Education Brief

Education Brief

May 2008


HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM ACADEMY



Executive Summary

Introduction & Contextual Setting

The Academy is co-sponsored by the Mercers’ Company and the Information Technologists’ Company. The educational expertise and commercial experience of the Mercers and Information Technologists will establish the Academy on a proven educational vision and strong business/ entrepreneurial principles. The synergy of the sponsors working together will establish a unique Academy that will further develop the innovative approaches to education pioneered by Thomas Telford School and its partner academies in Walsall and Sandwell, and draw on the work of both sponsors in supporting and sponsoring specialist education in London schools.

The Academy will be a new build, with no migration from an existing secondary school. The construction of the Academy will be developed on the site of an un-used young offenders’ institute and will involve the demolition of the existing building. The opening of the Academy in September 2011 will precede the local authority’s BSF programme by one year.

The sponsors’ choice for specialist status of - Creative & Digital Media and Information technology – provides a strong focus for the curriculum that actively promotes enterprise and innovation. The core mission is to:

‘Develop the talents of all its students to the full and to raise educational standards, through effective practice and the innovative use of Information and Communication Technology.’

The sponsors’ investment in education is a clear commitment to support the Local Authority’s re-generation plans for the local community. Whilst there are families living in the borough who enjoy significant wealth, there are also significant levels of deprivation. In 2003, 36% of households received less than £10,000 per annum gross household income whilst the borough was ranked fourth highest in London for average house prices.

School transfer data and a recent NFER survey commissioned by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham provide clear evidence that a significant proportion of parents send or are thinking of sending their child to a school outside the borough, despite closeness to home and academic performance being stated as the two most important considerations for parents when choosing a school.

The aim of Hammersmith & Fulham Academy is to more than fill this gap in provision by establishing a local school where excellence is the norm; thereby, transforming the level of confidence of parents/carers and their children in locally provided secondary education.

The academic achievement of students in the borough as a whole at the end of Key Stage 4 is above the national average. However, the results of four community schools presents a somewhat different performance picture with only 28 percent of students achieve 5+A*-C grades, including English and mathematics, in 2006, improving to 40% in 2007.

A strong identity with the local community’s needs and aspirations is reflected in the Academy’s educational vision to deliver high standards of education, strong leadership and governance. The involvement of parents/carers in the learning partnership from the outset will reinforce support for the child, strengthening shared values and expectations. Parental/Carer engagement in supporting the educational values and contributing to the ethos of the Academy is essential.

In summary, the Academy is designed to deliver transformation in two areas:

· The provision of a secondary school in the middle of Hammersmith and Fulham which raises standards of performance and is attractive to parents, reversing the current parental preference to send their children out of borough for secondary school education.

· The use of ICT to enable learning, fit for the 21st century, and acting as a beacon to
schools in England and elsewhere in the provision of a vibrant, rewarding and high achieving learning culture.

The potential benefits, which a Mercers’ Company and Information Technologists’ Company sponsored Academy will bring to the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, are impressive and significant. The academy will be committed to educational advancement for the local area, and the raising of standards and the specialism of Creative and Digital Media and Information Technology will be a very positive addition to the Borough’s secondary school offer and will encourage employment in local creative industries.

The development of the Educational Brief has been undertaken in close consultation with both the Local Authority (to reflect the needs and aspirations of the local community) and with Thomas Telford School, educational advisers to the project, who will bring the key features of a distinctive and successful educational approach to combine with the sponsors’ technological and other educational expertise. The key elements of the Thomas Telford approach are mapped against the contents of this brief in Appendix 1.
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1.0 Education Vision

1.1 The sponsors’ choice of the specialist status - Creative and Digital Media and Information Technology - reflects the core mission and educational values of the Academy to:

‘Develop the talents of all its students to the full and to raise educational standards, through effective practice, proven methods and the innovative use of Information and Communication Technology.’

1.2 The application and use of new and emerging technologies will ensure that the Academy has a reputation as a world-class leader in 21st century education. The learning environment, rich in digital and creative media technology, will enhance learning and develop students’ vocational skills through the promotion of enterprise and innovation.

1.3 Core Mission
The Sponsors will ensure, through strong leadership and governance that the Academy achieves high standards of attainment, developing into a centre of excellence readily challenging underachievement and being characterised by:

· Good academic/vocational balance that maximises the use of technology;
· School design that creates a flexible and effective learning environment, enabling a range of productive teaching and learning styles in classrooms, open-plan and specialist areas that enable and maximise opportunities for independent and personalised learning;
· Highly qualified and experienced staff committed to and supported in researching, developing, implementing and evaluating innovative practice, enabled by premier conditions of service, access to nearby childcare facilities and shared staff and student working and social spaces;
· Purposeful preparation for a life of work and citizenship that fosters entrepreneurial behaviour and encourages employment in creative industries.

1.4 The Academy will be an all-ability school that will foster self-confidence and provide the challenge and motivation needed to help staff and students aspire to excellence in all areas of their performance. The Academy strongly believes in the development of a ‘can-do’ and entrepreneurial culture and learning will be structured to challenge underachievement at all ability levels.

1.5 The student ‘voice’ will be to the fore ensuring ownership and active engagement in their learning through a democratically elected council and peer mentoring. The early establishment of individual roles and responsibilities will help ensure the students’ sense of ownership of (and pride in) their own performance, increasing their social awareness and understanding of a range of different cultures within their learning community.

1.6 Personalised learning is to be at the heart of the Academy's drive to raise standards. Students will take responsibility for their learning and will be closely supported by a well-designed and resourced modular on-line curriculum, with regular feedback on progress, frequent reports and rapid response service for parents/carers and close tutorial support in setting targets and coaching for success.

1.7 The curriculum will be tailored to the needs of individual students, including the gifted and talented and those with special educational needs. Where appropriate, students will have opportunities to make choices about the focus of their learning, accelerate their studies or explore special interests in greater depth. Students leaving the Academy will have the following profile:

· a strong portfolio of accredited achievement;
· a highly developed sense of responsibility for (and pride in) their own performance;
· excellent communication skills, including through the use of digital technologies;
· well developed skills of inquiry and problem solving.

1.8 The academy curriculum will exhibit distinctive features alongside core subjects, via the new Creative and Digital Media and Information Technology specialised Diplomas, and aimed at providing broad, experiential learning that enables students to apply their knowledge and skills effectively, as they progress into Further and Higher Education and future employment.

1.9 The Academy will embrace a healthy schools philosophy to secure the physical, emotional and intellectual well-being of all staff and students in line with the best practices envisaged by the Government in its "Every Child Matters" strategy. The establishment of a strong, enduring relationship with the students and their families is to be a distinctive element of the Academy's approach to successful student support.

1.10 The design of the Academy will be based on the needs of the curriculum and the physical environment will provide a good range of varied, specialist learning facilities. Proven Information and Communications Technology will support learning on the Academy premises, through the virtual Academy, at home through remote access extranet facilities, and at off-site premises, such as work placements, extra-curricular venues and local businesses.

1.11 Whilst an early priority is to establish the Academy as a centre of excellence, the Sponsors intend that the Academy will be an outward looking institution, including staff and the local community in active lifelong learning.

2.0 Ethos

2.1 The agreed ethos and core values for the Academy will be a driving force in establishing innovative and high quality education that actively supports higher standards of attainment across the ability spectrum. These shared values and expectations will have a direct impact on the decisions relating to the design and implementation of the Academy and will shape the day to day organisation and management of a productive climate for learning.

2.2 The governing body will demonstrate effective, enabling governance, drawing on sponsors’ networks and empowering the Head/Principal in his/her running of the school. Openness in policies and procedures will reflect a genuine commitment to a meaningful dialogue with stakeholders, including parents and the local community.

The following core values are to be an integral part of the daily routines and procedures where shared expectations form the basis of a code of conduct/standards of behaviour:

· Commitment to the highest standards across the whole academy community;
· Foster self-confidence and provide the challenge and motivation needed to help students aspire to excellence in all areas of their performance;
· Recognise the right of every child and young person (irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or disability) to be valued and respected;
· Promote an ethos of inspirational leadership and professionalism at all levels;
· A learning environment that supports learning whenever and wherever it is needed;
· A sustainable approach to academy design, construction, operation and long-term maintenance;
· Promote a positive approach to personalised learning for all students;
· Support for the Every Child Matters agenda with high regard for pupil safety and security;
· A learning culture where student innovation and achievement is recognised and openly celebrated by all; and where the individual is safe and secure to learn and is confident to express positive ideas.

2.3.1 Staff and students will work in close proximity to one another providing necessary and appropriate support to enable effective thinking and learning. For example, there will be a flat management structure, no central staff room, with shared dining spaces available throughout the school day. The high profile of staff in and around the Academy will help ensure a positive climate for learning and that outines and procedures, are clearly defined and consistently applied. Staff would be paid for covering classes instead of using supply staff.

2.3.2 The academy will have a strong commitment to continuing professional development for staff, to ensure high standards of teaching and the application of new and emerging technologies and support the drive for excellence and an international reputation. Time over and above national norms will be allocated to training, in addition to a day a week for staff preparation and planning. The Academy will seek to engage in teacher training initiatives and develop leadership and professionalism at all levels.

3.0 School Organisation

3.1.1 Structure
The Academy will open in September 2011, admitting students into year 7 and year 12 initially and building to a full school by 2016.

3.1.2 The identified school site and the number of secondary pupil places needed in the area dictates a population of 780 pupils with a standard admission number of 120 each year with 180 in the sixth form. Years 7 to 11 will each comprise 4 forms of entry organised into 5 or 6 teaching groups, dependent on subject area.

3.1.3 The Academy will provide visionary, innovative leadership and management that is both responsive and accountable: it will therefore exhibit a flat management structure. The Academy will have a Governing Body, Principal and Senior Leadership Team. An outline staffing plan can be found in Appendix 2 (indicative only).

3.1.4 Senior managers will each have responsibility for areas of the curriculum, ensuring that the leadership team is directly accountable to the Head/Principal (on behalf of the Governing Body) for standards of learning in the Academy. In addition, each member of the leadership team will carry responsibility for an area of whole school management, providing quality assurance measures in aspects of:
· teaching and learning, professional development and performance management;
· qualifications, assessment and achievement;
· effective tutoring and mentoring;
· parent, community, business and external links.

3.1.5 The Academy envisages that virtually all staff will have a close relationship with students through a vertical tutoring system, reflecting the small size of the Academy and helping to create the intended unified and inclusive learning community ethos.

3.1.6 The Academy will introduce innovative approaches to teaching and learning, incorporating a business approach to education, typified by the encouragement of enterprise activities and a professional/commercial house style where sixth formers will follow the same professional dress code as staff.

3.1.7 The adoption of a range of teaching methods will be made possible through the procurement of a variety of room sizes with flexible screens and/or movable walls that open out to make larger learning bases, standard classrooms and rooms for smaller group/1-2-1 working, facilitating a range of pedagogical approaches.

3.2 Time Management

3.2.1 In order to deliver the curriculum effectively and for students to achieve the highest standards, the Academy will operate an extended day of three sessions. This structure to the learning day is designed to support a modular curriculum where students will experience appropriate individual, class and team-taught learning supported at all levels by integrated ICT. This model has been deployed to good effect in other academies supported by the Mercers and is based on the Thomas Telford approach.

3.2.2 Sessions will be longer than the norm, of either 3 or 1.5 hours duration, significantly reducing the time spent moving between lessons and allowing students time to explore topics in greater depth using a variety of investigative learning styles. This will also facilitate offsite learning (e.g. for aspects of the sport and PE curriculum). Each student will have a minimum 30 hour taught week with in addition to tutorial time.

3.2.3 The final session of the Academy day will provide opportunities for pupils to follow structured further activities, study beyond the core timetable, undertake private study/homework, engage in additional learning (e.g. revision classes) and also participate in a range of extra-curricular activities and clubs.

3.3 Pastoral Support

3.3.1 The establishment of a strong, enduring relationship with the students and their families will be a distinctive element of the Academy's approach to successful student support.

3.3.2 A vertical family personal tutor/mentor system, based on highly successful systems established at St Paul’s (London) Schools and Thomas Telford School, will be established where both individual academic performance and personal well-being can be continuously monitored and supported. Business mentorship and coaching opportunities will also be developed through the sponsors’ professional links to the world of work.

3.3.3 Students will reflect on and review their learning regularly, guided and supported by their tutor/mentor and by the Academy’s e-portfolio system. These e-portfolios will generate monthly progress reports for parents and will enable individual students’ study and progress targets to be tracked.

3.3.4 The Academy strongly endorses the ‘Healthy Schools Programme’ and will provide staff and students with high quality sustenance and refreshment throughout the day, from breakfast, through readily-available fresh drinking water to after-school activities. The restaurant will serve high quality, nourishing food, and a ‘rolling break’ system will remove queuing and ensure that students will have sufficient time to eat and take breaks.

3.3.5 All members of the Academy will be encouraged to participate in regular exercise as part of a healthy life-style. Walking and cycling to the Academy will be advocated as part of as part of the Academy Travel Plan. Sport and fitness facilities will be provided on site and health education will feature within the curriculum.

3.4 Management & Supervision

3.4.1 All students of the Academy will be entitled to work in a safe and supportive environment where everyone is valued. Effective learning will take place where expectations will be high and standards of behaviour will be clearly communicated, reinforced and rewarded. Shared expectations and standards of behaviour will be clearly set out in charters for parents/carers and for students.

3.4.2 The management and supervision policies of the Academy will include:
· Attendance and punctuality
· Uniform and dress code
· Teacher/pupil compact
· Home/school contract
· Behaviour, discipline and sanctions
· Health and safety and pupil welfare
· Use of the school building and equipment
· Homework

4.0 ICT Vision

4.1 ICT will play an integral role in supporting learning, in order to prepare students for the challenges of living in a knowledge-based world and economy, in which technology will have transformed virtually all aspects of life and work.

4.2 The Vision for ICT is one where technology enables innovation. The culture of the use of ICT will see students use it as a tool to enable expressions of creativity, whilst supporting new ideas and new ways of doing things. It will:

· Empower students to take responsibility for their own learning and for tracking their own progress
· Enable the innovative, creative use of Digital Media as transformative tools
· Interconnect with local & global communities
· Provide teachers with the tools for assessment for learning
· Support administrative and infrastructure needs
· Support teachers’ research and reflective practice

4.3 The curriculum will provide a variety of opportunities for individualised learning pathways to develop, but it is the application of leading-edge ICT to create a Virtual Academy learning environment that will provide the catalyst for the transformation of the learning process. This ‘Virtual Academy’, which will be available 24/7/365, will provide ready and reliable access to the Academy’s information systems for students, staff and parents, whether in school, at home or elsewhere, and provide them with a ‘portal’ to the Academy’s on-line curriculum and all the tools and information they need to manage their own work and learning.

4.4 ICT will provide all learners with tools to work collaboratively and creatively in a variety of media, allowing them to share and discuss ideas with their teachers and peers to consolidate their understanding. They will gain experience of working on extended projects which connect with their own community, with the opportunity for self reflection and evaluation, and online assessment by mentors, national and international peers.

4.5 ICT will also be used to create a fully inclusive environment that supports students who have English as a second language and those with additional needs. It will provide a flexible range of tools that are required for learners at various stages of language development.

4.6 The use of ICT will enhance the learners’ self esteem and motivation by allowing them to use a variety of communication and learning styles (linguistic, visual, auditory and kinaesthetic), whilst also helping to improve their core functional skills of Numeracy and Literacy.

4.7 The integrated and convergent nature of the ICT systems at the Academy will create an extremely data-rich organisation to support all aspects of teaching and learning, assessment, monitoring, evaluation and standards. ICT will play a significant role amongst staff and will be a prime vehicle for professional development. The Academy will also become a resource for teachers working in other schools and colleges locally, regionally and nationally.

4.8 The Academy will be a key ICT-rich ‘hub’ in the local area, allowing it to offer lifelong learning opportunities to those that may not have access to such high quality resources or support.

4.9 Back office, administration and security systems will be driven by ICT. Access to the premises will be enabled by the latest technology; communal and entrance areas to the school will reflect the creative, media and ICT specialisms of the school.


5.0 Working with other Schools & the wider Community

5.1 The Sponsors seek to develop a design for an Academy that is outward looking, creating a ‘learning organisation at the heart of the community’. This commitment will seek on-going cooperation with, despite independence from, the Local authority – where appropriate engaging in consultation and making an active contribution to the strategic planning process to enhance education provision within the Borough.

5.2 The Academy is committed to securing active support and large-scale parental involvement, together with teaching and learning that involves remote experts and learning that brings the students to face community and cultural influences.

5.3 From the outset the Academy will set about transforming the quality of education and training through collaborative work with partner schools and academies, including borough secondary schools. Curriculum networks will also be enabled to support the sharing of good practice, resources for learning and classroom innovation.

5.4 Close links will be forged with the network of local primary schools, nurseries and children’s centres to ensure the smooth transition between Key Stages, placing great emphasis on personalised learning and establishing continuity in terms of an individual’s learning needs.

5.5 To support community involvement, the Academy will aim to offer evening classes to raise the skills level of local residents and encourage continued participation in learning. This is seen as a key element in building respect and desire for learning between students and their parents and community groups. The Academy will seek to be actively involved in the re-generation of the area through community use so that the school is recognised as a vital part of the social and economic development of the area for all families.

5.6 To support the vocational opportunities for learning, strong links are to be built between the Academy and the business community, engaging experts from many walks of life to support and enrich curriculum provision. The establishment of business partnerships through work experience/internship initiatives will enable technological and entrepreneurial skills to be applied in the business environment (e.g. innovation clubs, Young Enterprise, business challenges) - providing first hand, practical ‘hands on’ experience for students.

5.7 By working in close partnership with major businesses, universities and colleges specialising in these areas, the aspirations of pupils to enter further and higher education in order to gain skilled employment with such companies will be strengthened, so helping transform the economic well-being of people living the borough.

6.0 SEN & Inclusion

6.1 The Academy recognises the right of every child and young person (irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or disability) to be included as a valued, respected and equal member of the learning community. The Academy will work within the framework of the Local Authority's SEN policies and resourcing to offer an inclusive education for students and where appropriate provide access for students with physical disabilities, including wheelchair users.

6.2 The design of the building and the Academy's use of new technology will maximise access to the curriculum and promote learning for all its pupils. A robust approach will be applied to SEN that provides for prompt assessment and access to appropriate specialist SEN teaching, facilities and classroom support. The sponsors will explore how best to use ICT & assistive technology to enable Academy students with disabilities to maximise their life-chances and take full advantage of opportunities to excel in their learning.

6.3 The Academy will identify gifted and talented students and provide them with targeted support. They will also be encouraged to work with the two St Paul’s Schools and other external specialist bodies, enabling them to pursue their specialist interests inside and outside the Academy.

6.4 A range of strategies will be deployed to help and compensate students overcome disadvantages experienced as a result of socio-economic deprivation within the local community. Strategies will include a combination of an inspirational curriculum engaging the learner, offering ‘hands on’ practical application of skills; a strong supportive pastoral team; adoption of a whole school ethos that celebrates achievement and provides the motivation to succeed; a commitment to engage stakeholders particularly parents and carers in a ‘partnership for learning’; and sensitive application of learner support funds.

6.5 The school will contribute to the borough’s multi-agency approach to children, families and the community as part of its strategy to ensure it delivers all aspects of the ECM agenda for all its students.

7.0 Curriculum Analysis

7.1 The school will organise and implement a curriculum that draws on best practice of the modular curriculum employed in other academies associated with the Mercers’ Company, together with elements from integrated curriculum models in Key Stage 3 such as those deployed at Lilian Baylis Technology School (sponsored by the Information Technologists), where the RSA’s Opening Minds Curriculum and the QCA’s ‘Curriculum Big Picture’ approach are used. These will inform the senior staff as they plan learning experiences, in which students will be encouraged to apply their learning and ideas to business and real-life environments.

7.2 Academy students will experience enhanced learning in a local, virtual and global context through a “virtual learning space” which will enable students to move seamlessly between face-to-face learning and their homes.

7.3 The time provisionally allocated to different curriculum areas for space and staff planning purposes is detailed in Appendix 3. Each student will experience a 30-hour taught week.

7.4 A robust programme of teaching and learning across the core subjects will equip students with the necessary functional skills they will need to access and excel at the full range of learning opportunities available to them.

7.5 Innovative and effective approaches to teaching and learning will give students:
· excellence in oral and digital communication
· effective functional literacy and numeracy skills
· skill in working with others
· strong entrepreneurial spirit
· highly developed sense of responsibility for (and pride in) their own performance
· the ability to work independently
· access to an on-line curriculum to enable personalised and remote learning;
· well developed skills of inquiry and problem solving.

7.6 Years 7-9
An integrated, problem/project based curriculum design for delivery of significant parts of the Key Stage 3 curriculum, especially in the areas of ICT, creative media, performance, design, and business applications. Core subjects will retain a strong curriculum presence to drive literacy and numeracy levels, with discrete specialist teaching and yet enable integrated studies with, say, humanities, languages and PE. The modular curriculum structure lends itself well to this. Students are likely to embark on Key Stage 4 studies in year 9. Overall curriculum time is split 45% core, 25% specialism, and 30% breadth & balance in Key Stage 3. Curriculum spaces are deployed almost exactly 50/50 between general (English, maths, humanities, languages) and specialist (science, PE, ICT, creative media, performance and design) learning areas.

7.7 14 -19 Curriculum
The Academy will have a distinctive 14 - 19 programme. The Sponsors expect the Academy to become a leading national exponent of the new Creative and Media and Information Technology specialised Diplomas, offering specialisms in some of the following areas: Visual Art, Graphic Design, Publishing, Advertising, Film, Television, Radio, Interactive Media, Animation, Computer Games, Photo Imaging.

7.8 The emphasis on Creative and Digital Media and Information Technology will be balanced within a broader curriculum that will develop young people’s confidence and life skills. It will give a high priority to meeting the needs of individual learners.

7.9 The curriculum underpinning the Creative and Media Specialised Diploma will cover:
• Creativity, including critical awareness of a range of products and materials;
• Thinking and working creatively, including being inventive and flexible in responding to others;
• An understanding of the various production processes for a range of media;
• Business and enterprise skills, including designing a proposal, planning and negotiating.

7.10 The Information Technology Specialised Diploma will prepare students for careers as technology professionals and entrepreneurs; it will also prepare students to respond to the ever-changing face of technology in the 21st century. The Academy will provide students with opportunities to understand the transformational potential of technology and its contribution to organisations, individuals and society. Students will learn how to deliver successful projects; how to create technology solutions to meet business requirements; and how to work effectively in a professional environment. Through the Information Technology Specialised Diploma, the Academy will provide learning experiences which:
• Reflect the blend of business, technical and interpersonal skills needed in modern Information Technology and Telecoms professional roles;
• Develops valued transferable skills in English and communications; mathematics; project management;
• Builds personal, learning and thinking skills, including critical analysis, problem solving and creative thinking;
• Inspires learners through an exploration of the real-world integration of technology in business.

7.11 Years 10-11
With the Academy’s remit of an all-ability community school, core subjects should retain a central role in Key Stage 4, with the balance of 45% core, 45% options (assuming a guided options package giving an even split between specialism-related courses and breadth & balance courses) and 10% on an integrated careers/sport/health related fitness/PSRE/citizenship programme.


7.12 Years 12-13
The 6th form will be planned on the basis that there will be an equally strong vocational and academic blend to the post-16 offer and that collaboration with other local schools and colleges will be required to cover minority subjects. A specialist, relevant academic and vocational 6th form curriculum will be offered, delivered through a specialist-oriented curriculum taught on site and through close collaboration with other local providers to achieve a full and comprehensive curriculum offer.


7.13 The Physical Learning Environment and average class size
The physical learning environment will comprise of specialist teaching, general teaching, study support and social spaces as follows:

7.14 Specialist
Discounting tutor time, the percentage of curriculum time estimated for each area would be:
· Science (15%) - paired labs with partitions for flexible use, adjacent prep and storage facilities.
· Specialisms (25%) - these would ideally be suited together to promote integrated curriculum design and team teaching with adjacent technical support rooms and storage. The provision of a specialist industry standard media lab with state of the art creative and digital media facilities is envisaged close to the entrance of the Academy.
· PE (10%) - onsite outdoor sport facilities are to be augmented by increasing the range of indoor or rooftop intensive sport spaces. Additional outdoor facilities are to be made available at the nearby Ravenscourt Park in conjunction with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham’s proposed development of the site.

7.15 General
The proposed mix of classrooms, large learning bases, and flexible spaces will enable shared group, paired and individual activity and enable teaching and learning to be carried out in the most appropriate working environment.

7.16 The significance of English, Mathematics and the academy’s two specialisms, Creative and Digital Media and Information Technology, has resulted in a target group size of 20 pupils in each of these subjects and 24 pupils in all other areas of the curriculum. 6th form year sizes will aim to average 13 across Years 12 and 13. The delivery of the curriculum will be underpinned by the effective use of technology, including ubiquitous access to learning resources, an on-line curriculum, portfolios and current working materials to enable pupils to move between different learning environments, including their homes, without loss of access.

(Note: Appendices are available on request)