COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Dear Parent and Prospective students,

I would like to welcome you to Copland CommunitySchool. Copland is an 11-19 establishment with over1550 students on roll where we try to maintain highstandards of achievement within a disciplined andcaring framework. As you know Copland CommunitySchool is a Specialist Science College, but werecognise that the whole curriculum is important andwe seek to develop our students into well-roundedyoung adults who are equipped for the challenges ofthe 21st century.

I hope your association with us will be a happy one. Inthis prospectus we try to give you an idea of the lifeand work of the School. We hope to answer many ofthe questions you may have as you prepare for yourchild to join us, but no handbook or prospectus cantake the place of a visit and personal contact.

It is our hope that this booklet will encourage youto regard this as the start of a fulfilling partnership.I look forward to meeting you soon and to workingwith you to ensure that Copland CommunitySchool remains the successful and highly regardedorganisation it is, whilst developing to meet theneeds of an ever-changing world.

Graeme Plunkett – Head teacher

COPLAND IS CHANGING.

Under a new leadership team Copland CommunitySchool is looking to the future. We are intent ondeveloping and delivering the highest qualityteaching to prepare students to have the skills tomeet the needs of the 21st Century workplace.

At Copland we are committed to providing thehighest standards of teaching in order to secure thegreatest possible outcomes for all students in termsof progress and attainment. To this end we areconstantly striving to improve the quality of ourlessons and learning materials. We have a vigorousand extensive programme of staff training to supportour teachers to constantly be striving for outstandingclassroom practice.

We are working in collaboration with a number ofoutside agencies to achieve these aims. One of theseagencies is Future lab and in partnership with themwe are developing our use of ICT to support studentslearning. We have been designated a hub school,one of a small number of schools to be chosen anddesignated as such and this will enable us to createinnovative practices using modern mobiletechnology. We are also a Creative PartnershipEnquiry school researching cutting edge approachesto education and we are an E-learning Foundationaffiliated school further supporting our development

of using the latest technology in our approaches toeducation.We want you to be confident about entrusting us withyour child and their education.

We aim to provide a safe and secure learningenvironment for your child that is friendly andwelcoming. We work hard to ensure that this is alwaysthe case and have a well -established and thoroughseries of policies to support this aim. This includes ananti-bullying policy as well as a safeguarding policythat is available upon request or on the school web

Emotionally intelligent, honest, reflective learners

Copland is truly a community, a fully inclusive school, which has high expectations andaspirations for all of its members.

We believe education unlocks opportunities for us that without which we would not have achance to experience or otherwise achieve.

Our education is holistic; we believe that learning is not confined to classrooms or subjectsbut that good character and who we are and want to be as people are equally asimportant. These things are essential to us being good citizens in the wider community.

We are a learning community; where we gain knowledge and experience from our failuresand mistakes and we celebrate together our successes and achievements.

We strive to do our best, and to always be the best that we can be.

RespectStudents respectthemselves and othersand appreciate theculturally rich anddiverse community thatmakes up CoplandSchool. This is alsobedrock upon which webuild good positiverelationships and ensuregood conduct in school.Where students fail tomeet these highexpectations thendiscipline will beimmediate without beingharsh and parents arecontacted, consultedand kept informed inthese circumstances. Inpartnership together wecan support the studentovercoming thesechallenges.

Independentlearners

We are working hard todevelop a culture whereeducation is valued andseen as a way of openingdoors for students to aworld of opportunities.That our students learnhow to learn as well asknowledge of subjects sothat they are equippedwith the skills, attitudesand approaches toensure they can besuccessful beyond theirtime at school.

Aspirational

Copland believes that allstudents can succeedand that hard work andperseverance are keycomponents of achievingour goals. We want ourstudents to see problemsas obstacles to beovercome rather thanbarriers to achievement.That what we dreamcould be can be madepossible when ourattitudes and applicationare aligned with our goals

Motivated

At Copland we know thatmotivation is extrinsic andintrinsic. That throughrewards and celebrationwe help motivate successbecause of what it bringsus but also that by doingthe right things this equallymakes us feel good aboutourselves and our abilities,that both play an equalpart in motivation and werecognise that thiseducates andencourages our studentsto achieve.

Therefore our students are aspirational, enthusiastic and motivated to succeed. We support them inthis and have high expectations of them in terms of their attitudes, approaches to learning andconduct. We want them to be creative in their thinking, reflective about their learning, andincreasingly independent in structuring and directing their studies to make them effective self-motivated learners.

Good conduct and work at Copland is rewarded and celebrated through the use of Vivo miles, anonline rewards programme where rewards are tangible because they credit a student’s personalaccount allowing them to ‘save’ towards real products that they can purchase, reinforcing thepositive behaviours we at Copland wish to promote but also educating them about saving andbanking, both real life skills they will need as adults.

We are developing an innovative approach to student voice and leadership. There is a Student council andworking sub-committees that has input to how Copland as a learning community develops and movesforward. We also have programmes such as the Red Jackets or student counsellors that allow students totake a leadership role developing wider skills and enhanced personal development.

It was members of our Student body that designed and consulted with students, parents, staff andgovernors about the new Copland Uniform, an integral part of the development and change of CoplandCommunity School

At Copland we have a broad and balancedcurriculum in which we offer all our students anopportunity to succeed. We want to create in ourstudents a lifelong love of learning that will supportthem being successful in their adult lives.

We recognise that each individual has specific needsand we strive to provide the correct level of challengeand support to make certain the student reaches theirfull potential.

We take the best of the ‘tried and tested’ methods ofteaching and then combine these with the latestpedagogical advances to personalise learning, whichincludes differentiated and alternative learningapproaches. So students who learn bestkinaesthetically (by doing) are equally catered for asthe students who learn visually (through images anddiagrams), or via auditory methods (listening and notetaking). All learning is regularly assessed throughvarious approaches, and feedback offered tostudents to assist them in their progress andattainment.

As part of our learning and teaching package weoffer students who need it extra support throughtargeted interventions, mentoring and extra lessons asrequired. This can be for students of all abilities fromthose with learning difficulties through to those whoare deemed gifted and talented.

At KS3 our students follow the National Curriculum inthe all subjects covered by Government guidelines.

At KS4 there are a wide range of options at GCSE’s,including those that make up the EnglishBaccalaureate as well as vocational courses offeredat BTEC. We are also developing opportunities inalternative qualifications such as the Artsmark award.

At KS5 we offer courses at Level 1, 2 and 3, whichinclude National Diplomas as well as traditional AS andA2 qualifications.

Copland is a Specialist School for Science; we are amember of the Specialist Schools and AcademiesTrust. We are also an Associate school to the RoyalSociety as well as recently being recognised by thePrince’s Teaching Institute in History and Geography.

We offer many enrichment opportunities outside ofthe classroom that will enhance the student’seducational experience and their personaldevelopment. There are a range of clubs andactivities for students both at lunchtime and afterschool. There are also educational trips and visitsarranged throughout the school year to enhancethe learning opportunities for student’s andsupport their classroom learning.

We have a yearly whole school drama productionas well as regular Music concerts which developperformance skills as well as self-confidence.

Confident, motivated,effective

participators

Responsible,hardworking,

organisedself-managers

The Sixth Form is an integral and vibrant part of our school community. Most studentschoose to continue their education at Copland. We are also joined every year bystudents from other schools who want to be part of our learning community. Weencourage our students to continue their studies in Higher Education and a large numberof our students each year are successful entrants to Universities all across the country.

There is a dedicated 6th Form Management Team to run, co-ordinate and mentor ourstudents , which is in addition to their form group tutors who are there to offer themguidance and support whilst studying with us and advice on UCAS and the Universityapplication process. We like our students to be involved in the wider community andencourage them to be part of the opportunities offered to help them prepare for furtherstudies or the work place.

We are an inclusive school, and central to this is our beliefthat all students can succeed and we want to ensure thatevery student respects that it is both a right for them andfor others to learn in order for all to achieve that success.

Each student is assigned a tutor and tutor group uponentry to Copland and will, whenever possible, remain withthis group until Year 11. Each year group is overseen by aHead of Year and an assistant who again remains with theyear group ensuring a continuity of care, developingstrong relationships between them and the students theyare responsible for.

We have an excellent learning support department whoare skilled at identifying students’ needs and providingthem with appropriate personalised support to help themaccess their learning and enjoy success.

We believe that for students to truly achieve their fullpotential it requires students to be surrounded by support.This requires a close relationship between parents/carersand the school. We encourage parents/carers to contactthe school to discuss any issues or concerns they mayhave as open and regular communication strengthens thebond between the school and home.

Communityspirited,

collaborativeteam workers

We send home regular reports about your child’s progress, in addition to thatthere are parents’ evenings you are invited to attend as well as progress reviewdays where you can discuss with your child’s tutor their achievements andsupports them may need. We have a weekly newsletter to provide you withupdates and important information as well as the School website. We are alsodeveloping a Virtual Learning Environment that will allow you to access, via theweb, live information and data on your child and their curriculum to help yousupport them in their schooling.

We also offer excellent guidance for students in choosing their GCSE and 6th

form examination routes to lead them effectively towards their chosen careers.We also offer counselling on career choices as well as advice on Universitiesand degree courses to help guide them beyond their time at Copland tobecome confident, happy and fulfilled citizens of tomorrow.

The inclusive ethos of the school is reflected in thegood care, guidance and support it provides,particularly for students who are vulnerable or havespecial educational needs.

OFSTED INSPECTION REPORT JUNE 2010

COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Cecil Avenue, Wembley, Middlesex , HA9 7DU Head Mr Graeme Plunkett Telephone: 0208902 6362 Fax : 0208 8903 1943 E-mail: admin@copland.brent.sch.uk www.copland-school.co.uk