Learning Communities

The school is organised into six vertical Learning Communities:

  • Mercury
  • Nobel
  • Olivier
  • Olympic
  • Stirling
  • Turner

Each Learning Community has 10 tutor groups led by a Head of Learning who is responsible for the welfare and progress of all students in their Learning Community.   All students are placed in a tutor group made up of 24 students from Years 7 to 13.   Each group is led by a tutor who is the first point of contact for parents and carers.

The Heads of Learning Communities are supported, guided and line managed by Key Stage Leaders.   Key Stage Leaders will have ‘oversight’ over two year groups, and will be responsible for ‘Year specific’ events such as Year 6 to 7 Transition, Options and UCAS arrangements for the Sixth Form. 

The Pastoral Curriculum comprises of three key areas:

  • Personal, Social Health & Citizenship Education (PSHCEE) Programme
  • Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL)
  • Academic Mentoring

The PSHCEE programme is primarily delivered through Super Learning days.  This means that all students will work on an important topic for a full school day.   Super Learning days usually take place once every half term.  They include a range of tasks and activities, some of which will be organised and led by visiting speakers.   The Head of PSHCEE  and Economic Well-Being Co-ordinator (WWI) will organise the Super Learning days working with the Heads of Learning Communities.

SEAL has been introduced to help students to develop the skills and qualities they need to help them manage their lives and learning more effectively.  There are five key social and emotional aspects of learning:

  • Self awareness
  • Managing feelings
  • Motivation
  • Empathy
  • Social Skills

There will be a daily tutorial session (except Tuesdays) for all students in their tutor groups between lesson 2 and break.  This is called Vertical Tutor time (VT time).  This will involve the entire tutor group working together.   It is expected that students are fully engaged in appropriate learning activities based broadly on the SEAL Tutorial Programme.  This will be determined by individual Heads of Learning and may include the following:

  • Circle time
  • Literacy
  • Competitions
  • Peer Mentoring
  • Being Prepared and Ready to Learn
  • Class discussions
  • School Council
  • Current affairs
  • Presentations by individuals or groups

During VT time the register is taken, planners, attendance registers and class monitoring sheets are checked and pupils prepare for learning.  Whole school expectations and school code of conduct should be reinforced.

Academic Mentoring has been introduced to help students improve progress, raise attainment, achieve subject targets and take more responsibility for their own learning.   The mentoring session takes place each week on a Tuesday afternoon from 2.30 until 3.00pm.  These are organised for different Year groups on a rota basis.    In the first week Year 7 students will meet with their tutor.   The school will finish for the other students at 2.30pm.    In the following weeks a different Year group will stay for the mentoring session in accordance with the school calendar.   This means that each tutor will have ‘deep learning conversations’ with their tutees, on a ‘one to one’, or small group basis, once every half term.  The conversations should be relevant, reflective, positive and supportive, and guided by the principles which underpin SEAL.

Assemblies

Assemblies take place during vertical tutor time.   Each Learning Community will have one assembly once every two weeks.  There will be occasional assemblies throughout the year which will focus on specific year related events such as Year 9 Options or Sixth Form UCAS.   A rota of teachers taking assemblies is constructed before the beginning of each term.  Themes for the week are published for the term ahead.