School Strategy Statement 2015-2020
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School Strategy Statement 2015-2020 “He gave tenements to the Citye for the finding and bringing up of four poore men’s children with meate, drinke, apparell, learning at the schools and in the universities etc, until they be preferred, and then others in their place for ever” John Stow, “Survey of London” 1598 Contents City of London School 3 Continuing Professional Development and Staff Welfare 19 Putting staff development and welfare at our heart Our History 4 Information Technology 21 Aims and Values 6 Modernising our communications Curriculum & Teaching and Learning 8 Admissions and Marketing 22 Encouraging excellence in Teaching and Learning; Attracting and selecting the best candidates; building a curriculum for the future celebrating our successes. Pastoral Care 10 Facilities and Finance 24 Preparing boys for the future; empowering them Placing a greater emphasis on security and maximising to make the best decisions the effectiveness of our resources - financial and physical The Co-curricular Programme 12 Ensuring the finest range of opportunities Outreach and Partnership 15 Establishing CLS as a flagship nationally in promoting bursaries, outreach and partnership 1 “We are a leading academic school with a high level of achievement, excellent examination results, and impressive progression to top universities in this country and abroad” City of London School City of London School (CLS) sits in the heart of The School is blessed with extraordinary strengths • Academic aspiration is set against a London. On our doorstep are some of the most from which this Strategic Plan seeks to draw. backdrop of strong pupil engagement in a important institutions to be found anywhere in the broad extra-curricular programme and in • We are an HMC independent boys' day world including financial, legal and business charitable endeavours. school, 10 - 18, of 920 - 940 boys; part of a organisations; the extraordinary cultural wealth of family of schools owned and sponsored by the • We are international in outlook, reflecting the the Capital; universities, schools, hospitals, Corporation of the City of London. cosmopolitan nature of London, and charities, start-up companies and digital encourage understanding and respect through innovation of all sorts. The City of London • We are set in the heart of the Capital with an appreciation of different cultures. Corporation is committed to supporting links to the wealth of opportunities presented education through its three Independent Schools by the cultural, educational, charitable and • We wish to be seen as a flagship nationally in and the Academies it sponsors. Our staff are corporate world of London. promoting outreach, bursary support and collaboration across the different sectors in highly qualified and committed and our pupils are • We are a leading academic school with a education. amongst the most extraordinary and gifted group high level of achievement, excellent of young men you could hope to meet. Our examination results, and impressive • There is an active and supportive Society for alumni and parents are enormously loyal to the progression to top universities in this country Old Citizens in the John Carpenter Club and School and offer ample support, not only in time and abroad. strong parental support through the Friends of and expertise, but also in the investment many of CLS and the Parent Bursary Trust. them are prepared to make in our bursary • We encourage ambition in all that we do and scheme. foster individual creativity, self-reliance and independence of thought. 3 Our History The history of the School helps to define its “Dissenters of every shade - Protestant and The separation of English Language as a discrete character and mission. Our original foundation Catholic - Jew and Gentile - all will be admitted subject was pioneered at CLS, and, as a result of was charitable, dating from the Will of John to the same advantages...”. (Lord Brougham, the Beaufoy bequest, we were the first school to Carpenter in 1442, The Mirror, 28 November 1835). make the teaching of Shakespeare central to the curriculum. “He gave tenements to the Citye for the finding The School today celebrates the diversity of its and bringing up of four poore men’s children with community, reflecting as it does the social and The challenge today is to respond in an equally meate, drinke, apparell, learning at the schools cultural breadth of London, with its wealth of creative fashion to the needs of a rapidly and in the universities etc, until they be preferred, experiences, interests and ambitions. changing world, building the future of our School and then others in their place for ever.” (John on its core values and in response to the At certain points in its history, CLS has been Stow, “Survey of London” 1598). opportunities around us. innovative and forward-looking in its choice of Generosity towards others is a strong feature of curriculum. From the outset it aligned itself with our School. It is reflected in our bursary scheme the needs of a modernising, industrial world, and partnership work and is deeply embedded in complementing the teaching of classical subjects our ethos. with a new emphasis on mathematics and science. It was the first school to introduce CLS was one of the first public schools to see practical lessons in chemistry and it was noted for religious diversity as a positive attribute. Its its early strength in modern foreign languages. second foundation by Act of Parliament in 1834 made this clear. 4 “Dissenters of every shade - Protestant and Catholic - Jew and Gentile - all will be admitted to the same advantages...” Lord Brougham, The Mirror, 28 November 1835 Aims and Values Aspiration: we value aspiration and achievement of Resilience: we promote self-discipline, The creation of a culture based on these aims and all sorts, both within and outside the curriculum, resourcefulness and initiative. Alongside this we values is underpinned by a School strategy which encouraging the highest ambition and personal seek to develop a proper appreciation of self and focuses on promoting excellence in four areas: commitment, and supporting individual strengths an understanding of the richness of friendship and • Curriculum, Teaching and Learning and interests. spiritual growth in adding depth and meaning to • Pastoral Care life. Confidence: we celebrate achievement without • Co-Curricular Activity arrogance and the importance of sportsmanship. Courtesy: we develop a sense of mutual respect, • Bursaries, Outreach and Partnerships We encourage boys to develop their skills in consideration for others and an appreciation of the These in turn are supported by the development leadership, recognising the strength to be derived richness and diversity of the values, beliefs, and of people, facilities and the operational from working with others and from listening to people of the world we live in. infrastructure of the School: different points of view. Generosity: we uphold strong moral values, • Continuing Professional Development and Independence of thinking: we seek to instil a love honesty and integrity, valuing service to others and Staff Welfare of learning and intellectual curiosity, promoting charitable giving, and recognise in doing so that • Information Technology informed questioning and debate, and self- we ourselves are strengthened and enriched. • Admissions and Marketing motivated, self-directed learning. • Facilities and Finance 6 “Parents frequently cite the quality of teaching as a key strength of the School” Curriculum & Teaching and Learning Encouraging excellence in Teaching and Learning; building a curriculum for the future 1: Parents frequently cite the quality of 2: We will re-invigorate the curriculum across guarantees a better quality of grading and teaching as a key strength of the School. the School: assessment than the standard Examination Boards can often provide. Some departments We will build upon this so that pedagogy • Curriculum change at a national level has (currently Religion and Philosophy, Music, remains fresh and reflects the particular needs helped direct our decision to move away from Biology, Geography, Modern Foreign of our pupils, combining the best of traditional modular examinations and to offer a linear Languages and History) have chosen to offer and innovative approaches. To this end we approach in the Sixth Form (with all public this instead of the new A-level as a course have forged links with the Institute of examinations taken at the end of the Senior better suited to promote intellectual curiosity Education (IoE) to offer staff the opportunity to Sixth). The reduction in time spent away from and independent thinking. create a research community at CLS, seeking the classroom, taking and re-taking units of to understand the best ways to inspire and study, is a significant gain. It will enable us to • We will be offering the Extended Project support creative and independent thought plan our teaching more effectively over a two Qualification (EPQ) for the first time in across the full ability range of boys at the year period, allowing for greater depth in September 2015, enabling boys to engage in a School. The intention is that this process will learning and exploration beyond the syllabus. significant piece of research of their own then be repeated in collaboration with one or A linear approach marries well with the choosing, a discipline which has won more partner schools from the City in 2016-17 philosophy of the Pre-U, which was devised as considerable accolades from universities. and that we will run seminars and conferences a more academically rigorous alternative to A- • We will keep the curriculum in the Sixth Form to promote educational dialogue. levels. The Pre-U is now well embedded under review, looking at increasing the range nationally as a sixth form qualification, and is of enrichment courses we offer, in order to well received by universities. It is marked and provide the best possible support and moderated by teachers. Their expertise preparation for university and life beyond.