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< Back Michael Mayes Teacher of Humanities michael.mayes@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk michael.mayes@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Phil Edwards Associate Assistant Headteacher philip.edwards@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk philip.edwards@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Laura Edmonds Assistant Head Teacher laura.edmonds@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk laura.edmonds@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Freya Davies Assistant SENDCO freya.shoobridge@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk freya.shoobridge@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Kully Bal Teacher of ICT kully.bal@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk kully.bal@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

The Trust Anchor 1 Rugby Free Secondary School is proud to be part of Triumph Learning Trust. A Trust formed through the merger between Learning Today Leading Tomorrow and Triumph Trust in September 2024. Further information on the Trust, its governance structure and finances can be found on our website . CEO: Sarah Malam Registered Address: Anderson Avenue, Rugby, CV22 5PE Trust Phone Number: 02476 688918

Our School Anchor 1 Meet the Senior Team Attendance Data Protection and Freedom of Information Prospectus Standards & Expectations Admissions Values and Ethos Equal Opportunities & Diversity Useful Information Free School Meals Policies

< Back Josh O'Brien Teacher of English josh.obrien@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk josh.obrien@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Seb Cooper Associate Assistant Headteacher sebastain.cooper@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk sebastain.cooper@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

Prospectus Please download our latest 2023-2024 Prospectus here. We hope you find the prospectus informative and would urge you to come and see us in action! Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We strive to develop well rounded individuals who are respectful, curious and resilient. Please click here to download

< Back Hazel Kelly Office Administrator hazel.kelly@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk hazel.kelly@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

All that we do at RFSS is aimed towards the future of our students. We endeavour to prepare them for adulthood and the world of work, not only through our curriculum, but very specifically by delivering a thorough, complete and engaging careers programme, which begins in year 7 and continues through to sixth form and beyond. Specialist Resource Provision “Resourced provision allows children to attend mainstream school, whilst accessing specialist provision. Placement in these settings is agreed by the Local Authority Provision Panel. This may be appropriate for a child with an EHC plan or who is undertaking the EHC assessment process. The Specialist Resource Provision at Rugby Free Secondary School is a resource base that offers a bespoke programme of support to students in years 7 to 11 whose primary area of need is Communication and Interaction. The provision is a calm, welcoming and safe space located at the heart of our beautiful school. Students enrolled in the provision are able to access a highly personalized and nurturing curriculum delivered by both our specialist and mainstream staff; including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and Set for Life skills. Our Specialist Resource Provision is fully integrated with the broader educational and SEND offer of our school and our goal is to nurture each student’s wellbeing, confidence, and most importantly, their independence. We aim to develop the crucial skills and attitudes each young person needs to be successful and to ensure that our students feel they belong within our school and the wider community. As such, students at our provision will be fully supported to access as much of the National and GCSE Curriculum as they are able, and where appropriate will be able to follow alternative pathways to gain functional skills and life skills qualifications including ASDAN qualifications. Students also have access to the rich and diverse range of extracurricular clubs and activities offered including sports, arts, and personal development that are on offer. RFSS is an inclusive, aspirational school that currently supports a wide range of students with SEND The DfE full scale national SEND review acknowledged that the SEND system was failing to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND or alternative provision. The green paper (2022) focused on delivering improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND, or who need alternative provision, building confidence and improving experiences, within a financially sustainable system. The SEND Local Area Inspection by Ofsted/CQC visit in 2021 highlighted that ‘too many children and young people [in Warwickshire] have been placed in specialist settings without proper consideration of whether their needs could be met in mainstream schools.’ In addition, training for mainstream staff working with children with SEND was also highlighted in the inspection as an area of weakness in meeting the needs of this cohort. The SRP is intended to address the shortage of appropriate provision, whilst also enhancing the level of specialist SEND expertise within our school. Who does the SRP serve? Students whose primary additional educational need is Communication and Interaction, including; Those with Autism, developmental delays, significant speech and language delays and disorders, hearing impairment, ACEs Students with related anxiety disorders, sensory needs, and motor coordination difficulties Our provision is NOT suitable for students whose primary barrier to attending mainstream school is SEMH*** A maximum of 15 pupils for the 23-24 academic year, rising to 20 pupils in September 2024 Meet The Team Elsa Ell iott Manager, Specialist in Speech and Language Difficulties and Specialist in SEND Assessment Helen Townsend SEND Specialist Teacher and Specialist in Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing, experienced in SEMH Donna Whitley HLTA Specialist in Communication and Interaction, Sign Language, and PDA Natalie Flitter HLTA experienced with students with complex needs and SEMH Sharon Large LSA experienced in SEMH and ASD, having worked in several specialist educational settings Useful Website s What is autism? Why Autism is a Difference, not a Deficit Autism Advice and Guidance

< Back Brandon Hallmark Key Stage 3 Pastoral Lead brandon.hallmark@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk brandon.hallmark@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Sally Mcguigan Lead First Aider sally.mcguigan@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk sally.mcguigan@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Peter Allington peter.allington@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk peter.allington@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

Drama Increasingly the power of drama is being recognised as one of the most effective ways to develop skills and emotional intelligence in young people. Drama promotes communication skills, teamwork, dialogue, negotiation, socialisation and problem solving. The essence of Drama lies in its capacity to provide students with the opportunity to ‘pretend to be someone else’. It is through such acts of imagination that students are able to explore the way they might behave and react in different circumstances and within different social and cultural parameters. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects I regard the theatre as the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde Drama Department - Overarching Curriculum Intent (September 2024) RFSS Curriculum Vision Statement: To build an inclusive curriculum which is aspirational for all and empowers our students to make outstanding academic and personal progress. Drama Curriculum in Context: Within KS3 we intend to equip students with the skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic techniques that they will need to interpret themes and issues that surround them within society. In the classroom we model and have high expectations across the board in standards of learning and behaviour. This has been developed through an ethos of respect and creative freedom in the classroom. We intend to stretch and challenge all our students through the development of independent learners and allowing students the freedom of interpretation and the culture that it is OK to get something wrong! Drama is assessable to all groups of students i.e. PP, SEN, EAL, through students working in mixed ability groups and students supporting one another in their learning. Within KS4 and KS5, we intend students to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic skills and techniques whilst demonstrating critical judgement in their application. Students can do this with support from teaching staff. Across the school, we aim to give all students the opportunity to experience the Arts in a wider context, for example, to perform in the whole school musical productions, enrichment, visits from professional theatre companies and theatre trips. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Develop confident young people who can communicate effectively with one another. Inspire our students to explore and develop their own ideas creatively. Give students the skills needed to be able to sympathise and empathise with situations around them. Explore and develop their own social, spiritual, moral and cultural understanding. Our broad and balanced curriculum concentrates on developing our students’ key knowledge and skills, and enhances their understanding of the world around them. We do this by: Delivering engaging topics that are relative to the world around them, in a safe and trusted environment. Giving students the opportunity to articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics and issues clearly, confidently and respectfully. Enabling creativity by supporting students to develop their own ideas and that of others. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Empathetic citizens who can understand and engage with others outside their own social, cultural and historical setting. Creative and imaginative thinkers who are not afraid to get things wrong. Team players who can communicate effectively in group situations and understand the importance of listening to others to move forward. Articulate individuals who can verbalise their own thoughts, ideas and emotions. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with improved confidence, who have developed the skills required to work as part of a team by communicating effectively with those around them. Students will have taken part in cultural experiences both inside and outside of the classroom that will enhance their understanding of drama, themselves and others. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Drama Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening. Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

Geography Geography is essentially about understanding the world we live in. It helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. At Rugby Free Secondary school children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum enables students to develop knowledge and skills that are transferrable to other curriculum areas. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. Barack Obama Geography Statement of Intent 2024-25 Our mission is to ensure that all students value and enjoy their humanities subjects. They enjoy well planned, engaging lessons which ensure that all make strong and sustained progress. Students will be offered a curriculum which is academically rigorous but also helps them to develop into confident and well-rounded young people. Intent Geography is fundamental to a student’s education. It inspires a sense of awe and wonder and instils a respect and appreciation of diverse places, cultures, people and resources. Bringing together the complex interrelations of the human and physical world, the study of Geography is invaluable in addressing the challenges we face today. Geography is continuously evolving, and therefore we endeavour to offer a rigorous and responsive curriculum that supports the cultivation of curious and kind learners. Implementation We provide a carefully sequenced and knowledge rich Geography curriculum that allows for the progressive development of students understanding of geographical concepts and skills. From Year 7 through to eventual A Level, students will hone in on concepts such as cause and effect, management, sustainability and conflict whilst developing skills such as drawing and reading graphs, reading maps and photo analysis. Our curriculum comprises a balance of human and physical Geography. Students study a range of systematic units, as well as a regional unit in Year 7 and 8. Each student is provided with a visual curriculum map to ensure they are aware of their learning journey. We want our students to be curious about the world around them. To encourage this, each unit begins with an enquiry question. Throughout the unit, students become equipped with the knowledge and skills required to answer this question. This guides the lesson sequence and allows us to measure the impact of our curriculum. Without a strong starting point, it is impossible to measure progress effectively. Therefore, every student completes a baseline assessment at the beginning of Year 7. We have a large number of feeder schools so it is important to gain an understanding of what a student knows and can do, as well as any gaps in their learning. This information is then used to inform the scaffolding and level of challenge required in the first unit, Where in the World. This unit focuses on the concept of scale and provides students with a grounding in geographical skills as well as knowledge of place. Concepts and skills are continuously revisited, but in a more challenging capacity. For example, in Year 7 students are introduced to the concept of development early on in year 7 this concept is a thread throughout the KS3 course and revisited in topics such as natural hazards, and population in year 9. By revisiting concepts in different contexts, students can begin to make connections and develop their schema. Every subject is communicated through its own unique language. Our curriculum develops student’s disciplinary literacy by providing opportunities to read and actively engage with challenging geographical texts. Some examples include extracts from Prisoners of Geography and Factfulness, as well as a range of articles, policy documents and fiction texts. We encourage students to strengthen their oracy when discussing and presenting ideas, and provide explicit vocabulary instruction to support students in accessing and using geographical terminology. Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2012) and Doug Lemov’s Teach like a Champion (2014) strategies are employed to develop our teaching practice in Geography. We ensure students retain knowledge by interleaving learning. This leads to improved knowledge retention and allows students to make connections between concepts and ideas. Retrieval practice is used in every lesson in the form of Do it Now Activities (DIN) to ensure students are constantly reviewing their learning and addressing misconceptions. Within the DINs, students are given a challenge question which is used to stretch students beyond pure knowledge. We provide guided practice through the ‘I, We, You’ method and show call students work to maximise accountability and build resilience. Students develop independence throughout key stage 3, 4 and 5. Initially at KS3 students are given independent activities through revision lessons and homework. This foundation is developed throughout KS into KS4 and 5, to become a normal part of the learning process. Impact Formative and summative assessments are carefully planned and implemented to monitor progress and address misconceptions. At KS3, every unit has a mid-term and end of unit assessment. Here, students are assessed on their ability to recall and apply key knowledge and skills. Prior learning is continuously assessed in the form of retrieval practice to ensure knowledge retention. Probing questions are also used to instantly check understanding and deepen thinking. Key assessments are marked in line with the FAR policy. Whole class feedback is used to address misconceptions and highlight areas for development and model answers are used to showcase good practice. By the time students leave RFSS, they will: Have secure knowledge of where places are and what they are like Have respect and appreciation of diverse places, cultures, people and resources Have an understanding of the complex interrelations of the human and physical world Be able to express well-balanced opinions and support, evaluate and challenge the opinions of others Be able to plan, conduct and evaluate fieldwork collaboratively using geographical skills and techniques Be passionate about Geography and continue to be curious about our ever changing world. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Geography Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

< Back Helena Southworth Teacher of Social Science helena.southworth@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk helena.southworth@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

Set for Life At RFSS our Personal Development curriculum extends beyond the academic and supports our students in the many diverse aspects of life. We aim to provide students with the opportunities to focus on their personal development and character in order to ensure all students grow as active, healthy and engaged citizens and are ultimately ‘Set For Life’ when they leave our school. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Curriculum Create the highest grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe. Oprah Winfrey We recognise that in a national study that was undertaken at the start of 2021, only 47% of students who were ready to leave school, felt that they were equipped to flourish and thrive in the real-world. In addition to this, only 2 in 5 business owners believed school-leavers to be prepared for life, as part of the same study. These findings have shaped our ‘Set For Life’ offer, as we continue to prepare students to be the best they can be in all aspects. As a consequence of this, our ‘Set for Life’ curriculum is split in four areas, which include: Community Volunteering Cultural Diversity Social skills and attitudes Community Groups School, Local and national Law and authority Fairness and justice Communication Equality and Diversity Democracy Local and National Social Action Student Leadership Independent Living Self care Independent travel – Road safety Kitchen skills Home management Safety Personal Finance Accessing the community Talents and interests – Enrichment Organisation Health and Wellbeing Sex and Relationship Education Mental health Developing digital resilience in context of online pressures Respect for self and others Individual Liberty and informed choices Self esteem and belief Employability Social Skills (public speaking, eye contact) Volunteering participation Careers Education – Gatsby Benchmarks Metacognition Communication skills Self Regulation Standards and Expectations The SET for Life programme begins from Year 7 and is delivered in a variety of ways: Through dedicated ‘SET For Life’ Tutor Time Cross curricular links made throughout lessons Drop Down Days Dedicated lessons Deliberate content choices within the Curriculum

Core PE The PE curriculum not only looks at the physical requirements of students but addresses health and wellbeing aspects that students may face. This combines with the development of lifelong skills that are so important in modern life. Within PE we will be looking to develop student’s competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school. Our new curriculum is designed to help students become healthy, happy and successful in whatever they want to do. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Nelson Mandela At Rugby Free Secondary School we want students leaving core PE at the end of KS4 feeling confident to continue physical activity in their own free time, and make it a regular part of their lives. This could be recreationally or competitively, and we know our programme of study will help students to follow pathways that suit them best. Our high-quality PE curriculum will enable all students to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are performing, they think about what they are doing, analyse the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others’ performances and find ways to improve them. As a result, they develop the confidence to take part in different physical activities, and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles. Discovering what they like to do, what their aptitudes are at school, and how and where to get involved in physical activity, helps them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity. PE helps students to develop physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. They work as individuals, in groups and in teams, developing concepts of fairness and of personal and social responsibility. They take on different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, coaching and officiating. Through the range of experiences that PE offers, they learn how to be effective in competitive, creative and challenging situations. PE also helps tackle mental health and wellbeing, encouraging students to communicate with others, to get support from teams, and physically, they will release serotonin when participating in exercise which will make them feel happier. Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.