The Interviews Summary

Since their introduction in 2004, 636 students have been interviewed
Year  7        135
Year  8        132
Year  9        126
Year 10       136
Year 11       107

The Interviews

Individual interviews last twenty minutes and  group interviews last one hour during which time all or some of the following are undertaken:
Planners are checked regarding marking attendance, merits gained, “Home School Agreement” signed, listing and signing for “numbered letters”, absence letters, recording homework, target setting information recorded and having the Planner signed.
Books are checked regarding progress and adherence to the Marking & Assessment Policy.
The following issues are discussed:

• Which subjects they enjoy and why
• Changes to the curriculum
• Homework
• The marking of their work
• Uniform
• Bullying and relationships
• Attendance and punctuality
• Things they like about the school
• The progress they are making
• The changes that have taken place within the school
• Were the changes an improvement and the reasons why
• Why they think things have improved and what they think still needed improving

So far the findings are as follows:

Planners:

• All students like the progressive improvements that have been made to the Student Planner
• Homework is religiously recorded in Planners
• Individual “Subject Targets” & “Target Review” information is recorded and understood by all students

The vast majority of students are:

• recording their own attendance
• having their Planners signed each week
• using the absence note system in the Planners
• consistently recording the “numbered letters”
• finding it easier to receive “merits”
• completing the “Home School Agreement”

Students' Books:

• The majority are marked regularly
• A small number were not marked in line with the School’s Marking & Assessment Policy

Discussion Topics:

• Most students feel the homework demands are realistic although a number have mentioned the difficulties that can be created when teachers deviate from the published schedule
• All students like the new uniform rules and the firm action taken against the small minority who find it difficult to observe the rules
• All students are happy and feel well looked after
• Once again, all students (where applicable) think the new arrangements for delivering PSHEE & Citizenship are a huge improvement
• The students welcome the vast array of enrichment activities provided by the school
• Students report a huge reduction in incidences of bullying and welcome the initiatives that have been introduced to combat bullying, together with the decisive measures being taken against those guilty of bullying
• Students enjoy the opportunities for forming real friendships
• Students like the new ‘rewards culture’ and are now finding it easier to gain ‘merits’
• All Year 10 students like the new Option arrangements and are very happy with the choices they have made
• Students like the changes that have taken place with regard to improving the accommodation and the buildings, together with the anti-litter initiative
• Students enthuse about the ICT facilities and “whiteboard technology”
• All students interviewed like the new House system and the opportunities it affords to give and receive help from other students, together with the competitive element
• A significant number of students commented on how the teaching had improved, the professionalism of the staff and the leadership of the school.
• A significant number of students commented on how pleased their parents/carers were with the progress the school had made in the last few years and its reputation.
• Students continue to enjoy subjects where teachers:

• differentiate the work
• make the work relevant and interesting
• employ a variety of approaches
• are friendly
• insist on good discipline i.e. being firm, but fair
• show a real and genuine concern for their progress and welfare
• mark their work regularly and tell them what they need to do to improve

Students continue to comment positively on the improved quality of the food in our cafeteria and the new pricing structure re. healthy options. Students continue to feel much safer and note the reduction in incidents of bullying. Students continue to mark the improvements since 2003 at 9 out of 10 (compared to 4 or 5 out of 10 prior to September 2003. They are still keen to see:

• Further improvements to the accommodation & facilities
• The provision of student social areas and recreational facilities
• The Arts really impacting on the curriculum
• Lockers for students

In addition, Year 11 students are surveyed about the new study support arrangements, first introduced in 2005, for the GCSE examinations. The new procedures are now well embedded and students are extremely pleased with the varied support the school is providing both in the run up to and during the GCSE examinations