Post on 24-Mar-2016
description
prospectus
2011-2012
The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School – a newopportunity for young people
In September 2011 we are planning to launch the
Stephenson Studio School.
As the sponsoring further and higher education college, we
have a great deal of experience of providing high quality
learning opportunities for young people.
This, coupled with our excellent relationships with both
local and national organisations, gives us an insight into
some of the challenges that both employers and young
people face.
Some things are very clear to us.
First, businesses want to employ young people who are
both highly skilled and ready for work.
Second, young people flourish where they are taught in
small classes and where they have personal learning
support.
Third, where young people develop personal confidence
and self esteem they are more likely to be successful in
both life and work.
As you read through this prospectus you will learn more
about studio schools. We believe that they offer an
excellent opportunity to meet both employers’
expectations and young people’s aspirations. That is why
we are sponsoring this new school.
Each year, we will offer approximately 60 places to year 10
students and 90 places to year 12 students.
We know that choosing a school is a big decision.
The best decisions are always taken when we have all the
relevant information.
If this innovative idea interests you, we hope that this
prospectus will inform any decision you may make.
Nigel Leigh
Principal and Chief Executive of Stephenson College,
sponsor of the Stephenson Studio School.
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
Introduction from The Director
Choosing a school is one of the toughest decisions we’re
ever likely to make.
But, before we choose, it’s important to be clear about
what we want from a school.
Of course we want young people to have qualifications that
will open the door to university or further study.
Ultimately, we all want young people to be successful in
work.
Successful young people create wealth and enable us all to
have a better society.
All too often employers lament that young people are not
ready for work. It’s not just that they can lack basic skills.
Often the problem is more fundamental: young people lack
confidence and a passion for learning.
A thirst for learning is vital. The mere acquisition of
knowledge is never enough for anyone. Knowledge dates.
Every one of us will have to learn new skills and become
steeped in new fields of knowledge at some point of our
lives.
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I am passionate about learning and about personal
development. It is why I am both a teacher and a learner.
Part of being successful in both life and work is
recognising what we don’t know more than what we do.
It is by being open to the possibility of finding better ways
of working, of achieving, of producing, of living, that we
become better people and contribute more to society.
In Stephenson Studio School we intend to help young
people develop a thirst for learning. In doing so, we will
help them to become confident people who will succeed
in adult life.
If you would like to apply for a place or find out more
about the Stephenson Studio School, please phone
01530 519099, email info@stephensonstudioschool.co.uk
or visit our website www.stephensonstudioschool.co.uk.
Sarah Unwin, Director, the Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
We all want the best for our children
Choosing a school for, and then with, our children can be very
stressful.
It can be hard to find reliable information that will inform this
choice.
For years newspapers have been filled with stories of school
failure, rarely success.
Such coverage can colour our decisions.
There are, of course, thousands of very successful schools in the
UK that prepare students brilliantly for further study and
successful lives.
Even successful schools face challenges.
Good schools tend to be well resourced, have low staff
turnover, good discipline, strong relationships with employers
and a sound reputation. But not all schools are able to achieve
this.
Knowing this is of little comfort to parents. While we may be
concerned about the state of British education in general terms,
we worry first and foremost about our own children’s schooling.
Here in Leicestershire, we are opening a new school, designed
to help young people flourish both in their studies and in work.
Stephenson Studio School
Studio schools are state schools that have been developed over
the past five years on the basis of extensive research. They are
designed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and
experiences they will need to succeed in both life and work.
The model has been developed in partnership with local and
national employers, the country’s leading education agencies
and partners from up and down the country.
Studio schools can help tackle two key challenges.
The first challenge is how to maximise the time that students
spend in school. Studio schools will help young people get the
most out of their school time by using innovative teaching and
small class sizes. Studio schools are custom-built around the way
that people learn. Not everyone is able to do their best in a
traditional classroom setting.
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The Stephenson Studio School
The second challenge is how to prepare students for success
beyond school and university. Studio schools will help young
people prepare for successful working lives. Meaningful and
challenging work experience will be a key part of the
curriculum.
Stephenson Studio School will ensure that students will:
� Learn in small classes
� Develop employability and enterprise skills
� Acquire key qualifications
� Have access to personalised learning
� Experience project based learning
� Experience real work
The Studio School is sponsored by Stephenson College, a bold,
confident organisation that provides further and higher
education courses, has excellent links with employers and is one
of the most enterprising colleges in the UK.
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The Stephenson Studio School
What do parents and young people want from a school?
Schools provide one of the main building blocks we need to have
successful lives. While qualifications are important – no good
university can be accessed without them – we want more from
our schools than qualifications alone.
School experiences, shaped by inspirational teachers, can help
students learn more about themselves and develop self-
awareness. They often provide powerful role models that help
students aspire to greater things.
Schools can define lives.
They are certainly places where lifelong friendships are forged,
where we learn to get the most out of personal and working life.
They are also places where we acquire the skills needed to help
us negotiate disagreement without having to result to conflict.
Successful friendship networks shape both where and how we
live in adult life.
Perhaps more than anything school can be the place we develop
self-confidence. No quality is more captivating than personal
confidence.
Self-awareness tempered with humility can help confidence
flourish on sound foundations.
Schools help us to learn to take direction and to be able to
follow reasonable instructions, a key skill for aspiring young
people.
In the end, we want our children to be happy and secure.
Most teachers are clear about the factors that can lead to
student happiness in the classroom. Strong discipline, effective
classroom management, and a willingness to address any
emerging behaviour problems early can all contribute towards
students’ sense of well-being.
At Stephenson Studio School, we believe small classes,
personal coaches and a curriculum that focuses on effective
personal engagement and empathy will make it easier to
achieve student well-being.
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School8
The Stephenson Studio School
What we offer young people at StephensonStudio School
� A safe, secure and happy place tostudy and learn
� Academic excellence
� A new way to learn - CREATE
� Getting ready for work
� Progression
� Using technology effectively
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
A safe, secure and happy place
We believe that all learners have a right to feel safe, secure
and happy at school. Where they do, they are more likely to
be successful.
At the Stephenson Studio School we will make sure our
students don’t have to worry about classroom discipline.
We will do this in a number of ways.
First, we’re recruiting a strong teaching and non-teaching staff,
people who know how to manage classes. Well-qualified
experienced teachers make good discipline a way of life.
We will focus on achieving and retaining stable staffing levels.
We do not expect our students to tolerate a seemingly endless
stream of supply teachers.
Second, we’ll make sure that everyone who works here
understands how important order and discipline are. We will
have a single set of rules that apply equally to all.
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Third, we will expect people to behave at school as
they would behave at work. That will mean a zero
tolerance approach to indiscipline – as it does in the
workplace.
Finally, we will make sure that students are involved in
decisions that affect them. Where students and staff
work together we will be better able to tackle any
emerging issues at the earliest opportunity.
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The Stephenson Studio School
Being the best we can be
Our drive for academic excellence is non-negotiable.
Schools that make academic excellence a cornerstone of
their approach will flourish.
We will not compromise on the drive for academic
achievement. We believe that students’ performance can be
enhanced in a number of ways.
Year 10 students will work towards a maximum of 9 GCSEs
incorporating the English Baccalaureate in addition to
acquiring CREATE skills.
Year 12 students will either study up to four ‘A’ levels or the
Stephenson Studio School Apprenticeship Framework.
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The Stephenson Studio School
These are the ways we will ensure that our students can be helped
to thrive.
A personal coach
Every one of our students will have a personal coach. He or she
will work closely with students helping each to reflect on his or her
work and supporting them so each can make the most of work-
based and school opportunities. Each will operate alongside our
teaching staff to maximise students’ progress and achievement.
Meetings with personal coaches will take place every two weeks,
during which time students will review progress and plan work that
supports their learning sessions.
An excellent staff to student ratio
We will ensure an excellent staff-pupil ratio. This will ensure that
students do not get lost as more outward students clamour for
attention. But ensuring that students feel personally engaged and
supported is not simply a matter of numbers. The way that classes
are taught can also enable students to work at their best. A
combination of collaboration – working in teams and groups – and
competition will bring out potential in most of us.
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The right attitude
Achievement also depends upon a positive attitude. We believe that
“good enough” is never good enough. High expectations live in every
moment of the school day. Our approach is to expect the best in
everything that students do. This is about fostering an attitude, a life
outlook, that will help students realise the value of focus and
determination.
Those who fail to strive to be the best are more likely to flounder in
the workplace where colleagues and customers alike are intolerant of
mediocrity.
Confidence
We will ensure that our students become confident, mature individuals
who are highly employable. Confidence is a powerful quality, one that
opens doors and enables people to make the best of all opportunities.
We will foster this by ensuring that our students acquire the key skills
needed to serve them well in adult life. The CREATE framework is
based upon research carried out by the Confederation of British
Industries (CBI) and leading education experts. You will find more on
this framework on the following pages.
The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
CREATE: preparing young people for success in study and life
A number of years ago, the CBI carried out research to identify
the skills set most likely to enable people to succeed at work.
This research has been supported by detailed academic
research. None of these skills will surprise adults – they are a
key part of our daily working life.
The six core skills form CREATE. This forms the basis of the
studio school curriculum. These are set out below.
� Communication
� Relating to people
� Enterprise
� Applying knowledge
� Thinking
� Emotional intelligence
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The Stephenson Studio School
Communication
People with excellent communication skills are more likely to
succeed. We can achieve little unless we can communicate our
thoughts and ideas to other people. Effective communicators
are excellent listeners. They are able to shape what they have to
say so that it is interesting to people. They are succinct. They
have a strong command of language. And they are as
comfortable putting their message across in print as they are
presenting face to face.
Our students will become excellent communicators.
Relating to people
We all see things differently. It’s very easy to make the mistake
in life of assuming that other people view the world as we do.
That assumption can make life frustrating and lead to
misunderstanding.
Little of what we do every day is done alone. Teams are at the
core of successful organisations – people who work with other
people to get things done. We are all largely interdependent. So
whilst students have to learn to manage their own endeavours,
they quickly realise that understanding others’ points of view is
vital.
Enterprise
Over recent years enterprise has played a bigger role in public
life. Television programmes such as The Dragons’ Den and The
Apprentice have allowed us to see up close people who have
made vast fortunes through their own enterprise skills.
Entrepreneurs learn to see the world differently. They do not
always crave the certainty that characterises life in organisations.
Frequently, they are more comfortable in uncertain climates
where opportunities can be both seen and exploited.
Enterprise for adults can be challenging. It often involves taking
risks, something that can be difficult where our financial
commitments can require us to opt for regular work. However,
students can be given opportunities to look at the world from an
entrepreneur’s point of view. In the safe space of a school
environment, they can start to ask one key question: what if?
We will help our students to develop an entrepreneurial outlook and
a positive attitude towards succeeding at work.
We will ensure our students learn how to get on with other people,
understand their perspectives, empathise and build productive
relationships.
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The Stephenson Studio School
Applying knowledge
Sometimes education is artificially divided into two areas - the
academic and the practical. People think in the academic world;
people do in the practical world. As adults, we know that this
division is false. It is the application of what we have learned that
makes us successful. Those who only understand a subject area
in theory can easily fail to understand the practical implications.
Our students will see the acquisition of knowledge from both
perspectives. We will expect them to acquire knowledge, to test
it, to challenge it, and to remember it. But we will also expect
them to apply what they have learned. The application of
knowledge both helps us to remember it, something that is
particularly useful in preparing for examinations, and to grasp it
at a deeper level.
We will ensure that our students are able to acquire and apply
knowledge so they can maximise their learning.
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The Stephenson Studio School
Thinking
To be successful in school, university and working life, the ability
to think in a variety of ways is fundamental. In any given situation
there are many ways to think about the challenges we might
face. We may approach a problem from a logical point of view.
That will often yield results. Equally, we may “brainstorm” ideas
with others to find ways into a problem. Creative approaches,
often relying upon “lateral” thinking can create new solutions to
old problems. Success sometimes depends upon merging
together different sets of ideas or systems.
The greater facility we have with ways of thinking through a
problem, often drawing on others’ ideas and bodies of
knowledge, the more likely we are going to be able to solve it.
Our students will be taught to think in a variety of ways: logically,
rationally, creatively, laterally, and critically.
Emotional intelligence
So much human interaction is unsaid. Some people have strong
intuition skills. They are good at reading others’ moods. In
personal and working life, emotional intelligence – knowing the
best way to engage with different people – will mark out those
who are likely to have successful personal relationships from
those who will struggle.
All too often in adult life we expect people to simply have
emotional intelligence. However, while some of us will have a
natural affinity with others, such skills can be learned, practiced
and honed.
Our students will be supported in acquiring emotional intelligence.
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Innovation in the classroom
We all learn in different ways. Some of us listen to others speak.
Some prefer to read first. Some of us won’t really assimilate new
knowledge until we’ve put it into practice. Effective learning depends
upon a flexible response to students’ needs. Fundamentally, it means
making the acquisition of knowledge interesting, memorable and
applicable.
We will combine traditional teaching methods with innovative ways
of enabling students to learn. Part of what we will be doing is
preparing students for self-directed study, an approach
commonplace in both work and university. We will use seminar-
based approaches, group projects, and individual student project
work to help students.
We will also make use of technology, video, and video conferencing
supported by the involvement of external practitioners to bring
subject matter to life. Students will be encouraged to explore
subjects and to bring their findings into the classroom so that others
can benefit directly.
Our approach will be underpinned by a clear understanding of the nature
of knowledge, the value of external research, the use of historical
sources and an appreciation of original research in subject development.
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
Working towards success
Young people are faced with a perpetual dilemma –
how to get work when experience is both essential
and very difficult to get without experience.
This challenge affects school leavers and graduates
alike. Many take up part time posts, working in bars,
restaurants and other low paid employment. Such
jobs can help build working habits but casual labour
does not always prepare young people for what are
increasingly tough business environments.
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
Getting ready for work
It is easy to talk to students about work in the classroom. But
there is no substitute for learning about it first hand.
Being successful at work is hard. To help prepare students for
working life, schools make work experience part of the
curriculum.
But invariably, students have too little exposure to work to
enable them to develop a strong understanding of work culture
and appropriate work behaviours. What’s more, short bursts of
work experience mean that few students develop the stamina
they will need to thrive in a working environment.
Success at work is more important now than ever before. The
UK faces massive competition now from abroad in virtually
every market. The more effective our workforce is, the more
competitive the UK will be.
Employers increasingly want people who are work ready, people
who are able to hit the ground running from day one and create
profitability or public value.
Year 10 students will have a meaningful internship of four hours
per week with a reputable employer. This will take place
throughout year 10 and 11.
All of our post-16 learners will have a paid internship of 2 days
per week with a local employer. This will take place alongside
their studies. This will be available in a variety of employment
sectors ranging from Accountancy to Engineering, depending
upon the direction in which they want to take their career or
further studies.
Each student will work closely with their Personal Coach and
the prospective employer to plan their internship. They will be
expected to garner particular kinds of experience. Students will
develop an understanding of teamwork, interpersonal
communication, project working, idea development, and seeing
ideas through from inception to execution. They will also be
expected to take responsibility for a focused piece of work that
can be used as part of their curriculum vitae.
Students will be able to bring working examples back into the
classroom so that alongside other classmates they can reflect on
successes and learning points.
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By the end of their stay at Stephenson Studio School, we expect
every student to be able to operate effectively in an adult
working environment and to have the understanding, skills and
stamina to do it effectively. That means not only being clear
about how adults behave at work but also demonstrating those
behaviours as a matter of course.
Our students will be mentally ready for the rigours of work and
experienced in getting the most out of a working environment.
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Progression
A successful school career will ultimately prepare students for a
successful working life. This may happen in several ways. Either
school will help students find the best university, college or
further training to enable them to acquire all the skills they need
for work. School could enable students to prepare themselves
for immediate entry into working life. Or students may decide
to set up their own business.
Whichever route students take, it is vital that all of their time at
school is focused on helping them achieve their full potential.
Successful progression is not something that is done in the year
running up to university or work. Careers are built on the sound
foundations of good planning, regular reviews and involving
students and parents in decisions.
We believe that achievement is a product of setting stretching
but realistic targets. The best students aspire to be better in
everything they do. Schools support excellence by setting and
maintaining high standards.
Our tutors will regularly assess students’ work and their
capabilities.
We will send parents regular reports on their children’s progress
and convene regular discussions so that we may look at ways of
helping students achieve their full potential. Each of our students
will develop a Personal Improvement Plan (PIP). This will form
the basis of their relationship with their Personal Coach. Parents
will have individual access to the confidential Parent Portal
through the Studio School website.
Where students show signs of having difficulties or unexpected
underachievement, we will support them in addressing the
reasons for any deviation from their Plan.
We will ensure that our students have clear progression routes
through to higher education or employment. We will build on
our excellent links with university admissions officers and
employers to ensure our students receive the best higher
education opportunities and meaningful work experience as an
integral part of their programme.
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The Stephenson Studio School
Technology
While we are singling out technology as a key feature of
our approach, this ignores the fact that it is so much part
of the day-to-day experience of young people that they
no longer notice it. Most young people now have mobile
phones. Most have access to the internet. They
communicate with each other via Facebook more often
than they do face-to-face.
Our approach to learning will use technology to enable
students to maximise their learning and development
time. Each student will be given an electronic notepad.
This will allow them to access the internet and school
intranet where they will be able to download lessons,
podcasts and other learning resources. Each student will
have a personal email account.
We will host a virtual library of useful learning resources
that will be available to students. We will ensure that all
resources are of high quality and add value. We are in
discussion with our university partners to enable
The Stephenson Studio School
students to access first year introductory lectures as a
way of preparing themselves for higher education.
Alongside BBC and other news feeds, students will be
able to access market intelligence and analysis that will
supplement the learning materials. Students will also be
able to access content from our industrial and
commercial partners.
Our ambition for our students
It is our ambition that by the time they graduate from
Stephenson Studio School each of our students will:
� Be confident, self-aware andemotionally intelligent
� Be well qualified
� Be able both to get on with people andbe able to help others do their best
� Be able to take direction
� Have a lifelong thirst for knowledgeand an ability to learn
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The Stephenson Studio School
The Stephenson Studio School
Working with parents
Schools alone cannot ensure students’ success. Parents can be
highly effective partners in their children’s learning. Parents’
views and wise counsel are fundamental to a young person’s
success.
Parents can guide young people’s decisions, assist them in
putting learning in context and, as school, university and work
careers develop, they can advise and support them.
But to be effective, parents need a number of things.
First, parents need to understand what the school is trying to
achieve. All too often we draw upon our own experiences when
advising our children. This can be problematic; the curriculum
changes and we can be in danger of offering advice on the basis
of out-moded or out-dated thinking.
Parents need information. All of us are always more effective
when we are kept abreast of developments: what our children
are doing, when and how well. Up to date information allows us
to offer support in the right way at the right time.
Parents need to have a robust relationship with the school.
Parents who feel awkward in dealing with tutors or reticent
about approaching senior staff are not always able to work
alongside the school in enabling their children to do their best.
Parents need to be able to talk to teachers about young people’s
progress, where they might offer support, where they think his
or her teachers’ approaches may need to change. Where young
people face challenges, as almost all will at some point in their
school life, parents’ comments can put matters in context for
teachers.
Finally, parents need to be able to access the school when it
matters. There is little point in arranging a meeting several
weeks after it is needed. Decisions have to be made when it
matters.
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Our curriculum
Seven essential elements lie at heart of the Stephenson Studio
School model, elements that have been developed through
extensive research and consultation with employers, education
experts and young people.
These are:
� Employability and enterprise skills � Real work
� Key qualifications � Small Schools
� Personalised curriculum � Practical learning
� Students of all abilities
How these work in the Key Stage 4 curriculum
Students will follow the National Curriculum and gain key
qualifications principally through enterprise projects, which have
been developed through discussion with educational experts, local
partners, a range of employers and the Studio Schools Trust.
The school subject curriculum covers 9 GCSEs. These are English,
Maths, Double Science, French, ICT and Geography or History so
enabling students to achieve the English Baccalaureate. Much of
their studies will be through six ‘enterprise projects’, each lasting
for 17 weeks. Every enterprise project incorporates six learning
areas. These are mapped to the National Curriculum:
CWO - Communicating with othersCurriculum links: English, Citizenship, Geography, French
TMC - Transforming my communityCurriculum links: Business Studies, History, English and French
DTT - Discovering through technologyCurriculum links: Maths, ICT, English and French
ECB - Enterprising and creative behaviourCurriculum links: Business Studies, English, Citizenship andFrench
UTW - Understanding the worldCurriculum links: Geography, Science, Economics and French
LHL - Leading healthy life stylesCurriculum links: English, Economics, History and Geography
Students will have subject specific learning sessions to support
preparation for exam success. Wherever possible these are
linked to the context of the enterprise projects to root learning
in the real world. Personal and small group coaching sessions will
help students with any areas of study that they find challenging.
Every Key Stage 4 student will undertake four hours of
employment each week. This will be carefully planned and
facilitated through their personal coach. During their time with
each employer, which will usually be for a minimum of six months
The Stephenson Studio School 33
per internship, students will make a measurable contribution
and will acquire the CREATE skills as they work.
Year 12 and 13
Year 12 and 13 students will undertake two days per week paid
employment which is carefully planned and facilitated through
the student’s personal coach. During this time with each
employer, which will usually be for a minimum of six months per
internship, students will be expected to make a measurable
contribution to their business and will further develop their
CREATE skills.
Students will have a choice of two qualification routes - ‘A’ levels
or the Stephenson Studio School Apprenticeship Scheme.
Those opting for ‘A’ levels will have the choice of three ‘A’ levels
plus one of either General Studies or Critical Thinking ‘A’ level.
All subject specific studies will involve projects that are
commissioned by real “clients” who will use the outputs of the
project to support their business or the local community.
Subjects available at A level:
Biology ICT Business Studies
Physics Economics English Literature
Product Design Psychology French
Geography Sociology History
Mathematics and further mathematics Chemistry
Plus compulsory General Studies or Critical Thinking
Stephenson Studio School Apprenticeship
Students will work towards an apprenticeship framework set out
by the Sector Skills Council in an agreed area of work. This
includes a Technical Certificate, an NVQ and Functional Skills.
Usually students would be placed with one employer for the two
years of study, during which time they will be assessed against
professional competencies in the work place to attain the NVQ
qualification. Students will complete the Technical Certificate
and Functional Skills whilst in the Sixth Form Centre.
To participate, students will need to show evidence of a passion
and commitment to the relevant area of work. The application
form provides guidance.
The Stephenson Studio School
Getting the right balance
Young people need to be physically as well as mentally
active. All of our students will have opportunities to take
part in a range of sport and leisure activities. We have a
multi-use games area, a fully equipped health and fitness
suite as well as access to a nearby leisure centre.
Students will also be able to take part in outdoor activities
such as walking, climbing, orienteering and a range of other
sports.
Personal and social education will be fully integrated into
the curriculum.
The Stephenson Studio School will open for 51 weeks
of the year and both students and staff will book
holidays throughout the year to suit personal,
educational and business needs. Students will have a
total of 13 weeks holiday.
The Stephenson Studio School
Protecting young people
Student safety and well-being is paramount. We are
required to take any reasonable action to ensure the safety
of our students.
If teaching or non-teaching staff are concerned that one of
our students may be subject to ill-treatment, neglect or any
form of abuse, then we will inform the designated
Safeguarding Officer at the Stephenson Studio School. Our
policy is consistent with national standards for Safeguarding
procedures.
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Applying for a place at Stephenson StudioSchool for September 2011
Applications to join the Stephenson Studio School in year 10
must be made through your local authority. Applications must
be made before 31st of May.
Application details are available via our website.
Applications to join at year 12 should be made directly through
www.stephensonstudioschool.co.uk
All year 12 applicants will be interviewed and will be required
to undertake an aptitude test.
Everyone is equal
At Stephenson Studio School, we will provide appropriate
opportunities for everyone to maximise their potential
regardless of background, circumstances, faith, gender, sexual
orientation or disabilities. We will promote a supportive
environment free from discrimination.
38 Stephenson Studio School
Stephenson Studio School Thornborough Road Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3TNTel: 01530 519099 Fax: 01530 814253
www.stephensonstudioschool.co.uk