Our Vision
“Whickham, a school to be proud of at the heart of the community. Where learning is cherished in a safe, caring and supportive environment. A school where everyone is valued and inspired to be the best they can be.”
This vision is defined in our keys to success:
Key 1: Everyone is a leader who demonstrates the school values.
Key 2: Everyone always ensures a culture of learning that engages, excites and inspires.
Key 3: Everyone always works effectively to achieve beyond expectations.
Key 4: Everyone always ensures that all barriers to learning are addressed.
Leaders have identified long term school improvement priorities (two to five years in nature) and short term priorities (to be achieved within the next year). These priorities are organised under relevant areas of provision and linked to our four keys to success. Impact criteria, evidence and timescales are detailed in the full improvement plan.
Long Term Priorities
| Leadership and management |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Staff, parents and pupils understand and live the school values and beliefs. | 1 |
| 2. Leaders are highly effective in leading the process of school improvement and securing impact. | 1 |
| 3. The school is engaged in partnerships that improve the quality of provision at Whickham and other schools in the local area. | 1 |
| 4. The learning environment effectively supports strong pupil progress. | 2/4 |
| 5. The school is financially stable | All |
| Quality of education |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Development of an aspirational and personal curriculum for all that meets the needs of all pupils and results in strong progress. | 2/3 |
| 2. High quality, holistic assessment and feedback that leads to positive progress for all. | 2/3 |
| 3. There is no difference in performance between boys and girls by the end of KS4. | 2/3/4 |
| 4. Removal of performance gaps between disadvantaged and other pupils. | 2/3 |
| Personal development |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Pupils access and participate in a rich set of experiences and opportunities to develop wider life skills. | All |
| 2. Pupils develop the strength of character to be well rounded citizens and successful learners. | All |
| 3. The school champions a culture of equality, diversity and wellbeing. | All |
Short Term Priorities
| Leadership and management |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Ensure clarity in communication of school vision and strategic actions. | 1 |
| 2. An effective learning environment is achieved across the school site. | 2/3 |
| 3. Leadership is effective in securing school improvement priorities. | 1 |
| 4. Establish partnerships with other schools that add value to the quality of provision. | All |
| 5. Effective establishment and embedding of new structures. | 2/3 |
| Quality of education |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Ensure that curriculum plans are in place in all subject areas that are effectively implemented and result in good pupil progress. | 1/2/4 |
| 2. 2. Positive pupil progress in Yr11 English and mathematics (SPI of 0 or above in 2020). | 1/3/4 |
| 3. Humanities VA to be in normal range. | 1/3/4 |
| 4. 4. Close gap in progress between disadvantaged and other pupils to below 0.20. | 4 |
| 5. 5. P8 to be above 0.10 in 2020. | 2/3 |
| 6. Reduce gap in progress between boys and girls to below the NA. | 3/4 |
| 7. Staff effectively use the Learning Model to accelerate pupil progress. | 2 |
| Behaviour and attitudes | |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Ensure most pupils and staff demonstrate a growth mindset. | All |
| 2. Strong communication systems with parents/carers that results in pupils behaving well, accessing more extra curricular opportunities and making good progress | 3/4 |
| 3. Attendance across school to be above 96% and gaps to be below 3%. PA to be below the National Average. | 3/4 |
| 4. Behaviour and attitudes of all pupils to be reflective of the school ethos with fixed term and permanent exclusions below last academic year and in line with or below national average | 3/4 |
| Personal development | |
| What we want to achieve | Key |
| 1. Effective implementation of a pupil programme that looks at SRE, Health and safety and healthy lifestyle. | 2/4 |
| 2. Increase student engagement and participation in community and extra- curricular activities. | All |
| 3. School communication systems that promotes strong pupil progress. | All |
| 4. Continue to develop the culture of equality diversity and well being for all. | 2/4 |
| 5. Effective pupil leadership and peer mentoring programme in place | 1 |
