Core Subjects English (Language & Literature) Mathematics Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) Religious Studies Physical Education Information Technology French or German Technology

Choices Art Drama Food Technology French German Geography GNVQ Business History Music Resistant Materials

We firmly believe that extra curricular activities provide valuable learning opportunities for children. Apart from sporting and outdoor activities, all students have the opportunity to take part in a variety of music and drama presentations. A range of clubs is run to develop the skills and interests of young people. There is a long-standing tradition of charity work at the College enabling students to learn to respond to the needs of the disadvantaged.

The College timetable is set up in a way that allows different subject departments to group students in a variety of ways. This allows subject specialists flexibility in arranging classes. Some subjects are best taught through mixed ability classes, e.g. weekly tutorials. In most other subjects, students are grouped according to ability.

Setting in one subject does not depend on ability in another. Where setting occurs, there is always the opportunity for students. to move between classes, depending on their performance. Teachers regularly monitor the performance of individual students to ensure that every student is fulfilling his/her full potential as a learner.

Study Support

In order to support homework and actively encourage learning beyond the school day, we run Study Support sessions every Thursday from 4.00 p.m. to 5.00p.m. Attendance is voluntary, yet nevertheless, very high. Hot and cold drinks, cakes and other snacks are provided between 3.40 p.m. and 4.00p.m. Teachers are available during the session to help students with homework or to explain difficult concepts.

At present study support is geared towards students in Years 10 and 11, but we plan to extend it throughout the College. In addition, all tutors act as academic mentors for their form students. This involves a twice-yearly one-to-one interview between student and tutor to discuss progress, current grades and identify targets.

Homework It is the policy of the College that all students are set homework on a regular basis. A variety of tasks may be set as homework, for example: Completing coursework for GCSE Geography, Researching into a Business Organisation for GNVQ Answering questions from a text book Revising for a test/examination Learning vocabulary for French/German Sketching an object for Art Some homework tasks will be short and take no more than half an hour. Others, especially those relating to GCSE or GNVQ coursework, may involve projects extending over many weeks and will form a substantial element of a final examination grade. All students are provided with Planners for recording homework. Tutors regularly check these. We ask parents also to check that homework is being done, to sign planners having checked them and to talk to their children about overall progress.

KEY THOUGHT: THERE IS A RIGHT TO LEARN AND A RIGHT TO TEACH

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Assessments and Reports

Teacher assessment is a critical element of feedback to students on their learning, formative assessment through regular marking of classwork and homework provides valuable and fairly immediate information on performance. This, in turn, enables students to identify their next step in learning.

This routine process of assessment and feedback is complemented by examinations taken in most subjects once a year by every student. All examinations in the College are arranged on a formal basis so that each student develops skills and gain experience of the conditions under which public examinations will be taken. Tests and examinations form the basis of diagnosing particular strengths and weaknesses. This information is used in agreeing individual learning targets.

At the end of Key Stage 3 all year 9 students take National Curriculum Assessments in English, Mathematics and Science.

In Years 10 and 11 students take Mock GCSE Examinations which enable students and staff to predict likely grades at GCSE and address learning targets.

College Reports, which include targets for all subjects, are sent to parents after the annual examinations. A full programme of Parents' Consultation Evenings is linked to the examination and reporting cycle.

Students also receive two assessments per subject each half term which are recorded in their planners and are used in discussions on progress between tutors and their students. As students become more involved in the process of target setting and self-assessment they gain maturity in making realistic plans for future progress.

In the course of their five years at the College students assemble a comprehensive record of their own achievements in both the formal curriculum and over a wide range of extracurricular activities. These Records of Achievement provide important guidance for prospective employers and further education providers.

• Support in certain lessons from a classroom assistant

• Withdrawal from some lessons for individualised teaching

• Placement in a small group with a specialist teacher for some lessons

• Work programs devised with the help of the Educational Psychologist, teachers and the co-ordinator of Special Needs.

Further guidance is offered throughout Year 10, supplemented by Mock Interviews for Work Placements and a two-week Work Experience Programme in the Summer Term.

In Year 11 more student-specific guidance is made available through interviews with the Careers Advisor. Parents are welcome to attend. This is complemented by a full tutorial programme from Years 9 to 11 which aims to develop important skills in writing CVs and letters of application, whilst giving students the opportunity to meet a variety of visiting speakers from different career backgrounds.

Religious Education is part of every student's basic curriculum. All aspects of Religious Education are taught in line with the Devon Agreed Syllabus. At Key Stage 4 all students have the opportunity to take a full course in GCSE RE or the Short Course GCSE RE. In Years 10 and 11 students are taught in option choice groups, whilst in the lower school students are taught in mixed ability groups.

There is a full programme of Year and Whole School Assemblies for all students. In Assemblies important social and moral issues are raised, the aims and values of the College are reaffirmed and the successes and achievements of students are celebrated.

Assemblies normally conclude with a brief Christian prayer or blessing.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the Sex Education Programme, from Religious Education or Assemblies, but are asked to discuss it with the Principal before doing so.

Sex Education Sex education is taught in a number of areas, including Religious Education, Science and Physical Education. It includes topics on: The benefits of a good personal relationship The physical and emotional changes which take place at puberty The emotional, moral and physical costs of irresponsible sexual behaviour Family planning and the laws relating to sex and young people The College has a detailed sex education policy which is available on request.

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Extra Curricular Activities

The Community College, Chulmleigh aims to develop students' talents, interests and aptitudes beyond the formal curriculum. Therefore we strive to provide a variety of opportunities for enrichment activities. The residential trip or city visit which gives students the opportunity to widen their horizons and to develop inter-personal skills, very often makes more obvious the connections between academic knowledge and its wider application.

The full range of activities for the current year published in the Prospectus supplement. Broadly, the come under the following headings:

 

Enrichment Week

In the last week of the Summer Term a number of exciting residential trips are arranged, including trips abroad; outdoor and cultural activities are organised for all year groups. Recent activities have included camping on the Brecon Beacons, skiing, and a London Theatres' trip, and various trips around Devon.

Clubs

Clubs take place in the College at lunchtimes or after College and range from the thriving Maths Club to the over-subscribed IT club.

 

Outdoor Activities

We have a number of sports clubs, including the 100-mile Running Club, Cricket and Tennis Clubs and the College. The College regularly enters a team for the Ten Tors Expedition.

 

Exchanges

We have strong links with Concarneau in Brittany and every year run a very successful exchange programme with our partner school, Les Sables Blancs. We also run a very popular German exchange.

 

Sporting Activities

The College has teams who compete against other schools in Rugby, Football, Netball, Cricket, Hockey, Athletics, Tennis, Swimming and Badminton.

 

Sports

It is our policy to encourage all students to participate in a wide range of sporting activities so that they may improve their physical well-being and contribute to the college's overall health programme. The emphasis being on the acquisition of knowledge through participation, development of mental and physical skills, enjoy mental expressive and creative development, achieve maximum high quality participation, cultivation of skills in teamwork while develop in meaningful relationships and taking responsibility and making decisions.