Learning Mentor (SEND)

“The school’s values run through its work like the proverbial letters through a stick of seaside rock.” – Ofsted, November 2016

Principal

David Tungate

Context

Nottingham Girls’ Academy is situated in Aspley, Nottingham but attracts pupils from all over Nottingham. The current Year 7 has pupils from 48 different primary schools.

Around 44% of our pupils are from disadvantaged backgrounds and a high proportion (about 60%) have English as an Additional Language. This is an inner-city school, but we work hard to ensure that is not an excuse for poor progress or low standards. We celebrate our diversity and are proud of who we are.

The school has approximately 820 pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 and is over subscribed. The main building was opened in 2012 and is incredibly well equipped with interactive whiteboards in every classroom and well over 400 laptops and desktops, as well as plentiful subject-specific resources.

Mission and Values

At Nottingham Girls’ Academy, we strive to fulfil everyone’s learning potential within a kind, nurturing and inclusive environment. We value high standards, hard work and a ceaseless desire to improve. But, most importantly, we enjoy the journey together.

Curriculum

We recognise that qualifications often act as the currency pupils require when they move on to the next phase of life. But in order for our pupils to do so with confidence and ambition, we believe that education must be about more than just academic success; we aim to develop the whole person. Our curriculum therefore nurtures the development of qualities and skills alongside the acquisition of knowledge. It is broad and balanced, develops ‘cultural capital’ with enrichment activities and is complemented by an extensive range of extra-curricular activities and events. Pupils’ well-being is supported through superb pastoral care and student support services.

Learning

Our teachers are trained in the latest cognitive science and how to apply this to support effective learning in their subject.

Colleagues regularly share their ideas and are encouraged to carry out and apply research to their teaching through the teaching and learning steering group.

Staff Development

Our Mission consciously speaks of the development of everyone’s learning potential – meaning this applies to our staff as well as our pupils. We therefore encourage all staff to think about how they want to develop themselves and their career and actively seek to facilitate this through coaching, support and CPD.

Workload

We want our staff to focus on the parts of their jobs that make a difference to our pupils, and we want them to be happy. Main-scale teachers receive 4 hours of PPA time a week and NQTs and TLR holders receive additional time on top. We try to minimise paperwork and bureaucracy for all staff and constantly keep this under review. All staff have a laptop and 24hr access to the Academy network to allow flexibility in how they chose to work.

Behaviour and Attitudes

Our focus is on encouraging positive behaviours and attitudes. Staff do so by using praise, recognition and rewards. Where negative behaviour or attitudes are evident, we clarify our expectations with the pupil, give them the opportunity to take responsibility and ask them to demonstrate they have learned from their mistake by showing the appropriate behaviour and attitudes in the future. However, if negative behaviour and attitudes persist, we apply a range of sanctions to reinforce our expectations.

Greenwood Academies Trust

Nottingham Girls’ Academy is part of the Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT). GAT currently has 35 open academies educating approximately 17,000 pupils across seven local authorities. GAT is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and was formed in 2009.