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About Sidney Stringer Academy

Sidney Stringer Academy is a large, multicultural, non-denominational school that is highly regarded within its community.  Despite the fact that it serves a deprived area, the high expectations permeate all parts of school life and all students achieve incredibly well.

Building on Sidney Stringer’s reputation for innovation and success, and its commitment to meeting the needs of its diverse student population, the Academy offers a fresh approach to learning, a flexible and rich curriculum, investment in the latest ICT equipment and learning support systems, and state-of-the-art facilities in new buildings, to help raise standards of achievement among all students. All students at Sidney Stringer Academy have their own Chromebooks and these are used very well in lessons to enhance learning and progress.

Student places

There are 1450 students including a new sixth-form offering 350 places. The Academy is an all-inclusive school, welcoming students from all backgrounds, of all faiths or none, and of all abilities, operating under Coventry City Council’s Admissions policy.

Standards

Student achievement at Sidney Stringer is high, particularly in reference to their starting points. The Progress 8 score is well above the national average. Results at Key Stages 4 in 2022 were the highest they have ever been, despite the fact that students had experienced the Covid lockdowns. During Covid lockdowns, our remote attendance was 96% and so, students did not fall behind during this time at all. Staff are constantly striving to give students the very best and this makes our academy quite special. Sidney Stringer Academy is a remarkable and inspirational place to work.

Ethos, vision, and values

Our aim is to raise every student’s expectations and achievements, whatever their needs, talents, strengths, and weaknesses, by providing high-quality inclusive education in every curriculum area. The Academy will also foster in them a sense of the value of education in school and, as they look to their futures, in the worlds of work and further and higher education. Diversity is a real strength of the Academy, with respect at the heart of our values; to be expected of and owed to everyone in the community. Students will also be encouraged to have a sense of pride and belonging in their community. All students and staff live by our DRIVE values of Determination, Respect, Integrity, Virtue, and Equality.

Curriculum

The academy has a two-year KS3 curriculum and a three-year KS4 programme with pathways for students to enable all to achieve. There will be additional numeracy and literacy support for those students who need it to achieve the expected levels. Students will sit exams each year in many subjects with the opportunity to take new options on an annual basis.
We offer a wide range of courses including BTEC and diplomas. The range of options for our students is excellent so that students can choose something in which they have a genuine interest.

At post 16 we are continuing to expand our offer and we are offering T levels starting from September 2023. We are one of the first 6th form providers to do this nationally.

History of the predecessor school

Stringer School opened in 1971 as the first urban community school in England. Its mission as a community school was to serve the whole population of the community, not just the children, through open access to educational provision and all facilities seven days a week, for most of the year. Learners of all ages worked together, and a crèche supported those adults with young children.

The school was named after Alderman Sidney Stringer, a former mayor of Coventry who dedicated himself to the rebuilding of the city after the devastation of the Second World War. The school was Coventry’s expression of commitment to one of its poorest communities, very much in the spirit of Sidney Stringer’s own vision of hope and renewal.

This attachment to the school has never wavered, despite some difficult times in the 1980s and early 1990s when hardship, deprivation, and crime were all too common features of the local area.

A serious fire in September 2007 destroyed 40% of the building. However, the school was quickly equipped with high new quality accommodation, which will serve us well until we move into the new buildings.

As an Academy, it is important that we do not lose sight of these values and ethos but we build on them.

Reasons to Choose Sidney Stringer Academy

Below is a list of reasons to choose Sidney Stringer Academy:

• Excellent progress at KS4
• Excellent value added at KS5
• Outstanding sixth from

Outstanding Leadership and Management

Outstanding Personal Development

• All of our students who wanted to go to University were accepted on courses
• Fully staffed with qualified teachers. We are our own teacher training provider ensuring a constant flow of teachers into our school

• Largest number of support staff to assist students in the city

• Tutor groups of no more than 20 so excellent pastoral care with a Year Lead and Year assistant to support
• Student leadership opportunities
• A rich diversity of extracurricular activities
• All staff and students have a Chromebook