Wayne Barnett Principal Mascalls Academy Welcome to Mascalls Academy Introduce self Explain LAT – 5 Secondaries, 5 Primaries, 1 special school and 1 UTC You have had the chance to see our staff and students in action You have also had the opportunity to see what our parents and students say about us The quote I left off is probably one of my favourites – I asked a year 9 boy how everything was going? He replied “ Not good”, What is the problem, I asked. The problem with school is, you can’t get away with anything anymore. I am confident that you will enjoy this evening and leave with a very good impression of Mascalls Academy.

Open Evening An opportunity to experience how we do things A chance to get a feel for the Academy ethos Ask questions – Staff and students Be inquisitive – Take a tour without a guide Come back for a second visit on Open Morning 6th & 8th Oct 2015 9.00-11.00am Whenever we have visitors they always comment on the Mascalls feeling. It’s not tangible, however, if I could bottle it I would be rich. One visitor said it was the friendly, well ordered, purposeful way people move around the organisation. But don’t take my word for it. What do Ofsted say?

“Mascalls is a Very Good School”. Ofsted 2012 But I am not happy with that. At the start of this academic year I set out my strategic vision to the governors. It has two key parts. 1)

The highest performing non-selective school in the borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells

‘Mascalls Academy is an Outstanding School’ I will lay out how this is going to be achieved

‘Mascalls Academy is an Outstanding School’ The highest performing non-selective school in the borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells ‘Mascalls Academy is an Outstanding School’

Standards Attendance Behaviour Uniform Attitude for Learning The importance of excellent attendance speaks for itself – One of the first things any employer asks is “ What is their attendance”? I expect behaviour to be exemplary. I condone the remove of students from lessons if they cannot behave appropriately and exclusions for students who persistently disrupt the learning of others. Behaviour for learning is also essential. When in a lesson I expect students to be working hard, to be trying their best and progressing lesson by lesson. New Uniform – Introduced this year I think you will all agree that our students look fantastic. I believe Uniform is one of the corner stones of any school and I will not compromise on the standard of uniform. I expect all students to have full academy uniform at all times. Attitude for learning is all about effort. I am a firm believer that hard work and perseverance can overcome any difficulty. Thomas Edison said “ Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration”.

Classroom Environment Expectations Academy Ethos Classroom Environment Outcomes for Students Quality of Teaching Year 7 Transition I have already mentioned the Mascalls feel and developing the right ethos is extremely important. I want children to feel safe and secure in their learning, willing to put their hand up even if they don’t know the answer, secure in the belief that a risk is worth taking and that hard work will pay off. I want the Mascalls student to be confident and work ready, when they leave us, and I want them to look back and say they enjoyed school and they got everything they could from it. You will see the classroom environment as you take a tour around the site. We have new buildings and old buildings but one thing is the same – The learning environment. Learning is creative, purposeful, innovative and progressive. Student outcome is the reward when all of the previous points have been achieved. This is the culmination of 5 or 7 years work. It cannot be achieved with a lot of work put in in year 11. And all this is turned into reality by high quality teaching. Teaching that identifies where your child it at and puts a plan in place to move to the next level. Quality teaching makes students feel as though they can achieve anything and does not put a cap on ability. Quality teaching makes all students understand what is achievable and then makes it happen.

If you are sitting there thinking these are the things I want for my child, If you want a school that will drive academic progress, will achieve outstanding outcomes whilst offering creative and sporting choices, in an environment that many visitors highlight as being ‘ A bit special’ then I would suggest that your decision has been made for you?