LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
CONTENTS Welcome from the Headteacher and UIF (PWFSOJOH #PEZ Vision of the school Academic standards Care, support and guidance Transition from Primary School Curriculum Beyond the classroom Partnership with parents and students Frequently asked questions PAGE 2 PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 PAGE 8 PAGE 9 PAGE 10 PAGE 11-12
WELCOME Dear prospective students, parents and carers, On behalf of sta , governors and students, we would like to welcome you to Little Heath School’s online prospectus.We hope that this serves as a useful introduction to our school and to its traditional values and aspirational ethos.As an educational community, we are extremely proud of our school, and want to share our vision for future success with you. We are confident that, as you read the prospectus, you will develop a clear sense of the unique f eatures of the school and the reasons why it has such a positiv e reputation locally.We hope that it will inspire you to come to our Open Evening in the Autumn term, and to appl y for a place with us at Little Heath School in Year 7. We are proud to say that Little Heath is a tr aditional school founded on traditional values. Although we also pr ide ourselves on our modern and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, we recognise that “old-fashioned” values of respect, politeness, honesty and integrity are just as important in the modern, fast-paced world of the twenty-first century as they were in the past. We are very much a large school with a small school ethos, valuing a sense of community and respect that is shared b y students, parents and sta alike. Much of our work at the school is centred on a long-standing tradition of high academic achiev ement, coupled with a caring approach where every student matters.We want to ensure that students leave Little Heath School with the skills, knowledge, understanding and per sonal characteristics that will serve them well in the next stage of their learning, whether in employment, at college or at university. We know that they will need a strong academic record in terms of qualifications, but we are also proud to see them move on from school as rounded and grounded individuals able to succeed on whatev er path they choose . If you would like to know more about our school, please do not hesitate to contact us and ar range a visit. Our Open Evening and Open Morning events are highlights of the early Autumn term in September, and we look forward to meeting you there. In addition, we are always happy to arrange tours of the school should you wish to visit on an alternative date. David Ramsden, Headteacher 2 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus
“Pupils enjoy their time and their learning at this school. They feel safe, cared for and welcome (OFSTED 2023) 3
VISION OF THE SCHOOL At Little Heath School, we believe that everyone matters.Young people only get one chance at education and we believe that it should be an outstanding one, tailored to their personal needs. For this reason, students are encouraged to aim high in order to achieve success. Through a shared par tnership between teachers, students and parents, we can help young people to improve their life chances and to progress successfully in their chosen educational pathwa ys or careers. We want all our students to become confident and w ell balanced citizens, prepared for life in the twenty-first century. In shor t, we want all children to fulfil their potential at Little Heath School. This ambitious vision is under pinned by the following educational principles: • we believe that young people are capable of achieving great things, and that they deserve to be inspired by their education; • we raise achievement in par tnership with students and their parents; • we value a cur riculum which fosters an enjoyment in learning, one that challenges and support all students equall y so that they make outstanding progress; • we want all of our students to be safe and to enjoy their education; • we recognise that each student is an individual and deserves to be treated as such; • we believe that the views of students and parents are important and we listen to them carefully; • we expect everyone, as par t of the school community, to be ready to learn and prepared to take responsibility for their own learning, growth and development. We want Little Heath to be a school where every parent can be confident that their child will be happy, supported and successful. Our school badge - an image of the iconic oak tree at the heart of the site - is representative of the idea of nurture and growth that is so imporant to us as a school. We hope that you share this vision for success and want to join us at the school. 4 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus
ACADEMIC STANDARDS We have very high expectations for all of our students at Little Heath School. Teachers, students and parents alike know that hard work is a vital component to academic success, and similar ly understand that much of the success that comes in later lif e, through GCSE courses to Advanced Level and beyond, is based on an ear ly foundation of academic r igour at Key Stage 3. We are fortunate to work closely with so many successful feeder primary schools - students enter Little Heath School with excellent skills f or learning, ready to succeed. We take seriously our responsibility to challenge students fur ther from the moment they join us in Year 7. Whatever their starting point, we want students to mak e as much progress as possible in their time at Little Heath School. We have extremely dedicated sta who are committed to maintaining high standards at the school. Their passion for their specialist subject and for learning in general is par t of our continuing success - they want to inspire young people to enjo y their learning. Examination success is impor tant, of course, but we want students to enjoy their learning fromYear 7 to Year 13. As a school, we want to ensure that all of our students str ive to achieve the very best results they can, with the knowledge that the skills they ha ve gained along the wa y are ones they can tak e into the wider world. Each year we celebrate the success of our Sixth Form students who move on to exciting cour ses at university or college , or on to rewarding careers in the world of work. Little Heath School students applying to Russell Group univ ersities, including Oxford and Cambridge, have very high success r ates in obtaining a place on their chosen cour se. Academic standards are also high f or students with Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those who are eligible for Pupil Premium (separate funding available to suppor t the progress of disadvantaged children). Our Inclusion Team works e ectively to suppor t the learning of all students, with in-class support and additional out of classroom pro vision coordinated carefully in order to close an y gaps in knowledge and skills. We provide a wide range of additional ser vices for those students who have specific needs and who require specialised suppor t for their learning. Each year, we celebrate the progress of students for whom learning has not been so easy , recognising their e ort and positive attitude to learning. Classroom teachers, senior leaders. suppor t sta and the governing body work together to ensure that Little Heath School delivers a unique exper ience for every child and not onl y encourages them to reach their own personal goals but to be prepared for the ever-changing, competitive, modern world. 5 “When young people compete for jobs and enter the workplace, they will be expected to communicate precisely and e ectively” (WOLF REPORT)
CARE, SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE At Little Heath School, the care, support and guidance of every student are of the utmost importance to us. At our latest inspection, OFSTED noted that “(students) appreciate their learning about wellbeing and consider this to be an important partof their education.” We are rightly proud of our reputation for Much of this reputation is due to the commitment of our pastor al team at the school. We are a large school with a small school ethos, with each year group feeling like a close-knit community within the wider school. Tutors build trusting relationships with students and their parents, and this is fundamental to the high levels of care that permeate every aspect of school life. Pastoral sta work hard to develop a strong sense of responsibility and community spirit in their year groups. Students develop good morals, values and respect for each other. We have a peer mentoring programme (SMILE) that suppor ts students on their arrival at the school in Year 7.We insist that students treat each other with respect, and we respond very seriously to bullying, including cyber bullying.We use assemblies and other school events to remind students of the necessity to take care whenever they are online.This was recognised in our recent OFSTED report, which stated that “pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe...when online” We have a thriving Student Voice programme that allows all students to become fully involved in school life. In recent years. students have been directly involved in teaching and lear ning developments, working with us on key issues such as homew ork, curriculum and even the design of our school b uildings. 6 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus superb pastoral care. We want students to be able to thrive academically, emotionally and socially at the school.
Our strong pastoral care begins even before students arrive with us in Year 7.We work hard with our Primary feeder schools to discover as much as we can about students bef ore they arrive with us, and our transition events in the summer term allow us to meet the students proper ly and to estab lish high expectations from the start about their work and behaviour.We believe that transition from primary school should be natur al and seamless, building on the good w ork done in Key Stage 1 and 2 so that our students immediately aim high. Once students ar rive with us at the start of Year 7, our induction period allows students to lear n the school routines, appreciate the impor tance of our values, make new friends and explore all that the school has to o er. TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL “The school is ambitious for all its pupils” (OFSTED 2023) 7
CURRICULUM Our curriculum is one that has breadth and balance; it encourages our students to enjoy their PIEVRMRK FYMPHMRK GSR½HIRGI MR XLIMV S[R EFMPMXMIW MR E VERKI SJ HMWGMTPMRIW ;I [ERX SYV WXYHIRXW XS GLEPPIRKI XLIQWIPZIW FIGSQMRK VIWMPMIRX ERH HIXIVQMRIH MRHMZMHYEPW [LS EVI EFPI XS VI¾IGX SR their learning experiences in order to develop their skills further. 8F TUSJWF UP LFFQ PVS DVSSJDVMVN SFMFWBOU JOOPWBUJWF BOE FOHBHJOH 5IF IJHI RVBMJUZ PG UFBDIJOH FOTVSFT UIBU TUVEFOUT DBO EFWFMPQ UIFJS LOPXMFEHF BOE VOEFS TUBOEJOH PG B SBOHF PG USBEJUJPOBM BOE NPEFS O DVSSJDVMVN TVCKFDUT 8F BMTP FODPVSBHF UIFN UP MFBSO JOEFQFOEFOUMZ GPS FYBNQMF UISPVHI SFTFBSDI BU IPNF PS FORVJSZ CBTFE QSPKFDUT JO PSEFS UP FOSJDI UIFJS TDIPPM CBTFE FYQFSJFODF *OEFQFOEFOU FORVJS Z OPU POM Z BMMPXT TUVEFOUT UP FYQBOE UIFJS LOPXMFEHF BOE VOEFS TUBOEJOH CVU BMTP FOTVSFT UIFZ BSF BCMF UP UIJOL JO B NPSF DSFBUJW F XBZ UIVT FODPVSBHJOH JOEFQFOEFOU DIBMMFOHF BOE UIF TFUUJOH PG QFS TPOBM HPBMT 0VS DVSSJDVMVN BMTP EFWFMPQT FGGFDUJWF TLJMMT GPS MFBSOJOH GPS BMM TUVEFOUT CZ t FODPVSBHJOH UIFN UP QBS UJDJQBUF FGGFDUJWFMZ JO UIFJS PXO MFBSOJOH t TVQQPSUJOH UIFN UP CFDPNF TFMG NBOBHFS T PG UIFJS MFBSOJOH BOE UIFJS PXO UJNF t QSPWJEJOH PQQPS UVOJUJFT GPS UIFN UP SFGMFDU PO UIFJS MFBSOJOH BOE JO UVSO TIBSF UIJT SFGMFDUJPO XJUI PUIFS T t FOTVSJOH UIBU UFBDIJOH BDUJWJUJFT BMMP X UIFN UP EFWFMPQ UFBN XPSLJOH TLJMMT 5IF NPTU GVOEBNFOUBM TLJMMT PG BMM PG DPVSTF BSF UIF BCJMJUZ UP SFBE BOE XSJUF DPOGJEFOUMZ BOE UIF VTF BOE VOEFS TUBOEJOH PG OVNCFS TLJMMT 5IFTF DSVDJBM FMFNFOUT BSF BU UIF IFB SU PG PVS DVSSJDVMVN BU -JUUMF )FBUI 4DIPPM BOE X F XBOU UP FOTVSF UIBU OP TUVEFOU MFBWFT VT XJUIPVU UIF BCJMJUZ UP US BOTGFS UIFTF TLJMMT JOUP MBUFS MJGF &NQMPZFST DPNNFOU SFHVMBSMZ PO UIF QSFTTJOH OFFE GPS TUVEFOUT UP CF FRVJQQFE XJUI TUSPOH DPNN VOJDBUJPO TLJMMT TP UIBU UIFZ DBO PQFSBUF TVDDFTTGVMMZ JO UIF XPSME PG XPSL BOE XF UBLF PVS SFTQPOTJCJMJUZ JO UIJT BSFB WFSZ TFSJPVTMZ 8F XBOU BMM TUVEFOUT UP IBWF GVODUJPOBM DPNNVOJDBUJPO TLJMMT CZ UIF UJNF UIFZ TUB SU ,FZ 4UBHF 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO PO PVS JOOPWBUJWF DVSSJDVMVN QMFBTF SFGFS UP PVS BDDPNQBOZJOH TVCKFDU DVSSJDVMVN JOGPSNBUJPO PO UIF XFCTJUF 8 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus
At Little Heath School, we believe that education is about the nurturing and development of rounded individuals.Thus, a great deal of emphasis is placed on extra - curricular activities and the development of personal skills beyond the classroom. Students are able to access a full and enr iched extra-curricular programme, including year round sports fixtures, whole school productions, and a number of exciting and interesting lunchtime and after school clubs. Our music depar tment has an especiall y varied musical performance programme, including a Soul Choir that has performed to critical acclaim at Douai Abbey, the Reading Hexagon and the Royal Albert Hall. These experiences outside the classroom are vital. A landmark report from the influential Confederation of British Industry (CBI) noted that emplo yers want students to dev elop broad and sophisticated skills f or learning as well as more academic knowledge and under standing.They value skills that ha ve been developed through par ticipation in spor t, music and drama. As the report declares ar ticulately: “Skills have become the global currency of the 21st century”. Lessons are brought to life through a wide range of trips to places of cultural and historical interest. Opportunities include Battlefields trips to Belgium, curriculum led trips to the theatre, ski trips, watersports residentials in France, and weekend expeditions to wild country in Britain as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. including talks by visiting speakers, local organisations and careers events. Individual departments also host a wide range of events within school BEYOND THE CLASSROOM 9
PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS The partnership between parents and the school is crucial.We encourage all of our parents to engage fully in their child’s education from the moment they join us inYear 7. We know that parents want to share in their child’ s learning and to monitor their progress.We value parental suppor t with homework, project-based research and independent study, but at the same time recognise the k ey role played by the school in reporting on progress in a timel y and constructive way.We report home formally on an annual basis, as well as under taking checks on progress throughout the year. Subject teacher s also monitor students’ reading and wr iting skills, in order to provide a firm foundation for success at GCSE and Advanced LeveI.We are delighted that parents recognise the impor tance of reading and writing, for example through encouraging reading for pleasure at home. It is vital that parents feel able to approach the school whatever their query or concern about their child’s progress or welfare. The Governing Body take their role in developing a suppor tive partnership with parents very seriously.The Chair of Governors welcomes any comments or suggestions about ways to improve standards. Similarly, partnership with students through our Student Voice provision is at the v ery core of what we do at Little Heath School. We believe our students are par tners in learning; students are valued and their views are taken seriously. We have a thriving School Council that allo ws representatives of the student body to dr ive the future of the school, working jointly with teachers and governors to make further improvements to our work. Our annual Student Voice Conference allows a large section of the school community to come together and discuss the progress that the school has made , so that they are full y involved with the next phase of its dev elopment. We very much believe our young people are the best representatives of our school, and our greatest ambassador s. 10 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus
11 I have been used to a close partnership with a primary school where I can contact the class teacher at any time. How will that relationship work in a large school like Little Heath? The first contact for any parent is a student’s form tutor.The form tutor will be available to guide and suppor t them throughout their time at Little Heath SchooI. There are two tutor periods each day, also used to complete f ormal registration. For more important matters, it is entirely appropriate to contact your child’s Head of Year or Senior Leadership link directly. To improve further communication with parents, our Main O ce sta act as a first por t of call for most enquiries. Little Heath School’s attendance o cer is available to help with any absence issues. During the school da y, Student Reception is a dedicated area f or students should they feel ill, need help finding a member of sta or for general school enquir ies. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I apply for a place at Little Heath School? All applications to Little Heath School are processed by West Berkshire Local Authority. As a Year 6 parent, information about admissions is distributed to Primary schools before parents choose to appl y for a secondar y school place . Applications are now made directly to the home authority, for example Reading, who will then pass the application to West Berkshire Local Authority. For in-year admissions, applications are made directl y to West Berkshire. Where can I find the school’s admissions policy and additional information? Our admissions policy is available for download on our school website. Guidance for over-subscription to Little Heath School is available from West Berkshire Local Authority. How will I find out about my child’s progress at the school? Regular progress checks take place in every subject throughout the year.We ensure parents know how well their children have settled into a new academic y ear at Little Heath School through an Introductory Review.This is followed by a formal Performance Review at a speci fic point in the y ear. End of Year recording is designed to ensure that students are on track and making at least the expected level of progress. In addition, parents are welcome to contact the school at an y time if they wish to discuss their child’ s progress. How do I find out about the curriculum at Little Heath School? All curriculum subjects at Little Heath School are led by a Subject Leader or Head of Depar tment. Queries about subject delivery can be addressed initiall y to Heads of Department. A summary of each of our curriculum areas is also available on our website. Any formal comment about curriculum delivery, for example in relation to Personal Development lessons, can be directed to the Headteacher. Of course, parents are welcome to contact their child’s classroom teacher if there are any specific quer ies about the curriculum that relate to their lessons. The associated subject cur riculum information on the website provides an additional overview of our curriculum.
What is your policy on school uniform? We have a straightforward Uniform Policy at Little Heath School and continue to ensure that the uniform is both easy to obtain and a ordable.We maintain a number of suppliers, and opportunities to purchase good quality second-hand uniform, with this in mind. If you have any further questions, or any di culties in obtaining school uniform, please contact the school on 0118 9427337. What is the school’s policy on anti-bullying? Little Heath School has v ery clear policies on anti-b ullying and e-safety and all new students are issued with an anti-bullying leaflet containing information to help them should they ev er need support in their time at the school. We aim to make the school an environment where students do not su er from bullying, and with this in mind we make sure that there are clear systems for reporting bullying should it occur. Our Student Voice sta take a leading role in this area. I am worried about my child’s access to the internet and social networking sites, especially in terms of bullying. What is the school’s policy on e-safety? In an increasingly digital society, we have a joint responsibility as teachers and parents to ensure that students are saf e online.The school has a v ery strict policy on inter net use and students’ on-Iine activity is monitored within schooI. AII our students under take e-safety training to remind them of their responsibility online . Students and parents must be aware of the impact of social networking sites and smar t phones as this access is bey ond our control outside of school but still remains everyone’s responsibility. We provide guidance and suppor t for those parents who want to learn more about e-safety. Our school website contains a wealth of information about the school. 12 LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL Prospectus
13 “(The curriculum) is designed to help pupils build a deep knowledge of each topic they study.” (OFSTED 2023)
LITTLE HEATH SCHOOL ±)HYGEXMSR MW RSX XLI ½PPMRK of a pail, but the lighting of E ½VI² ; & =)%87 Little Heath Road,Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire RG31 5TY TEL: 0118 942 7337 EMAIL: SJ½GI$PMXXPILIEXL SVK YO WEBSITE: www.littleheath.org.uk HEADTEACHER: David Ramsden
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