John F Kennedy Catholic School

John F. Kennedy Catholic School is an 11-18 comprehensive with approximately 1120 students on roll including 220 in the Sixth Form. We are a successful school and we are proud of our results. Our recent Section 8 Ofsted inspection in March 2017 confirmed that we remain a ‘good’ school. The Diocesan Section 48 Inspection in December 2017 judged the classroom religious education and Catholic Life of the school to be ‘good’. JFK has been awarded an SSAT ‘Educational Outcomes Award’ for the second year running, in recognition of the 2015 GCSE exam results; for being in the top 20% of non-selective schools nationally in terms of average grades achieved by students.  In addition, we have been invited to join ‘Leading Edge’, the national network reserved for high performing schools.

This success is achieved by the hard work of the teachers here and the real encouragement and support which both the teachers and our parents give to the students. I place great store in the partnership which we have with parents. I also believe that it is important to create a community which values each student irrespective of ability.  It is important to me, therefore, that our students have the opportunity to achieve not only in their school work but in a variety of other ways too.

Visitors to the school frequently comment on the ethos and atmosphere they sense as they come to the school for the first time. This friendliness and sense of community is part of something wider. I am convinced that it is linked to the fact that we are a Catholic school that values the uniqueness of each member of our community.  In this way we uphold the Gospel values and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.  We are an inclusive school and appoint members of staff whatever their own beliefs provided that they are willing to support our Catholic ethos.  There is a definite culture of achievement at JFK and a real desire at all levels to embrace new ideas for the benefit of the students.

Outside the formal curriculum there are numerous opportunities for students to take part in a very wide range of activities. These include retreats, drama, sport, music, away days, exchanges, trips at home and abroad and a flourishing Duke of Edinburgh programme.

The school is heavily oversubscribed and is very highly regarded in the local community.  We invest in our school buildings to ensure our learning environment is well maintained and of a high quality.  Expectations of staff and students are high.  We do not accept poor performance in any area of our work.  As a consequence of such high quality teaching bad behaviour in the classroom is rare and we all enjoy working in this environment.  For our new staff there is a comprehensive induction programme and they feel well supported.