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Carwarden House

Community School and Sixth Form

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School Improvement Priorities

Carwarden House Community School is responsive and sensitive to the needs and demands of our students, their parents and the five local authorities from which we accept students. We have done this by focusing on building quality relationships with all of those people and the result is:

  • students who report that they are happy, feel safe and achieve well;
  • parents who value our efforts, dedication and professionalism and who can approach us with their suggestions (which we value greatly) on how we can improve;
  • staff who are highly skilled, well-trained, flexible, caring, creative and dedicated;

The school is characterised by a can-do attitude from staff, students, parents and governors who always strive to be better.

Our Key Strategic Priorities

School leaders, staff and our Board of Trustees together determine strategic priorities each year to help us achieve our vision and to support continuous school improvement.

In the academic year 2019 / 20 these were: 
  •  Further consolidate the “Curriculum for Life’ (securing student progress).
  •  Develop an increasingly ‘person centred’ approach to the Annual Review process.
  •  Increase our capacity to respond to student’s mental health needs. 
  •  Establish a growing MAT consisting of at least 3 and up to 5 schools.  
  •  Capitalise on community partnership opportunities.

In the academic year 2020 / 21 these were:
  • Ensure the school remains COVID-secure
  • Secure effective provision within COVID-19 organisational arrangements
  • Plan to ensure the medium to long term financial security of the school without reducing the quality of provision

In the academic year 2021 / 2022 these were:
  • Ensure the schools remains COVID-secure.
  • Secure outstanding provision
  • Secure the medium / long-term financial viability of the school without reducing the quality of provision.
  • Plan to be part of a larger MAT.  

In the academic year 2022 / 2023 these are:
  1. Develop improved cohesion across all departments to create a stronger sense for all staff of a united whole school approach.
  2. Review and improve specific areas of the school’s curriculum offer.
  3. Secure improved quality assurance processes in relation to all aspects of school operation.
  4. Continue to secure the medium / long term financial viability of the school without reducing the quality of provision.
  5. Plan to be part of a larger MAT    

Recent & significant developments in relation to whole school improvement  

  • Continuous development programme delivered to build the capacity of leadership across the school, enabling middle leaders to more effectively support the senior team in raising standards.
  • Ongoing Teaching Assistant development leading to greater effectiveness of TAs within all lessons. 
  • Significant improvements in the communication and consultation with all stakeholders including parents, students and whole staff team.
  • Improved reporting to parents implemented (including introduction of Academic Review Days and significant increase in parental attendance).    
  • Continual improvement in the work experience curriculum in KS4 and Sixth Form with enhanced employer network and a corresponding increase in the number and frequency of placements. Some employment opportunities developing as a result.
  • Regular (weekly) FE college opportunities established for all Key Stage 4 & 5 students. 
  • Ongoing development of the successful partnership with Wellington College (weekly sessions with Sixth Form and CPD opportunities for staff team). New partnership with Bradfield College established. 
  • Community awarded national School Wellbeing Award – positive mental heath & wellbeing a top priority.
  • Additional income generation strategy proving successful. 
  • School able to set balanced budgets for the next financial year despite significant funding challenges without any reduction in the quality of provision or redundancies. 
  • Strength and effectiveness of governance improved securing enhanced levels of appropriate challenge & support. 
  • Increased opportunities for more students to benefit from residential opportunities. 
  • Significant refurbishment & improvements continually made to learning environment (internal & external).
  • School roll has increased from 119 in September 2017 to 160 in 2021. 

You can download a copy of the current School Improvement Plan below. 

  1. SIP Key Priorities (FINAL) 2022-23

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