rastrick high school & sixth form prospectus
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L A T E S T T E C H N O L O G Y
“I feel really settled, have kept old friends but made many new ones. I have enjoyed all the new lessons, after school activities like hockey and the debating club and being part of the music groups. Throw yourself in - I hope you enjoy Rastrick as much as I do!”Year 7 student
We believe that every student can be successful, whether through their formal curriculum, through their enjoyment of and participation in enrichment activities, through their ability to be a good citizen or through all of the above. We will encourage, support and challenge them to take the many opportunities they will have at our school to be successful.
Rastrick High School focuses on students making progress and rewards students for not just the progress they make, but the effort they have put into getting there.
We will support every child in becoming more confident in themselves and more open to new experiences and challenges, not just through their formal lessons, but also through their tutorials, assemblies and the wide range of enrichment experiences they will have the opportunity to experience at Rastrick High School.
This prospectus, along with the transition events we have organized, may well answer all of your questions about our school, but if you still have questions to ask, then please get in touch with us through phone or email, or better still, arrange to come in and see us and we will be happy to meet with you to answer your questions or queries.
Rastrick High School is a supportive, friendly, yet challenging environment. We have limitless aspirations and high targets for our students, based on an ethos which demands the very best efforts and expectations from everyone in our organisation.
Rastrick High School is on an exciting journey, I would like you to be part of it.
Best wishes
Steve EvansHeadteacher
WelcomeOn behalf of the staff and governors of Rastrick High School I would like to thank you for your interest in becoming part of our very successful team.
Our successful transition events ensure
students feel confident and part of the
Rastrick team when they begin with us
in Year 7. Varying events take place for
a range of Year 6 students, both in their
own primary schools and at Rastrick High
School, some of which are led by our
own student leaders, ensuring primary
students understand and begin to learn
the high expectations we place on our
own students.
The aim of transition is to ensure students
feel comfortable with the environment
and are not overawed by the size of
the school when they start with us in
September. These events help students
to get to know key staff and begin to
make friends, so that when they begin in
September, their natural anxieties are at a
minimum and they are therefore ready to
learn and succeed.
How will we help make you part of the Rastrick team?
We believe that ‘together we are
stronger’ and recognise that by
supporting each other as a school
community we can all play a vital role in
helping each other to achieve our goals.
We recognise that a large part of a
student’s experiences will be shaped
by their Year group. As part of this Year
group, they will be given personalised
support and bespoke learning
experiences in their Form Group tutorials,
through assemblies and in the many
enrichment activities they will have the
opportunity to take part in.
Each Year group is led by an
Achievement Leader and an Achievement
Manager, whose roles are to monitor your
child’s welfare and academic progress
and also offer guidance and support
where and when you or your child needs
it. Each Form group is led by a Form
Tutor who plays an important day to
day role in ensuring the Form group
are organised, happy and ready for the
challenges of the day.
Transition, be part of our team!“I hope the new Year 7s have as good a time as I did when I joined!”Year 7 student
Our teachers work extremely hard
to ensure lessons are challenging,
inspirational and enjoyable; they are
experts in their subjects and have high
expectations of all students. They are
supported by a team of librarians,
teaching assistants, administrators,
technicians and laboratory assistants, all
of whom are working towards ensuring
that teaching and learning is at the heart
of our school.
We believe that high aspirations,
where all students are challenged, is a
vital factor in them being successful.
Our relentless pursuit of excellence is
achieved through a supportive learning
environment where we encourage all
students to achieve their challenging
targets in all of the subjects they study.
We pride ourselves on the quality of
support and individual feedback we give
to students to allow them to reach their
goals. The communication of these goals
and the progress students are making
towards them is an important part of
our relationship with both our students
and parents and to this end we report
to parents five times a year, highlighting
individual student achievement, attitude
to learning and attendance.
A recent survey, completed by 600
students from Years 7 to 13, has shown
that they enjoy their lessons due to
the range of teaching techniques used,
the most popular being co-operative
learning in the classroom. This technique
embodies group work, enabling students
to work as effective team members
and provide opportunities to develop
skills of understanding, empathy and
accountability through their learning.
Teaching and LearningAt Rastrick High School, we put learning first.
We endeavor to support all of our
student’s aspirations and as a school
we expect that all members of our
community are passionate in helping each
other to reach their goals.
We pride ourselves on providing a calm
and focused climate for learning. This is
built on the key values of respect and
responsibility and also on the belief that
everyone at the school has the right to
learn in a calm and safe environment.
The school supports and celebrates our
student’s successes through the schools
rewards system which is based on the
key principle that we reward all students
who make progress and contribute to the
school community.
Our school community is an essential
part of raising our children’s aspirations
and the role parent’s play is integral and
as such we ensure we have an open
dialogue with parents around key issues in
school, such as IAG (Information, Advice
and Guidance), academic attainment,
academic progress, attendance and the
wellbeing and happiness of our students.
Aspirations and ExpectationsAt Rastrick High School we strive to ensure that all our students are taught to develop a desire and enthusiasm for learning.
We offer a broad range of subjects
and an excellent range of enrichment
activities that aim to produce well
rounded, confident young people who are
equipped to face the future.
Beyond our core subjects of English,
Mathematics and Science we offer a
variety of subjects that encompasses the
Arts, Humanities, Modern Languages,
Sports and Technology.
The school is well equipped for learning in
the 21st century. We are blessed with large
classrooms and the latest technology to
enable the very best learning experiences.
The school has superb ICT, Engineering,
Design Technology and Music facilities,
as well as an Astroturf sports field, a new
Mathematics Centre and newly developed
social spaces for students to use at break
and lunchtimes.
Our CurriculumWe deliver a high quality and diverse curriculum through outstanding teaching and learning.
There isn’t a one size fits all approach;
students’ needs are discussed and
reviewed with parents and professionals
on an individual and regular basis and a
programme of support is implemented.
Students with specific needs
Our excellent Special Educational
Needs Team support students in their
mainstream lessons as required. If needed,
additional support may be explored, be
that additional literacy groups to nurture
lessons to mentoring to the extracurricular
sessions that take place such as Bocchia
and Wheelchair basketball.
The Pastoral Support Structure within
the school ensures that children who
have other additional needs or who
may be vulnerable are also supported,
be it through mentoring, our excellent
links with external agencies or providing
appropriate Careers Information Advice
and Guidance. Again the emphasis is on
a bespoke system, which ensures we are
inclusive through every aspect of the
school day.
Supporting your childInclusion is integral to life at Rastrick High School.
A considerable emphasis is placed on community links, charity work and the development of student leadership. This has included raising funds for Children in Need, Comic Relief and Oxfam and more local charities including Overgate Hospice and the Forget Me Not Hospice. The school competes in a wide variety of external competitions, receiving National Awards for the O2 Go4SET initiative and Sky Sports Literacy Project. We were nominated as a flagship school for the introduction of vInspired, an accredited volunteering charity which connects young people with volunteering opportunities.
Our school has a long and successful tradition of involvement in:Sport, Music, Drama, Dance, Outdoor Activities and the Arts at a local, regional and national level.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is open for students from Year 9 upwards and there is an opportunity for all Year 7 students to take part in a residential experience.
There are many excellent societies and clubs which include:choirs, concerts bands, drama productions, a debating society, football,
netball, rugby, judo, mountain biking, school radio station, film making group, engineering and professional cookery to name but a few.
The school’s most recent trips to all over the world have included:Design & Technology trip to New York, skiing in Austria, History trip to France & Belgium, Modern Languages trip to Spain & France and a Physics trip to Switzerland.
EnrichmentThe culture of enrichment beyond the formal curriculum aims to broaden horizons for students and is integrated into all aspects of school life.
The Published Admissions Limit (PAL) for Year 7 students at Rastrick High School is 270.
Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied (in the order set out below) to decide which children to admit:
1. Pupils who are in public care (‘Looked After’ children) or pupils who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they became adopted or became subject to a residence or special guardianship order.
2. Pupils of Carr Green Primary, Field Lane Primary, Fixby Junior and Infant, Longroyde Junior and Woodhouse Primary Schools.
3. Those children who have a brother or sister (or step-brother or step-sister living in the same household) attending the school at the time of their admission (i.e. 1 September of the relevant admission year).
4. Children who have a particular ability for music. Allocations under this criterion will be limited to 16 places and applications must be supported by evidence. A supplementary application form must be completed to apply under this criterion, which is available from Rastrick High School. Applications can be submitted to the school from 30 June 2014 to 1 October 2014; please see below the timelines for the process:
18 September 2014 - Open Evening
1 October 2014 - Deadline for music criterion application forms submitted directly to Rastrick High School
3 October 2014 - Parent/carers to be informed of audition date and time
w/c 6 October 2014 - Auditions to take place and will be carried out by an independent adjudicator w/c 13 October 2014 - Parent/carers to be informed of the outcome of the audition 31 October 2014 - Deadline for application to be made to Local Authority
5. Children will then be admitted in the order of proximity of the child’s home address to the school. Distance will be calculated using a straight line measurement from the student’s home to the closest designated school gate. Distances will be calculated using the Local Authority’s GIS system (Geographical Information System). To ensure consistency applies, all measurements will be carried out by the Local Authority’s GIS system and no other method of measuring distance will be considered.
Admissions to Rastrick High School – September 2015
Those accepted will benefit from:
• a peer mentor who will act as a positive
role model and will support your child
and assist with skill development and
help expand musical understanding
• extending their skills through the
opportunity to study a second
instrument
• developing skills for lifelong learning.
This enhances the high quality academic
provision offered to all students which
includes:
• access to lessons by a specialist team of
instrumental staff
• extra curricular theory classes to
develop theoretical knowledge
• extra curricular aural classes to develop
musicianship
• a wide range of extra curricular
ensembles
• the opportunity to develop vocal skills
• regular performance opportunities
• the opportunity to become a peer
mentor to a less experienced student.
Talented Musician Development ProgrammeOur programme offers up to sixteen admissions annually to students who have musical potential and can show evidence of skill, potential, passion and commitment to playing a musical instrument or singing.
How do I apply?
Application forms and further information may be found on the Rastrick High School
website www.rastrick.calderdale.sch.uk under Admissions.
Alternatively, contact the Headteacher’s PA [email protected] or
01484 406372.
Applicants will be invited to attend an assessment session at the school where their
musical aptitude will be assessed.
Designed & Produced by FSE Design Tel: 01933 303520 www.fsedesign.co.uk
Rastrick High School Academy Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 7737429.
Registered Office: Rastrick High School, Field Top Road, Rastrick, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 3XB.
Field Top RoadRastrick, BrighouseWest Yorkshire HD6 3XB
t: 01484 710235f: 01484 720043e: [email protected] @RastrickHighw: www.rastrick.calderdale.sch.uk
Rastrick High School & Sixth Form
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