPTots and TOPStart programmes, and to provide local "Exercise on Prescription" programmes for referred patients from our local health centre.

We are a community school in both name and practice. The school is the natural focus for the widely dispersed community. The rural nature of the community makes it influential in the implementation of local ideas and in helping to effect change, and we are fortunate to have the support of our local community.

As a Sports College we are better able to offer extended facilities and coaching, building on our previous success and links with the community and the most northerly counties of England, to raise standards and raise participation for all – a truly worthwhile mission.

ACCOMMODATION

The teaching accommodation is in modern buildings and includes:

  • Music rooms and practice facilities
  • Library
  • Internet room with 14 workstations
  • Two ICT rooms with a suite of 30 computers in each room
  • Gymnasium
  • Refurbished Food Technology room and Art room
  • Curriculum Resource area (a large community meeting area/Coffee Bar)
  • Science suite with 4 laboratories, two recently refurbished
  • Art, Design and Technology Bloack (extended and refurbished in 2001)
  • Extensive sports facilities which include a floodlit, all weather, sports pitch and floodlit tennis facilities which were recently opened at a cost of £350,000 and are amongst the finest in the North of England. Our Sports Development Officer, Gary Payton, oversees these magnificent facilities.
  • A PE teaching base
  • The Main Hall, which can accommodate everyone for School Assemblies, is a focal point for most community events throughout the year. It is used as a dining room daily, as well as for some sports in the winter.

Part two

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