We are part of...
www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
HELLESDON HIGH SCHOOL
& SIXTH FORM CENTRE
…to our school and to the
beginning of an alliance aimed
at ensuring every student, no
matter what their starting point,
enjoys, achieves and succeeds
throughout their education
with us.
At Hellesdon High School we provide
a great variety of academic, social and
cultural opportunities in order to challenge
our growing people every day. We pride
ourselves on our excellent pastoral support
programme that oers consistent wrap
around care for our students to be able to
thrive, both academically and emotionally.
This, coupled with an eective partnership
between our school and our student’s
families and communities, are the foundations
underpinning our student experience.
Learning is at the heart of all we do. Through
our diverse curriculum and high quality
teaching, we ensure the talents and abilities of
every student are catered for, allowing them
to excel academically and to also develop the
skills that will prepare them for life
beyond school.
Tom Rolfe & Mike Earl
Principals
OUR VALUES
ENJOY
We will enable everyone to realise their
potential and enjoy life to the full.
We are a caring community where concern is
shown for the safety and welfare of others.
We will always try to provide a friendly
learning atmosphere so that no-one feels left
out.
Nobody should feel like they don’t belong
here: everyone who walks through the school
gates is an equal.
Hellesdon High School is a place where
everyone can be someone.
ACHIEVE
We will help everyone to express and develop
their individual interests, skills and gifts.
We will develop the lively and enquiring minds
of students to appreciate and seek worthwhile
human achievements.
We will help everyone to develop and achieve
their own goals, with no target too small or too
large.
We strive to make sure everyone achieves
by ensuring everyone has equal chances in
everything they do.
We use education to transform the
opportunities of our community and to enable
everyone to fulfil their potential.
SUCCEED
We promote success by oering an
inspirational, innovative and creative
curriculum.
We help students to succeed by challenging
them and supporting them throughout their
time here.
At Hellesdon High School students are
prepared for adulthood and the outside world.
We will develop enthusiastic, confident
learners who aspire to do their best.
We celebrate diversity and give everyone the
opportunity to become successful and do well
in this changing world.
2 www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
WELCOME...
Hellesdon High School follows Norfolk County
Council’s applications and admissions procedures.
Our intake number for each year group is 250. If
we are oversubscribed for places in Year 7, the
Local Authority administered appeals system
comes into operation.
The applications procedure and oversubscription
guidelines are available online at www.norfolk.gov.
uk/admissions. The school’s admissions criteria is
published on our website: www.wensumtrust.org.
uk/hellesdonhigh-admissions
For queries regarding places for students in Years
8-11, please contact the admissions team at Norfolk
County Council on: admis[email protected]v.uk.
Prospective students and their families are invited
to contact the school to arrange a visit, by emailing
us on [email protected].
ADMISSIONS
We are equally ambitious for learning in all subjects,
and for all students. In lessons, we spend time
making sure that our students don’t just know the
important content of the curriculum, but can also
remember it later and apply it to new situations
or contexts. We assess each student’s knowledge
at key points in the year to help us to understand
what they can remember, and what they need to
learn next. This assessment takes a variety of forms
- from a quick quiz in class or teacher observation,
to a practical demonstration or a formal exam.
Hellesdon High School is committed to an evidence
informed approach in our classroom practice, based
around explicit teaching of new ideas followed
by high quality practice. This approach will give
our students the best possible chance of making
excellent progress during their time with us.
In Years 7, 8 & 9 students study a common
curriculum comprised of timetabled lessons in Art,
Computing, Drama, Design & Technology, English,
Geography, History, Maths, Music, PE, PSHE, RE,
Science and MFL (French/Spanish).
In Years 10 & 11 students study a broad core of
subjects including English, Maths, Science, PE,
and PSHE and four additional subjects allocated
through the options process. All students
must study a humanity subject to GCSE and
approximately 50% of each cohort are directed to
study a language at GCSE (as part of the options
process in Year 9).
In Year 12 students will be able to select from
a range of subjects. The option choices are
designed to allow students the maximum possible
opportunity to progress towards either Higher
Education or a career in a suitable profession.
At Hellesdon High School, our guiding
principle is to oer a quality education to
every student. We believe that a quality
education is one rich in knowledge from
a broad range of subjects. This prepares
our students to be life-long learners and
helps them to achieve success.
4 www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
TEACHING
& LEARNING
- THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL
In years 7 to 11 students are assigned to a tutor
group. Each tutor has an oversight of the academic
and pastoral welfare of the students in their tutor
group. They meet the group each day, develop the
vital link between home and school and encourage
and monitor progress. There is an increased level of
academic support and guidance oered to tutees
in Year 10 and 11, as they face their GCSE exams.
We invite new Year 7 parents/carers to an
Information Evening before the start of the school
year, as well as a ‘Meet the Tutors’ Evening in the
Autumn Term and a Parents’ Evening later in the
year. Parents’ Evenings for all other year groups are
held on an annual basis.
In order to provide an excellent standard of pastoral
care, students are allocated a house; a ‘school
within a school’. Each house is led by a Head of
House, who coordinates the work of the tutors
and has overall responsibility for the progress of
students within the House. The Heads of House are
supported by Pastoral Support Ocers. Heads of
House generally stay with their students as they
move through the school, to ensure continuity of
care and support.
We place high value on the importance that
wellbeing plays in a child’s capacity to learn. We
have a dedicated Wellbeing Coordinator who works
closely with external agencies, as well as our sta,
to engage the right support for students.
Equality and diversity are part of the core
values at Hellesdon High School. We have been
awarded a Stonewall Bronze status, which
recognises the ongoing work we do in tackling
homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying
and celebrating diversity. We are also a Norwich
School of Sanctuary and are committed to helping
our students, sta and the wider community to
understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary.
We extend a welcome to everyone as equal, valued
members of the community and we are proud to be
a place of safety and inclusion for all.
We expect and encourage our students to behave
sensibly, to show respect for others, to work well
in class and to take pride in their appearance by
wearing their uniform correctly in school, as well as
on the way to and from school - in other words, to
engage in and be part of the learning community.
SEND Provision
The school policy for students with Special
Educational Needs follows the Government’s Code
of Practice. Early identification of children with
Special Educational Needs allows our students to
make good progress. Our SEND policy and SEND
information report can be found on our website.
We meet with Year 6 teachers and students in
the term before they join us at Hellesdon High
School and work together to arrange appropriate
support. Advice is provided which supports the
work of departments within the school and a team
of Learning Support Assistants work with students
who need extra help, both in the classroom and
on a more individual/small group basis through a
range of intervention programmes. We have regular
discussions with parents/carers of students with
SEND regularly across the academic year to review
the provision we have put in place. We have a
diverse curriculum designed to meet the needs
of all our students. To find out more, please
visit the SEND section of our website:
www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh-send
CARE AND
SUPPORT
EXTRA
CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
Developing Talents and Spreading Wings
Learning does not just take place within the
classroom. It is wonderful to see students trying
new activities or developing skills and talents
across the wide range of opportunities on oer
at Hellesdon High School. Performing Arts are
popular and our annual school musical gives
students of all ages and abilities the chance to
work and perform together. Our links with the
Norwich Theatre Royal also extend opportunities
for our students in the Performing Arts and
encourages creative learning, arts and culture into
the curriculum.
The school employs professional peripatetic
tutors who deliver one to one lessons on a range
of instruments. We also oer extracurricular
opportunities to be part of music ensembles,
including keyboard and guitar club, Year 7
choir and our School of Rock club. The school
is also proud of its Opening Night Ensemble
(O.N.E.), a performing arts club that challenges
students to sing and dance at a range of events.
We encourage a wide interest in the arts with
opportunities to get involved in things such
as event promotion, online media and event
photography, choreography, leading arts
education workshops and backstage light and
sound crew.
We have a number of teams who enter local and
national competitions and all students have the
opportunity to be voted onto our School Council.
We have also achieved a ‘Healthy Schools’ status
and are licensed to deliver Duke of Edinburgh
awards. Getting involved in DofE is a fantastic
opportunity for young people to broaden their
skills and prepare themselves for adulthood.
We also work with local groups on community
projects and the World Challenge programme
has granted students the opportunity to work in
Namibia, Amazonia, Borneo and India. We also
support and visit the Emmanuel Grace School
and Children’s Home in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Our sta also oer a wide range of clubs and
activities at lunchtimes and after school… there is
something for everyone!
Sport and Physical Education
We are fortunate to have excellent indoor
and outdoor sporting facilities which are used
and enjoyed by students, sta and the wider
community. Our extensive playing fields are
supplemented by a floodlit all-weather pitch,
5 tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool,
gymnasium and a superb sports hall.
Student participation in sport is high. We
have over 35 competitive teams that compete
locally and nationally, including rugby, football,
basketball, cricket, netball, athletics and golf. The
provision for Physical Education in the curriculum
is supplemented by specific ‘Highest Performers’
programmes and extra-curricular clubs such as
swimming, table tennis and badminton.
We also run an extensive House Match Sports
programme facilitated by our sta and sports
leaders who also lead competitions and festivals
for over 1500 primary students.
Our expertise and commitment within Sport and
Physical Education is recognised through our
partnerships with both North Walsham Rugby
Club and Norwich Community Sports Foundation.
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www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
HELLESDON HIGH
SIXTH FORM
As an 11-18 school Hellesdon High Sixth Form is
the natural choice for Hellesdon High students
when they progress beyond Year 11. We are large
enough to be able to oer a wide variety of post-
16 courses, at both Advanced Level and BTEC,
but small enough to support and challenge all
students eectively. We are also the Educational
Partner for the Community Sports Foundation,
oering Advanced Level courses linked with a
sport/football programme.
Students who join Hellesdon High School in Year
7 have plenty of contact with Sixth Formers
throughout the years and will be encouraged and
guided to make an application to the Sixth Form
during Year 11. Details of the Sixth Form and the
application procedure are given in a separate
prospectus. You can download your copy from
the Sixth Form section of our website:
www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh-sixth-
form or a copy can be obtained on request by
contacting the Sixth Form Reception on 01603
254324 or by emailing: [email protected]
www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
For more information on our school, please visit our website:
187 Middletons Lane
Norwich
Norfolk NR6 5SB
T: 01603 424711
HELLESDON HIGH SCHOOL
& SIXTH FORM CENTRE
We are...
www.wensumtrust.org.uk/hellesdonhigh
FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
“Our Trust is a family of schools with a shared vision.
We are all passionate about helping each and every
child to be safe, healthy and successful, regardless
of their background or early life experiences.
Children deserve an outstanding education that
prepares them, both emotionally and academically,
for their next steps in the world. We get to know
every child as a unique individual and work together
with families to support their individual needs. Our
Trust also draws on the community relationships and
partnerships that we have established to provide a
wealth of inspiring experiences in order to nurture
confident learners and happy, resilient young people.”
Daniel Thrower
CEO, Wensum Trust
