About the School
Background information
The school is three miles to the north of Birmingham's city centre on a large spacious site. Girls who stay on over the age of 16 go to our Sixth Form Centre. Our pupils represent the full range of abilities, though selection at the age of 11 for grammar school means that there are considerably fewer very able pupils. When tested, 50% of Year 7 pupils had a reading age of two or more years below their actual age; 31% had a reading age at or above their actual age. Many pupils receive learning support. In 1999, more than 90% of the pupils who reached school-leaving age stayed in full-time education, a trend which has grown steadily over the last three years.
Our culturally and socially varied population comes from more than 30 primary schools. Most pupils live in the immediate area which is covered by more than one local authority and is full of privately owned housing. But some of our pupils also travel to school across the city. Local unemployment is relatively high. More than 50% of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. About three-quarters of our pupils are from Indian or Pakistani backgrounds; about 20% are African-Caribbean; and just under 4% are White British. The main religious groups are Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Christian. Apart from English, the main community languages are Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and Gujerati, with a few pupils speaking Creole. Some pupils receive a broken pattern of education because of extended visits overseas.
Equal opportunities
We are committed to the idea of equal opportunities and all that this means in practice. Equal opportunities for everyone means the right to be heard, to listen, to try, to be happy, to be safe and to succeed, regardless of ethnic background, sex, religion or disability. We expect our pupils to be successful.
Facilities
In the main school we have the offices of the Head Teacher, Senior Leadership Team and the Administrative Staff, a modern canteen, a large hall and reception area, a sports hall with modern changing and shower facilities, a library, drama and dance spaces, and specialist teaching rooms for Music, English, Languages, Science and a state-of-the-art technology block. There are also science laboratories and drama rooms on the site.
Our annexe building, which is on the same site, houses the staff room and Art, Humanities, Information Computer Technology, Business Studies and Mathematics rooms.
SCHOOL AIMS
Our aims are developed out of, and in response to, Articles 2 (a) and (b) of the Education Reform Act 1988.
"The curriculum for a maintained school satisfies the requirements of this section if it is a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which:
- promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society; and
- prepares such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
We also acknowledge the Education Authority's Curriculum Statement.
Our aims
- To provide equal access for all pupils to a broad and balanced range of subjects regardless of their race, ability or social class.
- To help pupils develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and challenge statements and beliefs, as well as to apply themselves to set tasks.
- To encourage pupils gain knowledge, skills and attitudes that are relevant to them now and will be as adults.
- To help pupils to gain and use reading, writing, speaking, listening, mathematical and technological skills across the curriculum and in different situations.
- To help pupils develop self-discipline, self-respect and pride in themselves as young women.
- To celebrate our religious, cultural and social differences while making sure that those values which everyone in the school agrees are oppressive and prejudice against women are challenged.
- To give pupils the opportunity to experience a balanced arts education curriculum.
- To work in partnership with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community to develop the school as a caring centre of educational excellence.