SCIENCE
As a Science Academy we aim to create a challenging environment which will raise standards of achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in science and mathematics for all students, leading to whole school improvements in performance.
We will provide a centre of excellence in science and mathematics beyond the age of 16 and provide them with appropriate learning pathways so that they develop the skills needed to be active citizens within an increasingly scientific world and to progress into employment, further training and higher education according to their individual abilities, aptitudes and ambitions.
APPLIED LEARNING STATUS
As a Science Academy we aim to create a challenging environment which will raise standards of achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in science and mathematics for all students, leading to whole school improvements in performance. We will provide a centre of excellence in science and mathematics beyond the age of 16 and provide them with appropriate learning pathways so that they develop the skills needed to be active citizens within an increasingly scientific world and to progress into employment, further training and higher education according to their individual abilities, aptitudes and ambitions.
As a high performing school, Greensward was redesignated with Applied Learning Status in September 2008. The additional funding that this specialism attracts is dedicated to developing an ethos and achievement within a vocational framework.
We are improving all students’ access to quality vocational qualifications and work relating learning, delivering BTEC in subjects as diverse as Retail and Bricklaying, NVQs in Salon Services and Beauty and Applied GCSEs in Business and OCR
National Diplomas in Applied Science.
We seek to promote the benefits of vocational education to all learners regardless of their academic background and ensure the highest quality of professional development for all staff so that the benefits of vocational education can raise students’ attainment across the curriculum.
LEADING EDGE STATUS
The Leading Edge Partnership programme has been established to identify, extend and spread innovation and excellence in the secondary sector so that standards of teaching and learning continue to improve in schools across the country.
Schools in the programme are at the forefront of the drive to reform secondary education and these schools will lead the way, helping to transform the face of education in their local areas. This will enable us to continue to be an active contributor to local and national developments, to share resources and disseminate good practice among local families of schools and their communities.
TRAINING SCHOOL STATUS
Training School status supports the development and extension of all teacher training activities, enabling us to promote the employment based route into teaching, through the Graduate Training Programme and to recruit and retain good quality teachers to ensure that our students are taught by competent and inspiring staff.
The key aspect of our Training School initiative is the use of new technologies in the training programme, whereby the setting up of ‘virtual classrooms’ will enable trainees to observe outstanding lessons, taught by skilled, experienced teachers. At the same time these, and lessons taught by trainees, will be recorded for future use as training materials.
Greensward is a member of the Mid Essex SCITT Consortium and works in collaboration with eight other schools in our area to train new teachers in subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, ICT and Modern Foreign Languages.