Leadership department

The John Warner School has been heavily involved in the PTI's Schools Leadership Programme for several years. We have successfully completed a project involving the development of a faculty review process which has fully engaged staff in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning across the school. We are now embarking on our second project which will focus on a values-led approach to school improvement across a multi-academy trust.

The aim of this project is to develop an approach to school improvement that is based upon the values shared by the pupils, teachers and other stakeholders across the three schools in The Hoddesdon School Trust. The project also aims to provide an over-arching framework for school improvement that has clarity and is shared across the MAT, in many ways making this a defining feature of the MAT. The values need to be broad enough to accommodate different phases of education and inclusive so that all members of the MAT community can engage with these values. These values also need to be informed by an evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning, a detailed understanding of the demands of a changing curriculum and the appropriate strategic approaches to leadership and management that will enable the project to be successful.

Following a period of research and reflection by a group of senior leaders from The John Warner School, the following values were identified as important in moving the school forward and as a potentially unifying and distinctive feature of the MAT: aspiration, creativity, endeavour, participation and respect. These were then presented to the headteachers at a MAT conference with the significant aspects of each value explored in detail. Following further consultation with pupils and teachers, we were able to begin promoting the values across the school in a variety of ways as the next stage of the project.

Our rewards systems has been redesigned recognise when pupils demonstrate the core values which includes our new ‘Star Pupil’ boards for each faculty to celebrate when a pupil demonstrates one of the values at a high level.

Our values have been placed around the school to promote these and remind our school community about what we all believe is important.

Our exercise books and planners all now have the symbols reflecting the school’s values printed on these.

Mathematics department

The Mathematics department has been a member of the PTI's Schools Programme for the past four years. Last year, the department became an associate member, having successfully completed the three year Schools Programme. We are looking at how to help primary school children become more financially aware through the delivery of a six week enrichment programme delivered by a designated member of staff. The head of faculty is a Mathematics teacher leader at the PTI's New Teachers Subject Days course.

Geography department

The Geography Department have been involved with the PTI since July 2013, with the new Head of Subject taking over the role during 2016. Each year the department has set a list of objectives which aim to improve the curriculum, opportunities for students and enrichment activities. This recent year 2016/17 has seen a focus on increasing the level of challenge, and enthusing interest in geography outside the curriculum.

A particular area of focus is developing new schemes of work, with increasing levels of challenge in line with the new GCSE specification and a 3 Year KS4 within the school. One way in which this has been achieved is through the introduction of core exam-style questions for homework and assessment in Years 9, 10 and 11 that run alongside the newly developed SOW's. The exam practice questions challenge pupils to apply understanding learnt in lessons to exam questions, and increase their experience in responding to command words. The whole department prints these homework sheets on ‘easily identifiable’ green paper, which are stuck into pupils books.

Overall, the involvement of the Geography department in the PTI has engaged more students in Geography and supported teachers as we move through key changes in the curriculum. The PTI has supported the department in enriching and ensuing pupils interest in geography outside of the curriculum. The department has encouraged the uptake of followers on the schools existing Geography Twitter feed as a tool to encourage wider reading and enthusiasm beyond the core content at GCSE and A level. In March 2017, an event for all of Year 7 and Year 8 geographers was planned for them to experience "Google Expeditions". This includes the use of virtual technology to bring geography (and other subjects) to life in the classroom. The sessions received positive feedback from students.

Modern Languages department

One of our PTI Objectives in the MFL department was to harness our various skills and contacts in order to put together a week-long programme of languages-related events. These included a lower school German version of 'Little Red Riding Hood', Eiffel Tower building, lunchtime language taster sessions run by members of staff who have a second (or third) language, a staff European bake-off and a careers morning including a variety of talks from professionals who use their languages in the workplace. The week culminated in a carnival in the school hall, showcasing masks created in partnership with the Art department. The activities were enjoyed by all and really helped raise the profile of MFL at John Warner.

Art department

 

 

A recent trip to a local primary school, saw a group of our year 9 and 10 pupils assist year 5 pupils experiment with a range of printing techniques. All prints linked to the year 5’s current project of WW1. A really positive day was had by all with both our pupils and the primary school pupils taking something away from the day. See our results above. 

Our annual end of year exhibition was recently held to showcase the year 11 and 13 artwork and celebrate their hard work over the past two years!

Our annual STEAM day was held on Saturday 30th September where a small group of artists made a life size wire sculpture. In art club year 7 pupils then studied cells and created their own cells out of felt to be attached to the body. He was a real hit on the day, see his colourful self above!

The John Warner School’s art department are current involved in a community project with Broxbourne council. We are currently in the process of making 200 clay poppies to be displayed on a roundabout for remembrance weekend. A small group of volunteers from year 8 and 10 are currently making these after school on a Thursday. Here is a small sample of what they have made so far. Each hand made poppy in unique and individual, the pupils are extremely committed and are really enjoying the project!

*Upcoming event!*

Visiting artist Hashim Akib is coming to our school on the 8th November to run a workshop with 6th form art pupils. He will be talking to pupils about his work, demonstrating his technique, pupils will be then creating their own work in his style with his expertise on hand.