School Profile
What have been our successes this year? [top]
- OFSTED judged Prince Rupert School as ‘outstanding’ in the quality and impact of partnership provision in schools for children in service families (September 2010)
- Outstanding A’ level results with 100% of students achieving grades A – C (UK figure for all comprehensives was 71.1%) and all those who applied gaining their first choice of University
- Results at GCSE remain well above the national averages and standard have improved over the last three years for students gaining 5+ A*-C.
- The school production “The 7 Deadly Sins” was enjoyed by cast and audience alike and showed off the huge range of talent amongst students.
- Several sports teams became S.C.E. champions and our teams displayed excellent skill and real team spirit.
- The new house system is proving very popular for students with many competitions being hotly contested.
- Residentials continue to be a very important part in school life with over 75% of KS3 students involved with trips to ski in Austria, mountain bike in the Sauerland and canoe in the Harz being among some of those offered.
- A successful bid for Creative Arts and Media Diploma with the partnership to begin in September 2012 was made.
- A parental survey following Ofsted guidelines indicated that 95% of parents said their children enjoy being at PRS and 97% said they were happy with the experience their children were getting.
What are we trying to improve? [top]
Even an outstanding school can continue to strive for improvement and our current development plan has the following main priorities for improvement:
- Continue to develop the vertical tutoring system ensuring all needs are being met.
- Monitor our more vulnerable groups and ensure that all students are achieving well.
- Continue to develop collaborative working within key stage 3 and develop the very successful Curriculum Days.
- Continue to develop the curriculum 14-19, including the consolidation of the new requirements at GCSE and A level:
- Develop the school as a focus for the community and explore extended schooling.
- Continue to develop our relationships with our parents
How are we making sure that every child gets teaching to meet their individual needs? [top]
We have developed a comprehensive approach to students with special needs through detailed Individual Education Plans which support learning across the curriculum. Students receive support when necessary from an experienced and well-qualified team of Teaching Assistants and Higher Level Teaching Assistants. Expert professionals from S.C.E. and other agencies advise and support school staff. The school has developed a new curriculum 14-19 which allows students to take a range of pathways both vocational and academic as well as options in work related learning. Expert careers guidance is on hand to help students select the most appropriate courses according to individual need. Increasingly students have access to on-line learning which has helped to personalise learning. Senior members of staff regularly observe lessons giving teachers constructive feedback in order to develop the range of methodologies used in the classroom, thus meeting the learning needs of all students. Staff training is a high priority and the school works hard to use the outcomes of research to make improvements in learning.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays all students have access to homework club where they can get help with any aspect of their work.
How do we make sure our pupils are healthy, safe and well-supported? [top]
The school has recently been awarded the National Healthy School Status. School menus are designed with healthy eating in mind and at lunch time students have the choice of a hot meal or a selection from the salad bar. Drinking water is freely available in points around the school and drinks on sale are restricted to water or low sugar alternatives fruit juices. Canned, carbonated drinks are not permitted in school and students are encouraged to take fresh air and exercise during the lunch hour. A healthy snack bar is now open at break times as the lunch time is now later.
The school campus is non-smoking. All students take part in a programme of personal, social and health education where they learn how to follow sensible health options and receive information about the dangers of unhealthy lifestyles from a range of health professionals. The school has nursing cover in school and in the boarding house and as well being available in the case of emergencies, the nurses run health campaigns and give individual advice both in school and in the boarding house. The health visitor makes regular visits to school and runs a drop-in clinic for all students.
There are secure arrangements for child protection checks for all staff who work in the school and boarding house on a regular basis and visitors are not left unattended with our young people. Access to the school is via coded key pads and CCTV is installed for use around the corridors and entrance areas. Bullying is taken seriously and all reported incidents are investigated and when necessary action is taken swiftly. Our internet policy ensures that our students are educated about unsafe use and school use of sites is restricted and use monitored accordingly. A mentor will be appointed for the students for the first few weeks to take them to lessons and help them to get to know the school. Where information is provided from the student’s previous school, this is passed to subject teachers so that they can pitch the work at an appropriate level.
How do our absence rates compare with other schools? [top]
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This chart shows the percentage of half days missed through authorised and unauthorised absence by all pupils at the school. Information is given for the school, for schools within SCE and for all schools nationally. |
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How are we working with parents and the community? [top]
We see parents as important partners in the education process and aim to encourage them to become involved in school life as much as possible. This is one of the reasons why we have the engagement of parents on the School Development Plan this year. We send progress data home to parents each term which tells them how well their children are doing in meeting their academic targets. We ask you for your views on these profiles are analysis shows you find them very helpful. As well as receiving a full profile for each subject that their child is studying on an annual basis, parents are also invited in to school to discuss their child’s progress with the teachers at a parental consultation session. For students who are new to the school in the early part of the year there is a settling in meeting with the tutor in October in addition to the annual parental consultation. Students who join us mid-year meet the HT and the House Leaders and are given a “buddy” to help them settle in.
Every year, for the past four years, we have held a ‘bring your parents to school day’ where all parents are invited to spend a day in lessons with their children. This has proved very beneficial for the parents who have taken part, many of whom have said it opened up a whole new dialogue with their child. On a regular basis the school posts home a school newsletter which gives up to date information about things that are going on in school. Other news and events can be found on the school’s website.
Fund holding events are an integral part of student life and many events are held throughout the year to raise money. In some cases students research and decide who to support and this year the school decided on War Child and Help for Heroes as being the main beneficiaries. Additionally money was also raised for Cancer Research and the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.
Increasingly we are taking a multi agency approach to our work which involves us working with health professionals, padres, social workers and other professionals to get the best services for our students. We have strong links with the Kalletal school, a local German school, and students exchange information and work on joint projects some of which take place at a study centre in Vlotho. Many Garrison units help us with work related learning and increasingly we are relying on them for help with our vocational courses which require students to write about their experiences in the work place.
The School Governance Committee (SGC) has representation from parents, contributing military units, garrison communities and our own students and staff. This committee works very closely with the school and gives parents the opportunity to become involved in defining policy and guiding the school’s vision.
What activities are available to pupils? [top]
Activities are a regular part of life at PRS. Clubs and study support activities take place most lunch times and on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. There are sporting activities put on at these times throughout the year and the nature of these fits in with the school’s programme of sports festivals. So, for example, if there is a year 7 football and netball festival in the first half of the autumn term then there will be lunch time or after school activities in football and netball for year 7. There are festivals for every year group in the autumn and spring terms. In the summer term there is a sports festival for years 7 to 10. Other regular activities include music club, drama, cookery, study support and homework club. Musical instrumental lessons are available for students who wish to develop their performing skills.
Curriculum Days remain an important part of school life when the timetable is collapsed allowing a variety of year based activities to take place. This has included Year 7 students benefiting from a probability day and looking at extreme weather, Year 8 going to museums in Hannover and Year 9 focusing on careers and completing an engineering project. The older students had input on health and wellbeing and study skills. Citizenship Day was also a whole day which focused on the “Green Debate”.
Every year the school holds a ‘residential week’ for students in key stage 3. Year 7 this year went to Lubbecke, Year 8 and 9 had the option of The Sauerland, The Harz or the WW1 Battlefields. Students not wishing to go on a residential were given school based activities including water skiing, craft, music, catering and dance.
Subject areas organise visits to supplement and enhance their courses. Recent visits have included visits to local businesses for catering, food technology and business students. Modern Language students have very close links to a local German and older students were given an opportunity to visit Berlin for a weekend. Expressive Arts runs regular trips to theatres in Hannover and the highlight was a weekend in London to see “The Shows” as well as going backstage.
What have pupils told us about the school, and what have we done as a result?
Every year students in different year groups take part in a national survey scheme to feed back comments about their school life. We use these to shape the work we do. We also carry out internally produced surveys on things like “How well year 7 have settled in”. It was as a result of one of these surveys that we started our mentoring system for year 7 and decided to have a staggered start to the academic year. SCE staff also carry out regular “student voice” and a recent visit alerted us to the fact that some Sixth Form students were unhappy about losing their identity through the new vertical tutoring system – as a result we re-introduced the induction residential at the start of the year and timetabled regular Sixth Form meetings each week.
The school council and year group councils meet each term to discuss issues in school and bring to our attention things that need to be improved. Students were also instrumental in changing the school day and finishing earlier in the evening. Every year they have a budget and can decide on ways to improve life in PRS for all students.
How well do our pupils achieve at age 16? [top]
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This shows the percentage of pupils (who were 16 years old at the end of the year) who in 2010 achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C or and one or more GCSEs at grades A*-G. |
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All of our results change year on year according to the ability of the group of students. Being a very small school, small changes in the ability of the students can make big differences to over all percentages. However, when we look at progress from one key stage to the next we can see a trend that shows a gradual improvement over time.
Ofsted’s view of our school (last full inspection 2006) [top]
‘I would just like to say that Prince Rupert School is an excellent school and my child has developed very well, educationally, socially and personally throughout his time at school’. This is the view of one parent but reflects the views of many others, and inspectors wholeheartedly agree. All staff are very aware of the difficulties students face because of military life and everybody goes the extra mile to ensure that each and every one of them receives superb care and support, that their physical and emotional needs are well met and they settle into school life quickly. As a result of this, the school is a safe and secure environment where students can learn and develop into thoughtful and sensitive young adults and also enjoy themselves!
The Headteacher, ably supported by her senior management team, leads by example, and sets high expectations for the school. Her commitment to improving life chances for all students is unswerving. This commitment is evident at every level of management in the school, and, as a result, standards have risen to levels generally well above the national average since the last inspection. Teachers and teaching assistants are dedicated to providing lessons that are stimulating, enjoyable and help most students to learn and make very good progress from average and sometimes below average attainment on entry. Whilst most students achieve very well, some of the more able students could be making better progress. The school acknowledges this and is taking action to put it right.
OFSTED Grades:
Overall effectiveness of the school: Grade 1
Achievements and standards: Grade 2
Personal development and well-being: Grade 1
Quality of provision:
Teaching and Learning: Grade 1
Curriculum and other activities: Grade 2
Care Guidance and Support: Grade 1
Leadership and Management: Grade 1
Effectiveness of boarding provision: Grade 1
Date of last inspection: 19-20th September 2006
Explanation of Ofsted grades
Grade 1 - Outstanding; Grade 2 - Good; Grade 3 - Satisfactory; Grade 4 - Inadequate.
What have we done in response to Ofsted? [top]
Ofsted highlighted two main areas for the school to develop before their next visit, which is due in the year 2010 – 2011. They recommended we broaden the vocational choices for our students and to ensure that our more able students were having their needs met. Since 2006 some of the vocational courses we have introduced are Hairdressing, Catering, BTEC Sport, BTEC Public Services, Work Related Learning and Enterprise Education. We now have a register for our Gifted and Talented students and have emphasised the importance of challenge in every lesson. Additionally there have been special activities arranged this year for these students in science and RE.
More information [top]
If you would like more information about school policies, including our policies on special educational needs and disability, admissions, finance, school food and our complaints procedure, please contact us:
By e-mail sce.prs@sceschools.com
By telephone 05751 970322
Our website www.princerupert.de
This Profile was last updated on: 17 th September 2010