Deputy Headteacher - School Improvement

Cockermouth School rightly puts learning and individual achievement at the heart of all it does. We are extremely proud of the academic achievements of our students who, for many years, have been performing above national levels.

The school is a High Performing school at the centre of its community, and we pride ourselves on it being a happy and purposeful environment in which to learn. At Cockermouth School, we also aim to discover and develop the range of talents our students bring with them, giving them confidence, self-esteem and the ability to work as part of a team.

We believe that our success is built on five key principles:

• Everyone is honest and treats others with respect
• Everyone should do their best and aim to improve on their previous best
• Everyone sets high standards. High aspirations are encouraged
• Everyone feels supported and a secure, caring environment exists for all
• Everyone should enjoy their work and learning experiences

Our mission statement, ‘A Community where Individuals matter’, is core to our values and beliefs.

Our aim is to make learning both stimulating and enjoyable, and our curriculum is both broad and balanced, designed to ensure all students maximise their full potential.

We believe that children learn best when:

• they are happy
• they are confident and understand what they are being asked to do
• they are treated with respect
• the school, classroom, learning opportunity is well ordered
• there are a wide variety of learning opportunities and experiences
• they are appropriately challenged
• they work in a stimulating environment

Our staff are well qualified, dedicated and specialists in their subject area. They give of their time generously to personalise the learning experience for our students.

Homework and independent study is an integral part of learning, and we ensure that it is set and marked regularly. We want to encourage students to establish skills of independent learning from the start of their time at Cockermouth School and are pleased that parents support us, and their children, in this.

We recognise that our students require access to the most innovative technologies as they prepare for the world of work in the 21st century. During their time at Cockermouth School, our students are taught how to use ICT confidently in all subject areas. All classrooms have interactive whiteboards, and there are numerous networked ICT specialist rooms. We have a multi media room for digital work and the school’s Eco Centre provides the latest technologies, including a high quality video conference system.

Care, guidance and support are all outstanding at Cockermouth School and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of Pastoral care. This starts with the transition from Primary school where we ensure that a carefully planned induction process takes place.

Our tutorial system, working closely through Heads of Year, allows us to get to know our students as individuals, and we closely monitor both their academic and pastoral needs. Students with special needs, including our most gifted and talented, are provided with close and personalised support and enrichment programmes. We have a high number of Teaching Assistants, and a Learning Support department which works closely to support all students with specific learning, physical, sensory or emotional difficulties. This includes a strategically resourced Autistic facility which serves families from all of West Cumbria.

Standards remain very high at Cockermouth School and the school is a calm, civilised and tolerant place. We have high expectations of our students in everything they do, and staff and students have excellent relationships.

We place real emphasis on providing our students with additional educational experiences. Regular music concerts, school shows and Rock Challenge allow our artistic students to flourish,  and opportunities exist to join the many lunchtime and after school clubs and societies.  We encourage all students to become involved in our countless enrichment activities: Sporting fixtures, drama, art and musical activities, cultural trips and visits, and residential visits both at home and abroad are available.  In addition, we have developed a programme of holiday sporting, cultural and study activities.

Our students leave school with the requisite qualifications and extra curricular experiences . . . and more.

We place great emphasis on our Student Council, giving students the opportunity, and responsibility, to become involved in the management of their school. Students have an enhanced awareness of environmental and sustainable issues as a result of our Green Flag eco school status, and forge international links through our partnerships with overseas schools.

Above all, our students have an extremely strong sense of community, the benefit of which cannot be under-estimated as we are a totally inclusive community, and this strength will serve them in whatever they chose to do.