Assistant Headteacher

Marden High School is an 11-16 Fully Comprehensive School serving the Cullercoats, Monkhouse and Priory communities.

Our purpose as a School is:

To provide a positive and caring environment, in which all members are valued and respected.

Students are encouraged to progress towards their full potential as individuals and are prepared for life as responsible members of the community.

At Marden High we believe that:

• We are committed to the development of each student as an individual and therefore we are concerned with their personal, moral, spiritual and social growth as well as their academic education.
• The qualities of honesty, personal integrity, mutual courtesy and respect of race, gender, religion, culture and disability are fundamental to the community.
• We value our links with the local community and aim to foster and develop them further.
• We celebrate effort, achievement and initiative, giving all the opportunity to succeed and become independent.
• We endeavour to create an atmosphere where all can gain knowledge and understanding of cultural and environmental issues

School Life
 
 Approximately 900 young people attend Marden High School which occupies a pleasant site at the northern edge of Cullercoats, a small seaside town on the North East coast.  Originally built in the 1960’s as two separate schools, which are now linked, the school has a good a range of specialist facilities.  The school hosts a City Learning Centre on its site, which opened in March, 2003.  Marden High was also successful in its bid to become a specialist Media Arts College which became operational in  September, 2003 and has since redesignated and been awarded second specialisms in Mathematics and Science.  We became a partner in the North Tyneside Learning Trust in September 2010 and enjoy Trust status, with the governing body as “the employer”.
 
Our current facilities include:
Six Design and Technology rooms, six Science laboratories, three Information Technology rooms, two Gymnasia, a Learning Resource Centre which is open to the community, specialist rooms for Music and Art, a Dance/Drama Studio and Media Production Studio.  The majority of classrooms are equipped with multi media projectors/interactive whiteboards. There is a large Assembly Hall, departmental classrooms, dining hall and administration offices.  There are also extensive playing fields within the school’s site.
 
The school also includes the Deaf Support Centre for 11-16 students in North Tyneside.  As well as working in their specialist area, these students are supported in the classroom, so they can study the same lessons as other students.
 
Marden High has participated in establishing a collaboratively led Sixth Form College “Queen Alexandra Sixth Form” (QA), with two partner schools and the LA’s Further Education College.  The QA became operational in September 2010 and we are  developing a “shared” staffing model to deliver L3 qualifications.
 
As a school, we firmly believe that the environment of the school, our working space, is an important aspect affecting the quality of work we achieve.  Therefore we endeavour to make the school atmosphere as welcoming and comfortable as possible and are very active in looking for areas that require improvement, and in providing the facilities that our students need and deserve.

Marden High has always prided itself on its excellent academic results, which are consistently above the national averages, and a strength of the school.

The school is also proud of its sporting and cultural achievements, and the contributions students have made to the local community.  All students are encouraged to take part in these activities.

A wide range of winter and summer sports for both girls and boys are available and many students have the opportunity to represent the school with several achieving representative honours at District, County and International level.

The teamwork between staff and students is a key feature of the school and visitors regularly comment on the friendly atmosphere and on the purposeful work taking place all around the school.  Marden High parents want the very best for their children.  That is why they send them to this school.
 
The Curriculum
 
One of the main criteria which the Staff of Marden High wish the school to be judged by is that all students should have access to the curriculum.  This is not simply a list of subjects taught during lesson time but includes everything that the student learns, achieves or takes part in during their time with us.
 
The Governors and Staff are committed to providing a broad, balanced and high quality curriculum that is appropriate for every student.
 
Students are expected to value and respect all members of the school community at all times.
 
We ensure that:

• all students have equality of opportunity and access to all parts of the Curriculum
• competence in all aspects of the curriculum is developed to the highest possible level in everyone
• there is a variety of experience in the areas of Science, Technology, The Arts and Humanities
• at least one Modern Foreign Language is taught to all KS3 students
• personal, Social and Moral education is an integral part of the curriculum
• physical health and competitive sports are a key feature of the school’s success
• active Careers’ Guidance is promoted throughout Years 9, 10 and 11
• Students are encouraged to take part in the wide variety of trips and visits which are organised
• a host of clubs, after school teams and events are on offer
• students are encouraged to use opportunities to serve the community

Marden High is an excellent school

Marden High School has high standards and all members of the school community expect the very best from each other.  We expect students to work hard, to respect other people’s right to learn, to make the most of the wonderful opportunities on offer during their school career here, and to enjoy themselves.  We have great success in achieving these expectations.

Perhaps that is why there are always more students who want to come here than we have places for.