SHARNBROOK TRAINING SCHOOL

Sharnbrook Upper School was one of the first in the country to be given Training School status.  We have grown through partnerships with various providers of Initial Teacher Training to become a research-based school with an embedded ethos of Coaching and Mentoring.  We enjoy collaboration with a wide and diverse range of schools and institutions and contribute through working with the Training and Development Agency (TDA) and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on national as well as regional initiatives.

For more information about the Training School, click on the "Training School" tab, or contact Mrs P Sutliff (psutliff@sharnbrook.beds.sch.uk)

ICT  REGISTER

The badge shown on the right indicates that we are also part of a National collection of schools able to offer help and support to other colleagues. This support can be very diverse covering topics such as interactive whiteboards, use of data, equipment acquisition, and network management. The network of schools is managed by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and details of the range of support offered by the member schools can be found there.

APPLIED LEARNING

Two years ago we took the opportunity to become an Applied Learning Specialist School. This supported our long held belief that ‘good learning’ was reinforced by the practical use of knowledge and skills. The small sums of money that came with this award allowed us the opportunity to develop new subjects, pay for staff training and develop new facilities, both on our site and with other providers.
As a result, we have become area leaders in the number of BTEC qualifications on offer; we have 80 Key Stage 4 students studying at Bedford College and Shuttleworth College in subjects as diverse as Hair and Beauty and Horse Care.
The staff at Sharnbrook are heavily involved, both locally and nationally, in the development and preparation for the new Specialised Diplomas and will be offering courses in four areas from September 2008. These are : Engineering, Creative and Media, Construction and the Built Environment and Hair and Beauty.  Other lines of learning will follow as they become available.

NATIONAL HEALTHY SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

“An exciting long-term initiative that promotes the link between good health, behaviour and achievement”

“Core themes include PSHE, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Emotional Wellbeing.”

“It's about creating happier, healthier children who do better in learning and in life!”

After holding Regional Healthy Schools Status for many years, we embarked on gaining National Healthy Schools Status during 2006-7. This was to ensure that our students are educated for life through exposing and providing students with a healthy, safe and nurturing school environment. We were successful in our first submission of the award and continually review and make additions to the school’s array of facilities to ensure that we continue to be a healthy school…..and be healthier still!!!

At Sharnbrook Upper School, Student Voice is an important part of school life and the Student Parliament is integral to the school’s development and direction. This has been reflected in the development of our own catering facilities, in order to tailor the menu to the students’ preferences, meet their nutritional needs and facilitate students to make informed choices. This year we have developed this further by increasing Student Governor capacity.

Another quality of our students’ provision is our Student and Family Support Centre. The Centre provides courses and strategies as well as liaising and providing support from outside agencies. This ensures that our students have the correct support for their personal and social health and emotional well being and it also enhances our strong PSHE programme.

We have state of the art specialist sport facilities that enable us to provide a wide activity range and personalised programmes to meet specific needs of our students, staff and the wider community. This also provides valuable opportunities that would not normally be experienced and, therefore, instils confidence and develops a ‘give it a go’ ethos for life.

Achieving Healthy Schools accreditation is pleasing but the school acknowledges that there are always areas that can be further developed and that being a “Healthy School” is for life!

SPECIALIST MEDIA ARTS COLLEGE

Although Sharnbrook was amongst the first schools nationally to be designated a “Specialist Media Arts College” as long ago as 1999, we have, in fact, been specialising in Media (and especially film and television production) since the 1980’s!

Television is one of our major communication vehicles and is a particularly effective way of bringing together our large school community. This expertise is put to good use across the curriculum and, indeed, across the North Bedfordshire schools “pyramid” both in and outside the classroom. Video is used to record and celebrate events, as a research tool for teachers, as a training device, as a motivational resource, as a discussion prompt, to list but a few benefits!

The Media Department is well equipped and the curriculum gives students access to  a variety of pathways. Take-up is always high and examinations results are consistently outstanding. Media Production is the focus of the majority of our courses, amongst which the AQA GCSE Expressive Arts and Edexcel AS/A2 Media: Communication and Production are the most popular. Students also have the option to study WJEC AS/A2 Film Studies and the BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Media: TV Production, which is equivalent to 3 A levels.

Alongside our AST and our technicians, Sharnbrook’s “Media Industry Advisors Panel”, comprising some 20 professionals working in a range of media roles, both nationally and locally, is a remarkable source of support and advice for staff and students alike.