PROSPECTUS 2016-2017 - Fairfield High School, Bristol · PROSPECTUS 2016-2017 Allfoxton Road...

...good with outstanding featuresPROSPECTUS 2016-2017

Allfoxton RoadHorfieldBristolBS7 9NLTel: 0117 952 7100Email: [email protected]

For more information including school day timings, full Ofsted report, or to sign up to receive Fairfield News by email, please visit www.fairfield.bristol.sch.uk

Twitter @FHSBristol

The students here are like stars; they may be similar but each of them are unique, the diversity is what makes Fairfield High School. - Head Boy

Fairfield High School is no ordinary school

The head teacher provides the school with outstanding leadership; she is supported well by other leaders - Ofsted

Fairfield High School is a unique school, greatly valued by its community. Our students have high aspirations - and so do we!

Our staff and parents are committed to working together to make sure our young people’s dreams come true.

FHS was rated Good with Outstanding Features by Ofsted in 2013 and since then we have taken several steps closer to being judged Outstanding in all areas.

We joined the Excalibur Academies Trust in February 2015 and we are excited by the opportunities this brings to share expertise and ideas for the benefit of our students.

We support all our students to realise their academic potential, while also helping them to develop and grow as people.

Our school is in the top 12 per cent in England for Value-Added GCSE results.

An increasing number of families are choosing Fairfield High School for their children; our first-preference applications have rocketed.

Parents tell us they love the atmosphere created by having staff and students from such diverse backgrounds. More than 40 flags hang in our atrium, representing all the nationalities in our school.

Our students appreciate it too and visitors frequently comment on how happy and hardworking they are.

If you haven’t yet experienced what one parent described as Fairfield’s “little bit of magic”, please come and visit. You will be made most welcome.

Ms Catriona Mangham, Executive Principal

2 Fairfield High School - Achieving Excellence | Prospectus 2016-2017 www.fairfield.bristol.sch.uk 3Fairfield High School - Achieving Excellence | Prospectus 2016-2017 www.fairfield.bristol.sch.uk

Aspects stand out from the norm - someone’s doing something special here - National Education Trust

Excalibur Academies Trust is founded on the core belief that every child deserves an outstanding education that prepares them to take their place in a world that is more challenging than at any time in our history. Excalibur Academies create the conditions to develop highly effective, independent learners who have the resilience, determination and confidence to shape the world for the better. Our International Academy structure ensures that everyone holds the vision before them and it guides our work every day.

I am proud that Fairfield High School is one of our International Academy group. It has an outstanding record of adding considerable value to every student’s education and is, most importantly, a happy place where all can achieve more than they ever thought possible.

Dr Patrick Hazlewood, CEO, Excalibur Academies Trust

I think Fairfield is a dynamic, progressive school with fabulous teachers that are warm and genuine” - Prospective parent

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FHS is an exceptional school where every individual is encouraged to really challenge themselves, work creatively in collaboration with others and most importantly, achieve the sense of joy that comes from the determined effort to succeed in learning.

This is an exciting time to be the new Head of School. It is a place where talents are allowed to flourish and this, along with our high expectations, gives students the values, skills and knowledge to move on to the next stage of education and excel in life.

Nick Lewis, Head of School

Achieving excellence


Students’ progress is monitored extremely carefully and well-targeted support is provided - Ofsted

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Our students come in at different levels but all make

better progress and achieve more than success than those in many other schools.

Our provisional headline GCSE for 2016 is up EIGHT percentage points.

The levels of progress made by our students in English and Maths are above the national average.

Students of low, middle AND higher ability exceed their targets.

60% 5+A*-C including English and Maths _____________________

69%

A*-C in Maths

89%

A*-C in two Sciences_____________________

70%

A*-C in English Lang/Lit

1009 Value Added Score (National median is 1000)_____________________

95%Attendance level_____________________

62%A*-C in English and Maths

Everyone is valued for who they are and for what they can become

Immediately felt good vibes

about this school from students and staff. It’s like a big family. We saw familiar faces and any questions I asked were answered. We would love to be a part of this school - Prospective parent

I have embraced all different

nationalities and feel equipped for the future of our multicultural society - FHS student

An extremely harmonious and cohesive learning

community where all thrive - Ofsted

Individuals matter. In our diverse, creative and vibrant school community

there’s capacity for everyone to be themselves and for students to achieve their best in all areas of school life.


A curriculum to meet the needs of all The school is outstanding in the opportunities it provides across the curriculum

Fairfield High School was congratulated by Ofsted for offering a good academic curriculum with outstanding features. We emphasise the skills of literacy and numeracy and offer a strong foundation in a wide range of subjects.

We understand that young people learn in a variety of ways and at different paces and our curriculum supports all students to succeed to the best of their ability. Our students are encouraged to unlock their creative potential in all subjects, from sport to science and from computer programming to drama. We challenge them to expand their skills and understanding from their very first day.

As they move through the school, our students are supported and guided towards selecting the most appropriate route of study based upon their aptitude, interest and motivation.

FHS already has outstanding leadership, outstanding Maths and English teaching and learning, and outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students; there is lots of work being done to achieve outstanding in all areas.

Subjects offered vary slightly each year to meet the demands of our diverse student community.

Classroom teaching is supplemented by many visits and trips, which brings learning alive for our students.

FHS has developed partnerships with creative and media organisations in Bristol including Watershed, Aardman Animations and design agency Pace. This has led to success in the Sharp Shotz film contest and participation in the BBC Talent Ticket roadshow.

Languages are strong at FHS, particularly Arabic and German. Students have taken part in visits to a Christmas market in Cologne and an exchange trip to Hanover.

We work closely with both the city’s universities to develop further opportunities for our students.

Engineering is a popular GCSE option, thanks to links with Dyson, the Bloodhound project, Airbus and others. We pride ourselves on our provision for all STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects and offer triple science and additional maths.

Students reached the regional finals of the UK Maths Challenge and the maths department has been awarded the Prince’s Trust Institute Mark. We also take part in the Hour of Code.

Science is out of this world – literally. The school took part in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Seeds Space project, planting seeds that spent several months on the International Space Station with astronaut Tim Peake.

FHS offers a wide range of GCSE options including drama, dance, classics and law.

Our English department, singled out as Outstanding by Ofsted, leads a school-wide focus on the importance of reading. Programmes such as Accelerated Reader encourage a love of the written word. The popular author Cathy Cassidy, known as the Queen of Teen, visited to inspire students about writing. Literacy and numeracy are vital core skills and our specialist teams make sure all students are challenged in these areas. Those students who need to make faster progress take part in short-term intervention programmes that support our effective classroom teaching.

I have always been encouraged to do the best I can and have always been accepted for who I am - FHS student

ASPIRATIONAL

The quality of teaching in a wide range of subjects is consistently good and sometimes outstanding - Ofsted


Fairfield High School students develop interests outside the classroomOur extra-curricular activities build confidence and character in an environment where students are supported and nurtured.

Team sports: Partnership with Bristol Rovers FC. All-weather sports pitches. Netball, basketball, tennis, hockey, rounders, cricket, rugby

Healthy living: Swimming, athletics, gymnastics and other individual sports encouraged. Nature Club in on-site community garden

Music: Creativity high on agenda. Choir, Samba drumming. FHS was the only school to perform at Bristol’s Sanctum installation

Drama: 18 students performed short version of Much Ado About Nothing as part of Shakespeare in Schools at the Tobacco Factory Theatre. School production of The Jungle Book also highly acclaimed

Dance: Fairfield Youth Dance Company performed their refugee’s journey piece, Borders, at Stages Dance Festival in Colston Hall. Students also got chance to learn from Steady Steadman, a member of Britain’s Got Talent finalist dance group Flawless

Trips: Annual Exmouth Camp popular. Various visits abroad to suit historians, linguists, sports enthusiasts, artists

Clubs: Debating, computer coding, cookery, film, homework, anime – to name just a few

Community: Regular charity collections. Sessions with local primaries. Contact with MPs. Community garden project

Adventure: Duke of Edinburgh Award. Outdoor and adventurous activities offered through PE department

Leadership: House system enables all to compete. Prefects selected by application and interviews to lead community and mentor others

CREATIVE

The school is extremely harmonious with students from a wide range of backgrounds working well together and showing great respect for each other - Ofsted


The move to secondary school means many changes for children. We make every effort to understand the needs of each individual so we can ensure a seamless transition.

Fairfield High School is unique in offering a specialist Transition Team to help students make a positive transfer from primary school. The Achievement Coordinator that children meet in Year 6 stays with them in Year 7.

All prospective students are invited to come in and meet their tutor group in the summer term during our Year 6 induction programme. Those coming from primaries with only one or two others are invited to a special picnic to meet other students who are in the same position. We also run clubs in the summer term for primary students.

Everyone joining FHS is invited to our Summer School, where they can get to know their new classmates. Our research shows that this helps students make better progress in English and maths, as well as making them less nervous.

Our students have also created a Transition website to allay possible concerns that newcomers may have.

Our work with future students continues all year. We run outreach activities with Year 4 and Year 5 children and our Year 7 students visit partner primary schools. Our renowned Golden Ticket experiences give Year 5 and 6 students the opportunity to experience FHS for a day.

Every child coming into our school is recognised as an individual. We want them to leave Year 7 as happy, successful and engaged young people – ready for the rest of their school careers.

Success from Day One

New students mark their start at Fairfield High School by planting a tree in the grounds, which they can watch grow over their time here. Alongside the trees, the students bury time capsules that they later dig up and keep as mementoes of their school days.

We make sure new arrivals feel at home by putting in place a variety of support structures to meet the needs of every individual. The House system is the key to the ethos and culture at FHS and provides each member of our community with a sense of belonging. Each student is placed in one of our houses and is supported by a well-balanced programme of competitions and activities led by our Heads of House.

Every Friday in the first term parents are invited into school for a Parents’ Tea to meet their child’s new teachers, ask questions and get to know other new parents in an informal and relaxed environment, so they are also supported and given the opportunity to develop new relationships from the very beginning. Regular contact is made throughout the year and events take place to feed back on progress.

Fairfield Parents Network is a fantastic group which meets once a term and is strongly supported by the school. It aims to help improve the school and hosts events to raise funds including a successful World Banquet for the community.

Laying down rootsI was nervous at first but now I cannot imagine being anywhere else; with the help of the wonderful teachers and my great friends it has been a place which I have grown to love and will miss next year- Head Girl

INDIVIDUALS

A wonderful school with impressive approach to Pastoral care, curriculum and more. Very impressed by language options, transition and summer camp - Prospective parent

FEEDBACK

What did you like most about your visit to Fairfield?

I liked the classroom most of all, but

I also liked the experiments and I felt

like a proper scientist!

What have you learnt in science today?

I've learnt that copper sulphate is

reversible and plaster of paris is

irreversible.


Student support

Fairfield High School is committed to providing high quality education in a challenging and stimulating atmosphere, enabling individual development for all within a culturally rich and caring school.

The tutor is the key adult in a student’s school life. The aim is for each tutor to stay with his or her group for the duration of the student’s time at FHS.

A large team including specialist support teachers, learning support assistants and other staff, works to ensure that every student, with his or her unique talents and needs, is recognised and catered for.

The most able are stretched and challenged while bespoke assistance is provided for those who need it. We have excellent relationships with external support services, including educational psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language and health teams.

We chose Fairfield having recently made an international move. From the start, the pastoral support and follow-through has been very attentive: The Achievement Coordinator is proactive and kind; the tutors check in with me if there are any difficulties; and I know my child feels comfortable going to pastoral support about friendship issues and other worries - FHS parent

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Our Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) department has extensive experience and expertise in supporting children who may face barriers to their learning, whether through cognitive or communication difficulties, social, emotional and mental health difficulties or sensory and/or physical needs.

Our Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) works closely with parents from the time their child is given a place at FHS and supports them in finding an appropriate next step at the end of Year 11.

FHS has the highest of expectations for all students, including those with SEND, and provides targeted interventions for anyone who needs them.

A range of strategies are used to support those students struggling to remain in mainstream education, including pastoral support interventions, restorative justice approaches and, if necessary, negotiated transfer.

We offer regular school nurse and counsellor appointments and offer support to young carers.

Peer mentoring is a powerful tool for tackling issues of importance to students, such as bullying and e-safety. FHS has also been praised by the campaigning group Stonewall for the way our student champions spread the school’s messages on equality and diversity.

A mindfulness programme has been introduced for all Year 7 students. These techniques have been shown to reduce anxiety and positively impact on students’ concentration and learning and they teach recipients to be optimistic and resilient.

14 Fairfield High School - Achieving Excellence | Prospectus 2016-2017 www.fairfield.bristol.sch.uk

We place great emphasis on values for life: respect for others, a responsible attitude towards the community, care for the environment and a pride in oneself.

Our Head Boy and Head Girl set the tone for the rest of the students, demonstrating ambition, articulacy and a desire to make the school and the community better for all.

We reach out into our neighbourhood with events such as our winter and summer galas and we look beyond, into the nation and across the world. We are proud of our support for Refugee Aid – we collected 25 food boxes and six bags of clothes in a week to help tackle the humanitarian crisis in Calais.

It is vital that our students understand that we are all global citizens. The school engages with Fairtrade Fortnight every year, takes part in debates and

welcomes visiting speakers from an extremely diverse range of backgrounds. Cross curricular projects increase students’ knowledge of other cultures.

We also ensure that students develop an awareness of history and tradition. Our annual Armistice Day service in the atrium is a truly moving event. It is also a pleasure to welcome members of the Old Fairfieldians into school to share their memories.

Branching outWe pride ourselves not only on the academic achievements of our students but also in developing the whole person to grow into a responsible, globally aware 21st century citizen

- Ms Catriona Mangham, Executive Principal

Calais Aid Box Collection

It was pleasure to be present in such a wonderful school to pay respect on my 1917 bugle “to the fallen” and see all the pupils standing silently - Bugle player

PROSPECTUS 2016-2017 - Fairfield High School, Bristol · PROSPECTUS 2016-2017 Allfoxton Road...

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