Academy Business Manager

Highams Park School is a mixed 11-18 comprehensive school serving the local area.

On the 1st October 2011 it became an Academy. As an Academy it is run by Highams Park Academy Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee. The Highams Park Academy Trust is the equivalent of the Governing Body for the school.

There are over 1,600 pupils and students including approximately 500 in the 6th Form. The school is very popular and normally receives around 5 applications for every 1 place in the school. The school regularly achieves excellent exam results that usually place it at the top of the local area school performance tables. Most of the 6th Form go on to university, some to the most prestigious.

We aim to provide a calm but purposeful atmosphere with a clearly defined pattern of behaviour and dress. Considerable emphasis is placed on developing caring and considerate attitudes in our pupils. We recognise the value of the individual and make every effort to provide opportunities for children to succeed not only in academic work but also in every aspect of life. The staff have high expectations and we organise a rigorous curriculum to stretch every pupil. Children's progress is carefully monitored and their progress is reported regularly to parents. The school aims to challenge and stretch every pupil from those with learning difficulties to the talented or very able. The curriculum is carefully balanced and aims to prepare children to go out into a challenging technological society equipped with the relevant attitudes and skills.

We believe that schoolwork cannot always be completed during the school day and therefore a programme of homework is organised for all pupils, which takes account of their age and ability. Tasks are set to do at home which may include assignments and investigative work as well as more traditional work.

We place considerable emphasis on parental involvement in education and we see the whole process as a partnership. The pastoral system is organised in such a way that parents have contact throughout the five years with one tutor who will know their children's needs and problems. Any parent is welcome to discuss a problem with the tutor of the Head of Year as appropriate. As well as the usual pattern of Open Evenings there is considerable parental consultation throughout the year.

In order to achieve our aim of overall development for each pupil a comprehensive range of extra-curricular activities is organised by the staff. These include participation in every major sport, dance, drama, music and a variety of clubs. These take place before school, at lunchtime, after school and on Saturday mornings. There are also opportunities for the children to participate in residential courses, field work and educational visits.

We are extremely proud of the pupils` achievements and the facilities available for them. Their achievements are made possible through the dedicated hard work of the highly talented and professional teachers that we are lucky to have at Highams Park.