NEWSLETTER WINTER 2014 A Message from our MP Highcrest awarded Flagship Learning Opportunities for Page 9 status Page 2 Adults Page 11 portunitiesContact for the AdultsMPA: Post: 34 PerthLearning Road, High Opportunities Wycombe, Bucks. HP13 6XX E-mail: [email protected] |Tel: 07956 622 469 | visit our website www.mpawycombe.co.uk for Adults The Killing of dreams ilm’ is a person who desires or is acquiring knowledge, a At the time of writing terrible news is coming in about the student. How can the perpetrators of this massacre justify massacre in a school in the Peshawar, Pakistan carried out targeting students, when one would have thought that the by the Pakistan offshoot of the Taliban. We have grown Taliban would be for education, yet all their actions indicate used to barbarism, inhumanity and cruelty of the extremist that they wish to keep the future generations in the dark. people in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan itself, but the deliberate and pitiless killing of innocent school Narrowing the attainment gap students is an appalling outrage and a real tragedy for the The Bucks Learning Trust is in the process of strategically families of the dead children; one mother has said that her outlining its thinking about focused interventions to raise son was her dream and the dream has been killed. Whilst standards of educationally underperforming groups in High killing of innocent children in large numbers in not Wycombe and the ‘Wycombe Project’ should see the light uncommon in America, but the scale and calculated of day in the not too distant future. butchery of 132 pupils and 9 staff takes this sort of mindlessness to new heights. It is very much hoped that local stakeholders will have an input about the type and level of intervention so that We sympathise with the families who sent their children to parents from economically deprived pockets can feel part school in uniform in the morning and had to dress them in of the process, which is aimed at removing the high levels their burial shrouds by the evening and can only offer of underachievement by some sections of the community heartfelt prayers and wishes that the families will be able to in High Wycombe. The MPA feels that parents need to be cope with their unimaginable loss in this brutal way. The engaged and enabled to assist their children in gaining terrorists do not in any shape or form represent Islam or access to all levels of education. This may take the shape of speak for the ordinary Muslims of the world and need to be one to one tuition for the parents (explaining how schools rooted out from all areas. One only hopes that the anger operate and how parents can organise their homes, so that does not lead to targeting of more innocent lives by the their children do not lag behind). The MPA also feels that government of Pakistan. for any intervention programme to succeed it not only needs the support of the stakeholders but is sustainable, so It is ironic that the Pakistani Taliban carried out this atrocity that the underachievement does not return in the future, in a school, as the name Taliban is derived from the word at the levels it has persisted for decades. ‘Talib’ which in Urdu means someone who desires and is often coupled with the word ‘Ilm’ (knowledge), so a ‘Talib- Continued on page 4… MPA NEWSLETTER WINTER 2014|Page 1 Highcrest awarded Flagship status for inclusion External assessor Chris Chivers gave the academy, its staff and students glowing feedback. The Highcrest Academy has been upgraded to a national Flagship School for inclusion, just the 12th secondary school in the UK to achieve the flagship status. Highcrest was evaluated in a two-day inspection against a nationally-recognised framework called the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM). "The Highcrest Academy is a school that has a clear understanding of what is expected and what can be provided to enhance the learning experience for all children, " he said. "There is an energy and enthusiasm from the staff which is infectious and clearly visible in the attitudes and behaviour of the children who gave their time to be interviewed. The children admit to being encouraged and inspired to aspire." Mr Chivers added: "Learning is at the heart of whole-school development, with significant work being undertaken to ensure that personalised approaches to learning are a reality for vulnerable students, with a differential approach the aspiration for all learners." He praised the academy’s leadership, but also singled out the students, saying: "The students are a credit to the school. They were invariably polite, happy to engage in detailed discussion of their own learning and their experiences through their time at the school. They are partners in the running of the school, many being given responsibility through student leadership programmes." The IQM standard says in its criteria: "Educational inclusion is about equal opportunities for all pupils, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, attainment and background." Mr Chivers’ assessment said of Highcrest: "There is significant evidence of good practice in Inclusion, across all categories of need. Inclusion is evident in every aspect of school life, ensuring that Every Child Matters and, as an extension, that every person associated with the school is also fully valued." To obtain flagship status in the award, a school has to be successfully assessed twice previously. The first time for Highcrest was in 2008 followed by a second one in 2010. Highcrest believes it was the first school in Bucks to gain an IQM. Principal Shena Moynihan said: "I am thrilled at the way in which our academy has been recognised in this award scheme. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do at Highcrest because we really do believe that every child matters regardless of their background. Being a Flagship School is a great honour for us because it means we share best practice with others. This award truly reflects the wonderful work of our staff, governing body and, of course, our fantastic students." And there was more praise from Mr Chivers at the recent ceremony when he told a packed auditorium: “There is a heart and soul to this school; a humane learning environment, ably led by emotionally-literate human beings.” “At the core of this, is a firm trust in the human capacity to improve, supported fully by the love and guidance of a committed community. The children of The Highcrest Academy are fortunate enough to have access to such high- calibre thinking and care.” Miss Oddie said: “We were delighted and honoured to collect this award, and were so proud to hear the glowing tribute about our academy. As we say time and again, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do at Highcrest.” Picture of Highcrest receiving their award on Page 7. MPA NEWSLETTER WINTER 2014|Page 2 Cressex Community School – Autumn 2014 Head Teacher David Hood tells us about a good Ofsted An important piece of news to share with the readers of The MPA Newsletter is that, since the last edition, we have been visited by a team of inspectors from Ofsted. We were very pleased to have the good practice we know we have worked hard to develop acknowledged. We have now formally been recognised as a “good” school. In particular, inspectors noted that: Students develop good knowledge, skills and understanding in most subjects and particularly in mathematics. The improvement in students’ achievement is a direct result of the school’s drive to improve learning and teaching. Students enjoy a rich range of learning experiences to match their abilities and interests. Students work hard and behave well. The school is a harmonious community where students get on well and are respectful of each other and of adults. Relationships between staff and students are a strength of the school and have a positive impact on students’ learning and behaviour. The sixth-form course run for a small group of students is outstanding. The school’s leaders have established a strong climate for learning, which has led to improvements in the quality of teaching and examination results for students. Governors understand the school well. The report has led to some welcome positive coverage in both the local and the national press. An article in the Bucks Free Press “The rise and rise of Cressex Community School” (12 September 2014) highlighted the school’s journey over recent years. You can still access this article via the newspaper’s website. Another article in The Independent (2 October 2014) focused on Cressex as a “Cooperative School”. Here is an extract: “Cressex can certainly testify that the [cooperative] approach raises standards – its English GCSE results improved this year against a background of national decline, with 54 per cent of pupils getting A*- to C-grade passes. It has also been rated as “outstanding” by the education-standards watchdog for its maths and its sixth-form provision” I should also add that “expected progress” figures in both English and maths are higher than the national average and that this year’s results in the sixth form meant that students’ average grade for the courses they took was Distinction (equivalent to grade A/B at A level). Meanwhile, day to day, we remain focused on ensuring that the students who come here – including the 152 new Year 7s who joined us in September – have the most positive experience of secondary education we can provide. As ever, if you would like to come and see Cressex for yourself, please make an appointment to visit.