Committed to Achievement

2014-15

Annual Report of

Governors to Parents

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TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS 4

MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER 6

SCHOOL LIFE DURING THE YEAR 8

AUSCHWITZ TRIP 9

‘THINK BIG’ BUSINESS DAY AT O2 9

YEAR 13 OXBRIDGE EVENT 10

PHYSICS IN ACTION LECTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON WITH THE YEAR 12 STUDENTS 10

THE WINTER CONCERT 11

BATTLEFIELDS TRIP 11

‘ANYTHING GOES’ COX GREEN SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION 2014 12

2015 COX GREEN SKI TRIP - ANDORRA 14 - 22 FEBRUARY 13

BAY OF NAPLES GEOGRAPHY TRIP 2015 13

FILM LAUNCH DYSLEXIA AWARENESS FILM 13

CLASS BAND PLAYERS IN THE HUNDREDS 14

PARENT/STUDENT SURVEYS 15

ACTIONS TAKEN TO ADDRESS AREAS IDENTIFIED BY STUDENTS: 15

ACTIONS BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS AREAS IDENTIFIED BY PARENTS: 15

INCLUSION 16

MORE ABLE STUDENTS AT COX GREEN 16

EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES 17

STRETCH AND CHALLENGE IN LESSONS 17

MENTORING AND GUIDANCE 18

WHAT NEXT? 18

LITERACY 18

EACH INDIVIDUAL MATTERS 19

CURRICULUM 19

MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS – A BESPOKE CURRICULUM 20

SIXTH FORM 20

COX GREEN RESUME 20

ENRICHMENT 21

STAFFING 21

TEACHING QUALITY 22

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 22

OFSTED REPORT MAY 2015 23

SIGNIFICANT STRENGTHS: 23

THE AREAS THAT NEED TO DEVELOP FURTHER INCLUDE: 23

OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR VIEW 24

TESTIMONIALS 24

DESTINATION DATA 25

POST 16 25

PUPIL PREMIUM 25

CURRICULUM 25

ENRICHMENT 25

SUMMER 25

ATTENDANCE 26

CAREERS 26

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OPTIONS 26

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY LINKS 26

CAREERS CURRICULUM LINKS 27

CAREERS ADVICE EVENTS 27

UNIVERSITY, APPRENTICESHIP AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT 27

CURRICULUM 27

ENRICHMENT 27

BEHAVIOUR AND SAFETY 28

STUDENT LEADERSHIP 28

SITE IMPROVEMENTS 29

THE GOVERNING BODY 30

GOVERNORS 30

THE WORK OF THE GOVERNING BODY 30

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 31

PEOPLE AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE 32

FINANCE & RESOURCES COMMITTEE 33

AUDIT COMMITTEE 34

TEACHING & LEARNING COMMITTEE 34

KEY AREAS FOR 2014/15 35

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS As Chair of Governors for Cox Green School I am very pleased to be

able to write part of the forward to this our 4th Annual Report to

Parents.

School governors come from every walk of life. There are over

300,000 school governors in England and they form the largest

volunteer force in the country.

Each individual governor is a member of a governing body, which is

established in law as a corporate body. Individual governors may not act independently of the rest of the

governing body. Decisions are the joint responsibility of the governing body.

The role of the governing body is a strategic one; its key functions are to:

Set the aims and objectives for the school

Set the policies for achieving those aims and objectives

Set the targets for achieving those aims and objectives

Monitor and evaluate the progress the school is making towards achievement of its aims and

objectives

Be a source of challenge and support to the Headteacher

The Headteacher is responsible for the internal organisation, management and control of the school and the

implementation of the strategic framework established by the governing body.

The last 12 months have been a very busy time for the Governors at Cox Green School. We have

restructured the Governing Body following a number of changes to our membership. Recently we have

strengthened our numbers with the recruitment of two new Parent Governors and two new Community

Governors.

Following the changes to the Ofsted inspection framework our role became even more critical in ensuring

that the school gives our pupils the very best education it can and provides them with the sound base we all

need to build our careers and our futures. Governors are challenged directly to show that they undertake all

of the functions set out above and that they can demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of how

the school goes about achieving the strategic aims set out for it. We were pleased that Ofsted recognized

our work in these areas in the recent inspection –

“Governors make a good contribution to the school. They consistently challenge the Headteacher and other

leaders in their quest for outstanding standards in teaching and achievement. Governors have a precise and

good knowledge and understanding of the school’s performance data and the quality of teaching. They know

how well the school performs compared to other schools. They are fully aware of the school’s strengths and

where it needs to improve. Along with the Headteacher, the governors make sure that teachers’ pay rises

and promotions are not automatic. They are aware of what is done to reward good teaching and how the

school tackles any staff underperformance.

Governors are directly involved in approving how the pupil premium funding is spent and know the impact of

the school’s work in this area. They know that attainment gaps between disadvantaged students and others

are narrowing but are not yet closed.”

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We are extremely proud of our school and the progress it has made. The last two years have been very

challenging for all associated with the school as the drive to gain the improvements necessary gained ground.

Being rewarded by an official “Good” rating was a great result but we will have to continue the good work to

ensure our progress continues.

As Governors we recognise we have some wonderful staff; whose commitment to the young people they

work with is second to none. Daily they demonstrate their passion and purpose in delivering their best for

those students. Those students deserve every success and it is the job of the Governing Body to facilitate,

through involvement and challenge, their journey through this part of their education.

Finally, please remember that the Governors can be contacted through the school if there is anything that

you would like to discuss and that our Governing Body welcomes new ideas and volunteers alike.

Paul Louden

Chair of Governors

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER What a fantastic year we have had! The school has gone from strength to strength and we are very proud of all that has been achieved. This year we have seen our best ever A Level results in the school history with 75% of students attaining the

highest grades A*-C. A significant group of students also achieved those coveted A*-A grades and secured

places at the top universities including St Georges to read Medicine, Warwick and Bath. We are extremely

proud of all our Sixth form students.

Our GCSE results continue to be the highest across the mixed, comprehensive schools in the Maidenhead

area. 75% of our students achieved 5 A*-C grades and 66% of our students attained 5A*-C including English

and Maths. The academic subjects including English and Maths are a real strength of the school. This is also

testament to the hard work and dedication shown by our committed students, staff and parents.

We would also like to congratulate our Year 10 who gained many A* and A grades in their early entry

Philosophy GCSE as well as Susannah Ames who in Year 9 achieved a A* in Maths.

In May 2015 we received our long awaited visit from Ofsted. We were awarded a ‘Good’ judgement. It was great that the inspectors recognised the significant work that has gone into making Cox Green a school where students “thrive” and are provided with opportunities to succeed both academically and socially. The Ofsted Team not only highlighted that achievement in a vast majority of subjects is well above national averages but also that our students are polite, courteous and have a wide range of opportunities to become team players.

Our strong sense of community spirit, which is the bedrock of our school, also shone through in the feedback we received from inspectors. We hold this value dear to our hearts and provide ample opportunities for students to get involved within the school, local and global community.

One such example of this was the trip to Ladakh in India in which a group of students from Year 11 and the Sixth Form spent three weeks refurbishing a school in northern India.

Closer to home, it was magnificent that Cox Green Art students created a lasting legacy as they produced the mural on the new railway bridge.

Over the last year our students and staff have also raised thousands of pounds for charities such as the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research.

Our sports offer has continued to develop with students participating in an even wider range of sports for example fencing, the climbing wall and skiing. Beth Canty, in year 10, competed in the ESAA combined events and finished 5th against all the girls in Berkshire.

The drive to provide for our most able students has seen partnership work with Sir William Borlase Grammar School: A series of masterclasses as well as highly specialised and individualised guidance and support for potential Oxbridge candidates have taken place.

Students who have additional needs have also been fully supported through the employment of our very own Speech and Language Therapist, we have also provided specialist study workshops for our dyslexic students. At Cox Green every student really does matter.

Forming strong partnerships with our parents continues. Our wonderful Parent Teacher Association has provided funds to set up a number of projects including a new Reading Room designed by the students as well as a project in which students are trained as Anti – Cyber Bullying mentors. In addition, our parent surveys have shown an overwhelming confidence in the school and we are thankful for our parents continuing support.

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Turning our thoughts to the forthcoming year, Cox Green School, continues to be ambitious for all of its young people. We remain determined to offer the very best education a school can offer.

Regards

Heidi Swidenbank Headteacher

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SCHOOL LIFE DURING THE YEAR There were a significant number of school trips during the academic year. The Governors would like to thank

all those staff who gave up their time in support of our students

2014

October IT CISCO IT Challenge Careers and Guidance O2 Think Big Drama Muddy Choir Theatre Trip Drama Shakespeare for Schools November Achievement Leaders Royal Holloway University History Battlefields Trip Drama Shakespeare for Schools English Love through the Ages Drama Macbeth in Pitch Black Theatre Trip Science Physics in Action December Drama One Man Two Guvnors Theatre Trip Drama The Scottsboro Boys Theatre Trip Drama Matilda Theatre Trip 6th Form EPQ Research Day 2015

January Drama Gecko Royal Opera House Year 12 and Year 13 Drama John Theatre Trip February PE Ski Trip Media Youth Culture and Collective Identity Year 12 Media UK Cinema Audience and Institutions Year 13 Art Art and Photography Gallery Visit English The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Theatre Trip Geography Bay of Naples Trip March English Othello Theatre Trip History History USA 1917-45 Year 13 Drama Mock Trial Music Jazz day and evening at Norden Farm Careers and Guidance Berks Apprenticeship Adventures Science Year 9 Science Challenge RS Philosophy of Religion trip Year 13

Science Big Bang Fair Year 10 Princes Trust Rugby Trip Careers and Guidance O2 Big Tech Stars IT CISCO Trip

April Drama Norden Farm Rhum and Clay Theatre Trip Drama A Strange Wild Song Theatre Trip June Geography Bournemouth Field Trip July Music Goslar Band Trip Business Stock Exchange Visit Science Braywick Nature Reserve Science Medicine and Materials Day

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Auschwitz Trip

I will never forget the Auschwitz trip for the rest of

my life. First of all we saw the barracks which were

situated in surprisingly nice grounds with beautiful

trees and perfectly coiffured lawns. One thing that

became quite clear was the lack of birds directly

above the first camp. In the distance you could only

see crows and magpies, wearily flying around the

perimeter. One prominent memory that made me

very emotional was the 8000 pairs of shoes. This

showed the impact of the Nazi regime and the

horror they imposed during their time in power.

The second place we went to was the camp itself, which was extremely emotional. The scale was

flabbergasting; if you were at one end you couldn’t see the other end, only the slight warping of the rusty

railway that led your eyes to the horizon. When we went inside one of the “lodges” we saw truly how awful

things were for the innocent people held. The whole experience definitely made me and my friends think

how we lucky we are to live in a fair and democratic society.

by Matthew Bourner, Year 11

‘Think Big’ Business Day at O2

On the 10th October, ten of us from Business Studies GCSE

class visited the O2 offices in Slough for a “Think Big”

business day! When we arrived, we were all split into

different groups, with different schools. I was in group 4!

Firstly, to get our brains thinking, we had to come up with

different ways you could use a coat hanger, this was

amusing!

Next, we were challenged to design an app; my group came

up with the idea of an app called ForgetMB (Forget my

book). The initial idea for the app was that if you forgot your text book you would be able to download

your textbook on this app, to avoid getting a detention. However, after some brainstorming, we

developed it more. It ended up being an app that you could revise from, take notes on and teachers

could set homework on. Meaning, that you would save paper from printing textbooks as it was all

electronic, moving textbooks to the 21st century. We came up with a budget, designed the app and logo.

In the afternoon, we planned our pitch, before pitching our ideas to judges. Similar to Dragons Den!! We

pitched our idea to many judges, who asked lots of questions. We were told ours was one of the best

ideas there! Finally, the winner was announced! Before, we came back to school.

Overall, it was a really good day, which I learnt a lot in, and one of our students, Louis Foreman was on

the winning team!

By Annabel Reeve, Year 10

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Year 13 Oxbridge Event

The intellectual and mental prowess of five students

from Year 13 was tested following a visit to Reading

Bluecoat’s School, where they partook in Mock

Oxbridge Interviews designed to prepare them for the

application process. Each student was tested twice,

first on the quality and information provided in their

personal statement, something that they will all

experience at Oxford or Cambridge interviews and

then a subject specific interview designed to stretch

and focus the student’s specific aptitude in a subject area. The second interviews involved the pupil being

provided with a piece of data, writing or information and being given a short amount of time before being

scrutinised and grilled on what they managed to interpret from it, Overall, it was designed to be intellectually

challenging, proving that regardless of subject studied, Oxbridge interviews was a skill that needed to be

mastered, whilst also allowing students to consolidate their own knowledge and gain valuable expertise of

how to improve their interview technique in preparation for the actual interview itself. Following on from the

evening, three out of the five students applied to either Oxford or Cambridge to study Medicine, Chemistry

and Computer Science. Comments following on from the event included “a great chance to hone skills” and

also “really helped me understand what was expected for the interview.” All students thoroughly enjoyed

the evening and felt enriched by the opportunity which has equipped them with valuable experience, skills

and knowledge for the future.

Robert, Ranjith, Lauren, Thomas and Josh would also like to thank Mrs McKay the Advice and Guidance

Officer for organising the event because of how useful it was.

Physics In Action lecture at the University College London with the Year 12 Students

On Thursday 6th November a group of Year 12 Physics students

went to attend lectures at University College London where they got

to experience what university life would be like and hear

presentations from some of the best physicians of today. They

heard talks that made them think about amazing research that could

save lives such as; Using Physics to Understand Rhythms in the

Heart, to more practical physics on how Superconductors could help

a potential energy crisis, and how DJ’s use physics all the time

without even realising it. Our students even got to explore the

universe with talks about current and future planned missions to explore our solar system.

Overall it was a very enjoyable day in which the students felt they got a lot out of it. They really enjoyed

having a taste of the many pathways that Physics and a future career in Science could offer, and look like; all

the while experiencing what a real lecture is like and life at university. We hope that this is the first of many

trips that shall inspire our 6th Form students to look to going to university, and hopefully study a science

based subject.

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The Winter Concert

The Music Department Winter Concert was enjoyed by

performers and audience alike and tickets sold out in

record time!

As well as the Jazz Orchestra and Concert Band playing

numbers ranging from ‘Move like Jagger’ to ‘Disney Block

Busters’ and the Orpheus Overture (minus the Can-Can

sadly!). The Junior Band and Jazz Orchestra performed

some challenging pieces and for many it was their first

Concert! There was some wonderful vocal duets from Katie

Pawluk, Sammy Clark, Jess Wood and Phillippa Russell as well as the Choir’s moving renditions of ‘Something

Inside So Strong’ and ‘O Happy Day’ (soloist: Aidan Campbell) and the SATB Choir’s ‘Somewhere Over the

Rainbow’. Chamber Ensembles always feature in our Concerts with the Brass Ensemble, Wind Quartet and

Sax Quartet all performing - special mention of ex-student Harry Thomas whose A level Wind Quartet

composition received it’s world premier!

A couple of very special mentions: Firstly to Kym Charlett who as well as playing clarinet, saxophone, singing

in both choirs performed a beautiful harp solo ‘Fields of Gold’. Finally the 22 incredible Year 7 Class Band

performers who so confidently performed ‘Trailor Blues’ including individual solos on their Clarinets,

Saxophones, Trumpets and Trombones - congratulations!

Our warmest thanks to all our inspirational peripatetic teachers who work with us throughout the year

and to all those parents, colleagues and friends who came along and supported all the performers so

enthusiastically on the night.

Miss Beach, Music Department

Battlefields Trip

59 Key Stage 3 students visited France and Belgium to explore; Ypres, Menin Gate – where Mr Davies played

the ‘Last Post’, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Langemark German Cemetery and

Hill 60. They also took in Sanctuary Wood Museum, Hill 62, Wellington

Quarry, Battlefield tour and The Somme, St Martin’s Cathedral and St

George’s memorial church, finishing the weekend in Bruges.

‘The most memorable part of the trip for me was seeing the crater at

The Somme. You could still find remains from the battle, even after the

farmers had ploughed the fields. A reminder about the tragedy that

took place there.’

Written by Jack Leadbitter, Year 9

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‘Anything Goes’ Cox Green School Christmas Production 2014

A sea-faring, successfully sung, sojourn

I have a confession to make…..I don’t enjoy musicals. I have been working with them most of my life. I came

to the Cox Green School Christmas production of ‘Anything Goes’, with some secret doubts.

What an amazing and joyous surprise! Catchy songs that echoed in my memory and mind, we all know a Cole

Porter tune. The entire performance was sharp, sassy and spectacular!

There were fabulous performances from Kayleigh Simmonds as Erma, who delivered her lines with a perfect

American twang and impeccable timing. Jack Tolhurst as “Moonface Martin” and “Reno Sweeney” played by

Karmela Baumgart’s duet about friendship was impressive with comic delivery. Luke Murphy as “Evelyn

Oakleigh”, with his rendition of the gypsy song made me cry with laughter, which was an uplifting

experience.

This musical gave opportunities for lots of the cast to have their ‘moment’, with small solo and duet

numbers, which kept the audience engaged. All the cast were completely focused on the moment, with

exceptional performances from the younger, emerging Cox Green School students. I was particularly

impressed with Cormac Diamond’s interpretation as the Captain of the ship.

The set was impressive; the illusion of height was achieved with the brilliantly painted backdrop and levels

that illustrated perfectly the setting of the ship’s helm. Key props, expertly created by Cox Green’s ‘Mini

Masters’, allowed the audience to be taken along with the story set at sea in the 1920s. The costumes were

exquisite and seemed to ooze class, which enhanced Leyan Yucel’s character as “Evangeline Harcourt”.

The Performing Arts department have continued to build stronger performances year on year, and I can’t

wait for the next one. Congratulations to all those who were involved.

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2015 Cox Green Ski Trip - Andorra 14 - 22 February

Fourteen students from Years 8 to 13 and three teachers

embarked on a 22 hour coach journey to Andorra over the half

term holiday for a school ski trip. Everyone who went was

given a red hoodie commemorating the experience.

After arriving at our hotel and taking a look around the

local town on the Sunday, everyone was very tired and

very much looking forward to a good night’s sleep. We

were all booked in for 4 hours of Skiing in the mountains

with an instructor which helped us to progress amazingly

each day. We came back very tired after a day on the slopes but

definitely in high spirits. Between lessons, we were able to chill out on the

slopes, have lunch, and almost every day we had a huge snow ball fight. We were

extremely lucky with the weather and had clear, blue skies for the duration of our stay.

We spent our evenings bowling, shopping and ice skating and we even kept up the tradition of pancakes on

Shrove Tuesday. The students and the teachers had a wonderful time and even though we all came home

very tired, we were all very happy and relaxed and ready for the new term to start.

When do we sign up for next years’ trip?! It was fantastic!

Bay of Naples Geography Trip 2015

A non-stop trip was organised

for the Geography GCSE

students to the Bay of Naples.

The students flew into

Naples, walked around the

town of Sorrento, visited

Mount Vesuvius—the most

densely populated volcano in

the world, explored the ash buried town of Pompeii and saw the preserved stone people, had a guided tour

of the Flavian Amphitheatre in Pozzuloi and they also had a chance to visit the Archaeological Museum of

Naples. Even birthday celebrations were factored into the itinerary! Everyone had a fantastic time.

Film Launch Dyslexia Awareness Film

A proud occasion as Roisin McCann launched her film about Dyslexia Awareness at The Adult Dyslexia

Centre. Following a successful bid with the Youth Voice Youth Choice Funding initiative, Roisin set about

making a film with three of her peers Stephanie Searle-Yearwood, Frederica Bullock-Williams and Roma

Kahlon. They were trained to film and edit the work with the school technician Charlie Fox. The aim was to

produce a short film to dispel some of the myths about dyslexia. Roisin said, “It feels really good because I

got something out of it as well as helping others!”. The film was officially launched at the Adult Dyslexia end-

of-term social, and then aired on the Cox Green School You Tube Chanel at midnight the same night. The 5

minute film is available to view at www.youtube.com/watch?v=inVh9wUMyOw

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Class Band Players in the Hundreds

Three years ago, Ms Beach and Mr Davie

implemented a year 7 scheme of work

called ‘Class Band’. This involved every

single student in year 7 learning to play the

Clarinet, Trombone, Saxophone or Trumpet

in every lesson for the year. With funding

from SHANLY, hiring some instruments from

Music Maestros, and the school pool of

resources, this scheme was launched.

FACT: Over 470 students have learnt to play the following instruments; Clarinet, Trombone, Saxophone or

Trumpet

FACT: 10% of these students have continued to learn an instrument (some students have continued with

several different instruments) as a direct result of the Class Band

FACT: There have been live performances by these students at every concert the school has given over the

last three years

FACT: 5% are unable to continue to learn the instrument because they are unable to fund the classes

FACT: Music is an enriching skill, and it develops lateral thinking as well as listening and group skills

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PARENT/STUDENT SURVEYS Each year we gather views from parents and students about the school using a variety of surveys. These are

very important to us as they help us understand further the perceived strengths and areas to develop.

With regards to the student survey, 664 students completed this. The main findings from this were that

nearly a third of the students felt that the school had improved over the last year. This is for the second

consecutive year.

The subjects that the students said they enjoyed the most were: music, Citizenship and the Duke of

Edinburgh. They also felt that the strengths of the school were: homework setting, support for attendance

and the availability of resources. The surveys identified also that students had seen a significant

improvement in the quality of marking.

Areas that the students would like to see improved included school discipline: Nearly a quarter of the KS4

students felt the school had become stricter.

Actions taken to address areas identified by students:

Developing a further understanding by the students and the benefits of positive behaviours to learning;

Bids to central government to address the issue of lack of canteen space;

Improved Wifi facilities in the 6th Form area;

Investment in facilities – new toilets, IT room, Business Studies room and also, sheltered outside areas;

Development of Student Leadership programmes such as Literacy Leaders, Sports Leaders and Cyber

Mentors;

Careers’ Advisor – employed at the school and dedicated area set up.

In terms of the parents’ survey, 187 surveys were completed. It was great to see that 34% of parents felt the

school had improved over the last year.

Of the parents of new students, over a quarter felt the school was better than they had expected it to be.

Parents were most happy with school facilities, keeping students safe, Mathematics and Music.

In terms of the parents’ priority area for improvement this included improving the setting of homework.

Actions being taken to address areas identified by parents:

Introduction of Doddle – An IT programme to enable students to access homework and study

independently;

Parent Information Sessions;

Headteacher’s Open Door Policy and regular Headteacher’s surgeries;

Further information shared about “achievement and success” posted on the website;

Enhanced career guidance across all years, information shared at the Parental Information Sessions;

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INCLUSION “Disabled students and those with special educational needs make good progress. Teachers use all available

data to target the support for these students effectively. Scrutiny of their books shows that these students are

responding well to teachers’ higher expectations and to the greater attention they are receiving.” (OFSTED

REPORT 2015)

Cox Green School prides itself on providing an enriched and broadly balanced curriculum which includes all

students. Our whole school approach to Special Educational Needs and fully inclusive nature of the school

continues to be successful as our recent OFSTED report highlights. All teachers are considered teachers of

SEN, and are expected to deliver differentiated and highly personalised lessons that meet the learning needs

of our students. Every student on the school SEN register now has personalised strategies to achieve that

help staff in planning for progress.

Student’s well-being and academic progress is paramount within the school. Cox Green school has

introduced rigorous systems that support the early identification of Special Educational Needs and

Disabilities. These procedures not only identify areas of need but also ensure the students and their parents /

carers feel supported to progress academically and socially. Cognitive ability tests continue to be utilised in

this area as well as a close working relationship with the primary schools and the Educational Psychologist.

The most exciting new addition to the provision at Cox Green was the employment of our own Speech and

Language Therapist whose one- to -one and small group work intervention has had a profound impact.

The introduction of Read, Write, Inc Literacy Programme has also seen a tremendous impact in terms of

students’ literacy.

The school is committed to including all learners in the extended curriculum. Where appropriate, careful

planning and comprehensive risk assessments have been completed to ensure trips are successful and

enjoyed by all. This has enabled our learners with statements to enjoy residential experiences such as trips to

Auschwitz, the Bay of Naples and the battlefields of France and Belgium.

MORE ABLE STUDENTS AT COX GREEN Students and staff at Cox Green are committed to

setting high expectations both within lessons and the

within the community. We are pleased to share the

wide range of provisions, activities and strategies that

we embed into school life to ensure that More Able

students at Cox Green School are stretched, inspired

and leave our Sixth Form well equipped for future

challenges.

This year we have continued and improved our More

Able provision in 3 key areas; offering a range of extra-

curricular activities to widen the learning experience of

our students, supporting teaching staff to ensure lessons provide suitable stretch and challenge, as well as

providing additional support, mentoring and guidance to those year groups sitting exams.

Anything Goes Musical

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Extra-curricular opportunities

It has been a fantastic year for Cox Green students

involved in enrichment. Year 8 and 9 students reached

the final heat in a Mock Trial, making the final 16 schools

out of 300 in the entire country. Four year 8 students

have reached the final 9 of a poetry competition and will

be reciting their poems along the River Side for the 800th

River Relay Magna Carta celebrations. The year 9 boy’s

football team managed to beat all competitors and win

the District Cup. Furthermore, prospective year 10

students entered a History competition for a place on the

WW1 Centenary Battlefields Trip. These are just a few of

the Cox Green student’s achievements. Below are

further examples of provision that has been available to students this year:

Year 7, 10 and 11 reading buddies (English).

KS3 Literacy Leaders (English).

All year groups were involved in the Musical ‘Anything

Goes’ (Drama, Music, Dance).

Key Stage 3 students have been involved in ‘Rock

Challenge’

(Music and Performing Arts).

WW1 Centenary Battlefields trip competition (History).

Crest Award (Science).

CISCO trip for KS3 (ICT)

Year 12/13 American History University Lectures

Year 12/13 Philosophy and Ethics University Lectures.

Stretch and Challenge in lessons

In order to ensure that staff are creating lessons that

truly stretch and challenge our More Able students we

have continued to have a sharp focus on professional

development as well as refining the More Able register.

Development of staff has included; regular morning

briefings, whole school inset, a weekly More Able

bulletin of teaching ideas, the sharing of regular analysis

of the progress of More Able students, Individual

Education Plans for students identified as needing more

support in specific areas as well as hosting a ‘Teachmeet’

within the Maidenhead and Windsor area which offered

a forum for schools across the borough to share best practice in stretching the More Able as well as making

links with other Secondary Schools to widen More Able provision.

Year 9 Football

Teachmeet on Stretch and Challenge organised

and hosted by Cox Green School for the borough.

Science Crest Award

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Mentoring and Guidance

At Cox Green we are conscious of the pressure that

examinations can bring to students and we strive to

support and guide our students to help them reach their

potential. This has included regular mentor meetings with

staff to help create revision timetables, set personalised

and achievable goals as well as coordinate streamed and

targeted revision focusses by liaising with departments

across the school. This summer we are piloting a new

peer mentoring scheme where prospective Y13 students

will be mentoring Y11 students with the aim of allowing

students to take more autonomy and feel more ownership of their studies. Further to the mentoring

programs Y11 were able to attend Master Classes run by external partners to help them achieve top grades

in their GCSE’s. Additional support in revision has included an A/A* model answers booklet that was

distributed to students, it included a model answer for every subject so that they are able to see what a top

answer looks like.

What Next?

This year has seen Cox Green students flourish both in and outside of lessons. For the next academic year we

will strive to sustain the provisions that have made such a positive impact on our students. Other provisions

that we plan to include next year include: building stronger links with our primary schools, continuing our

CPD of staff through a planned program on Stretch and Challenge and to provide more careers interviews for

students across the year groups. Our goal is to ensure that More Able students from Cox Green School leave

our Sixth Form having experienced a first class education in a vibrant and strong community, confident,

inspired and prepared for whatever future challenges they may face.

LITERACY The priorities last year were to develop Cox Green School

as a reading community and to improve the quality of

written communication. With the help of the new student

leadership group, the Literacy Leaders, reading and writing

now have a higher profile within the school community.

To show off our love of reading, the Extreme Reading

competition was launched. A vast majority of our staff and

new Year 7 students entered the competition in which

they had to’ get caught reading ‘ in the most extreme

places during the summer holidays. Bonny Kitt-Woods

won the student category with her underwater reading

scene, and Mrs Hannam was truly extreme by reading on

her speeding jet ski.

CISCO KS3 students

Bonny Kitt-Woods Extreme Reading

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The introduction of Drop Everything and Read (DEAR)

in tutor time, the launch of the Library Loyalty Card

scheme across Key Stage 3, and the Literacy Leaders’

ever-changing book recommendation displays have

inspired more students to borrow from the library:

the number of books issued has increased by 3.5%

from the 2013-2014 academic year. The community

also celebrated World Book Day in March by dressing

up as characters from well-known books. Andy

Mulligan, author of the book ‘Trash’, visited on World

Book Day to inspire to students in Years 7 and 8 to

travel and to write.

A formal Reading Buddies Programme was established with Year 7 students buddied with prefects in Years

11-13. The programme has made a real impact. More than half of the students had only borrowed 3 or

fewer books from September to October. However, from November-June, the average number of books

borrowed by year 7 students is 20.

In terms of promoting written communication, the Literacy Marking codes were introduced to staff.

Teachers across the curriculum, notably teachers in Geography, History, RS and Science departments, used

marking symbols to pick out basic errors in spelling and punctuation. In addition, Word of the Week was

established to introduce students (and staff) to new vocabulary throughout the year. With help from the

library, Word Game Wednesdays was launched with an average of 10 students attending the library each

break time to play word games such as Boggle, Scrabble and Bananagrams.

The biggest success, however, is the work of the Literacy Leaders. The Literacy Leaders ran competitions

such as the 500 Word Story Competition and the Spelling Bee. They also assisted students in after-school

writing sessions, and they aided teachers with apostrophes training in a morning briefing! By undertaking

the Literacy Leaders award, students gained skills in teamwork, organisation and planning. They truly

personified the Cox Green School values of commitment, aspiration and collaboration.

EACH INDIVIDUAL MATTERS

CURRICULUM

Students have been supported with a year 12 into year 13 induction day this year which involved public speaking, presentation skills, volunteering, mentoring training and team-building with a range of activities led by the Army. Our prospective year 11 into year 12 students have had a two day induction into the Alevels they would like to do starting this September, as well as having taken part in a Government Cobra style meeting, where they had to show leadership and teamworking skills to respond to a sudden event.

New Alevel courses in some subject areas will start this September based on National changes to Alevels. Teachers at Cox Green have been busy preparing for these changes. Alevels are moving towards terminal exams at the end of year 13 with the AS exams being worth far fewer UCAS points and not contributing to the Alevel results.

World Book Day – Andy Mulligan visit

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MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS – A BESPOKE

CURRICULUM

All students in year 9 have experienced aspects of the Duke of Edinburgh Award this year. This has included students learning to cook outdoors, and learn a variety of unusual world sports, in addition to designing clothing from around the world and unusual puppets. The students have also received First Aid training and will achieve an award for this. The focus of the course has been to develop our students’ ability to reflect on their learning. Feedback from students has shown that this course has had a very positive impact on their self-esteem, collaborative skills, communication skills and supported their learning in other curriculum areas too.

In Key Stage 4, we have introduced an alternative curriculum which will be matched to individual students’ needs. This has included students having the opportunity to have additional literacy support, study the BTEC Learning for Life course and access the highly regarded Princes Trust programme. Students have created their own allotment from an area of waste land. This has involved budgeting, fundraising, construction and nurturing this area. This has been extremely successful and has led to a local shop offering to sell the students’ home grown products. Furthermore, students have continued access a variety of intervention programmes, which has included Army mentoring, Mindfulness, and leading activities to primary school students.

SIXTH FORM

The Sixth Form has had another exciting academic year. Students have taken part in numerous enrichment activities, have been focusing hard in their lessons and supporting other year groups/individuals in the school. We recognise that it is not just grades in subjects that Univerisities, apprenticeships and employers are looking for, but as importantly the softer skills. We continue to strive to have the highest attendance and punctuality figures of all the year groups, to have our Sixth Formers role modelling pride in professional dress and we continue to work on softer skills to ensure students have the complete employability package.

Cox Green Resume

We continually ask our alumni for feedback on how we can further our provision at Cox Green. As a result of this, students this year have practiced interview skills, e.g. first impressions, how to shake hands and introduce themselves. Students have benefitted from public speaking work shops where they have learnt the basics of speaking and presenting to audiences and practiced this. Students have had support with Oxbridge interview technique and feedback from these mock interviews has enabled students to secure good offers as well as improved their self-confidence.

Students have taken part in work-experience this year, ranging from: teaching, to engineering, to accountancy, to physiotherapy and to medicine this year. Such experiences have been supported by our Careers officer Mrs McKay and have helped students understand some of the detail of the careers they are

Duke of Edinburgh Cooking with Trangias

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thinking of undertaking. For most of these students, this experience has also been vital in them securing their University and apprenticeship places.

Sixth Form students have been fabulous at mentoring and supporting other students in the school this year. In particular a large number of Sixth Form students have been ‘reading buddies’ for other year groups encouraging them to read. Others have mentored year 11 students in the run up to their exams to support them with advice and to act as a friendly ear. Others have supported at Parents’ Evenings, Options’ Evenings and Open Evenings.

We have encouraged all of our Sixth Form students to take up the above opportunities as it is the soft-skills of mentoring, leadership, teamwork, communication and so on

that all need to demonstrate in any applications and their lives going forward.

Enrichment

Students have also taken part in a wide range of other

experiences this year including: personal finance,

cooking on a budget, revision skills workshops, Safer

Driving, theatre trips, coaching school sports teams,

playing in a wide range of music bands, school

productions, end of term assemblies, governor meetings

and a myriad of subject related enrichment courses.

STAFFING It gives me great pleasure to welcome new staff to Cox Green. These include:

Louis Casserley who joins the Geography Department. Louis is a highly enthusiastic teacher who is passionate about Geography as well as an ability to offer wider enrichment activities.

Polly Glover, Celine Jouan, Victoria Selway and Henrietta Stevenson Jones – will be taking up posts as PE and Languages teachers respectively.

Emma Lipscombe-Holmes and Lyndon Martin will be joining the Maths department and come with significant years of teaching experience between them.

Gillian La Roque will join as the Learning Leader for English, as Beth Sanderson takes up Assistant Head post at the school. Gillian is a highly experienced teacher and Leader of English and Media Studies, having worked in inner London schools as well as more recently in schools in Berkshire.

Stacey Scarr and John Worrall – I am pleased to say will be returning to Cox Green and we look forward to welcoming them back.

The Governors wish all the new appointees well in their role.

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Several teachers are leaving us this summer after gaining promotions or relocating and the Governors would like to thank them for their skill and dedication in their time at the school. They will be sorely missed.

TEACHING QUALITY We are delighted that our teaching was recognised as “Good” by Ofsted at Cox Green. Our own lesson observations have shown that teachers have high expectations of students and plan engaging lessons, which develop a variety of skills. Furthermore, teachers create a positive learning climate rooted in respect. Early in the year we identified that questioning and feedback was an area that we needed to work on as a school. Professional development time was devoted to this and a ‘Learning Walk Week’ was introduced to share best practice. We were particularly pleased that this area was identified in our recent inspection as a ‘strength’. Our new online learning platform “Doddle” has been received positively by parents, students and staff. By having the ability to set mini tests, it means the preparation of tasks ensures homework is appropriate and targeted. Tracking stickers on the front of students’ books now focus on ‘aspirational grades’, putting the student first in their learning. The stickers have allowed teachers to have effective conversations with students and set targets relating to their ability and goals. Our priorities next year will be to consolidate the work completed this year and develop teaching strategies to make our students more “curious” about their learning. A strong focus will also be on the Sixth Form, ensuring every student leaves Cox Green reaching their academic potential and on the right career pathway.

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT As a school we have continued to offer colleagues a bespoke programme of Continual Professional Development based on individual needs. These opportunities have varied from conferences with chief examiners to individual leadership coaching and working with outstanding schools on cross moderation of students’ work.

Whole school professional development has been used to focus teachers on successful strategies to engage all learners and share best practice. World renowned educationalist, Sue Cowley, worked with our staff on inspirational teaching methods and her behaviour management session for newly qualified teachers promoted a range of strategies for engaging all learners. The event attracted many colleagues from neighbouring schools. Maidenhead’s first ‘Teachmeet’ held at Cox Green also encouraged teachers to have more dialogue about teaching pedagogy and was attended by over 50 staff from schools in the area. This is certainly something we plan to build on next year. Cox Green has also played a leading role in “Teach Maidenhead,” an initiative which has seen us training the future teachers of Maidenhead schools. Working closely with Altwood, Furze Platt and Desborough, we hope to expand the programme for next year, to ensure Maidenhead can train and retain the best new graduates in the local area.

Sue Cowley, “Inspirational Teaching” 5/1/15

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We are excited by the opportunities we are planning to develop in our professional development ‘communities programme’ next year. It will be driven by teacher research and reflection and will continue to be bespoke to individual needs and focus on our school development priorities.

OFSTED REPORT MAY 2015 We are delighted with the report as it was testament to all the hard work that has taken place to ensure our young people gain the best life chances. The report highlighted the following:

Significant strengths:

Students achieve well. The proportion of students gaining five or more good GCSE grades, including English and Mathematics, is consistently above the national average.

Students progress well in a range of subjects: science, art, drama, catering, music and physical education.

Teaching is good across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

The activities that the school offers makes the students “good team players.”

Students are very proud of their school.

Attendance is high.

Sixth Form students are good role models for younger students.

Students are courteous and polite and they respect one another.

The curriculum prepares students well for life outside school. They thrive on the artistic, musical, sporting and many other activities that help to make them good team players.

Students are well prepared for the next stage of their education or employment.

The clear drive and ambition of the Headteacher, ably supported by the senior leadership team and governors, have led to rapid improvements in this school.

Subject leaders make a good contribution to improving teaching and accelerating students’ progress. This focus is clearly leading to raised school standards, particularly for the most able students in Years 7-11.

Governance is effective. Governors recognise how well the school is doing and challenge leaders to raise standards further.

The areas that need to develop further include:

The Sixth Form and Humanities –The areas identified in the report confirmed the views of the senior team and governors. The report recognises that achievement has improved within the Sixth Form and Humanities: ‘students are challenged to reach high standards’ and ‘the leadership of this area is effective.’ It highlights that these improvements have not yet ‘had time’ to impact on the historical trend in exam performance.

A big cheer for the fantastic Ofsted result

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Students becoming even more curious about their learning, to think for themselves and to deepen their

knowledge. As a practising teacher, I welcome this, we want our students to take risks, explore and take charge of their own learning!

We also know that our journey continues as we aim to be a leading school and centre of excellence where our students will receive the very best education a school can offer. I know that by working together in the coming days, weeks, months and years we will secure an outstanding education for all our young people.

OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR VIEW

Testimonials

Robert Pratley AAA* Southampton - English "I feel the main way Cox Green helped me develop as a student is that they provided me a platform or level of which I could aspire to achieve towards and gradually raised that level higher and higher in order to ensure the best possible results. Furthermore, my teachers provided me with the support, knowledge and guidance required to reach and better those levels, but if I was ever unsure of whether there was a further challenge ahead, they would always help me find an appropriate one. And finally, I could always rely on the friendships I had built up at Cox Green to lighten the mood and create some truly amazing memories." Ranjith Niranjanan A*A*A* St George’s Medical School - Medicine The past seven years I’ve spent at Cox Green have really flown by, and it brings me sadness to be leaving a place, where I have spent the most part of my student life. The school’s vibrant community and staff-to-student relationships really brought the best out of me and made the time spent at Cox Green enjoyable. The teachers here are very enthusiastic which only incites fun, and interesting lessons. 6th Form, in particular, has been very challenging and I really appreciate the guidance and support that my teachers have given, contributing to all my achievements. I want to take this opportunity to thank Cox Green for the most memorable seven years of my life. Leyan Yucel A*BB Distinction* Bournemouth – Multimedia Journalism During my time at Cox Green I was able to take part in many extra-curricular activities such as sports and musical theatre which contributed to making my school experience more enjoyable and rewarding. Being happy at school made me more determined to succeed and aim higher for the future. I'm very proud of the results I achieved through my hard work, but I couldn't have done it without the support of the teaching staff at Cox Green. Over the years they have guided, encouraged and challenged me which leaves me in the best position to leave home and start at Bournemouth University in September to study Journalism. Tom Andrew A*AAA York – Computer Science To gain my results I worked incredibly hard and focused in my lessons. Particularly challenging topics required a lot of additional study time and problem solving, but the support I got from my teachers was crucial in my understanding of challenging concepts. I took up significant extra-curricular opportunities at Cox Green, for example in music, which further supported my time-management and university applications. Cox Green staff were always around to ask questions going above and beyond what they had to do.

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DESTINATION DATA

Post 16

Destination data from this year highlights that nearly all of our students have applied to study either at Cox Green or an alternative educational establishment to study a range of courses or apprenticeships University including Russell Group 86% Gap Year 3% Employment 3% Apprenticeships 3% Not yet known 5%

Pupil Premium

Cox Green School sees reducing the progress gap between those in receipt of free school meals (Pupil

Premium) and those not as an absolute priority. We interview all our Pupil Premium students during the

year to identify their strengths and areas for development and work hard on an individual basis to remove

these barriers. In addition to this we continue to work hard with careers making sure that all Pupil Premium

students have received a careers interview and all have attended a University open day. The additional

funding the school receives for those in receipt of free school meals has gone to support some of the

following initiatives.

Curriculum

An alternative curriculum is run for students who wish to gain other skills and experiences outside of a

mainly classroom based setting. We have a range of qualifications running to support these individuals that

are either taught on-site or through partners. For example, Motor vehicle mechanics, Animal Care and

Princes’ trust. In addition to this we adjust our class sizes for particular subjects where students need further

support. There are additional English and Maths Study Plus classes that run to support learners who need

extra support in these areas. A range of bespoke courses are also used at different times of the year to

support particular areas of need, e.g. Read-write-inc.

Enrichment

We are very aware that a set of good qualifications at GCSE or A Level are not the only tool students will

need to reach their next step of University, Apprenticeship and ultimately career. We have been working

hard at improving the soft-skills of communication, leadership and teamwork that employers are so often

looking for. We subsidise trips for those in receipt of free school meals, encourage participation in one of the

myriad of extra-curricular and enrichment clubs run during breaks and at either end of the day. Examples of

such enrichment this year has included: a skiing trip, University visits, Auschwitz trip, Pompeii trip, Fitness

club before school, Music lessons, Reading buddies, Mentoring, Self-esteem and behaviour support.

Our tracking and monitoring of each student’s performance in their various subjects, their positive behaviour

points, detentions, attendance and punctuality means that we can swiftly intervene if any issues arise during

the year. This focus on performance, attendance, curriculum and enrichment has meant that a number of

our Pupil Premium students this year have been given good offers to top Universities and Apprenticeships.

Summer

We urge parents and carers over the summer break to encourage their children to continue to read for

pleasure, to visit the many free attractions on offer both locally and in London which help equip each child

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for their next steps as their cultural awareness and experiences grow. The National Trust have a list of 50

ideas for children to do this summer. https://www.50things.org.uk/

ATTENDANCE Our recent Ofsted report stated that “Attendance is high’’ and this is a result of students feeling safe and

because they enjoy coming to the school.

Attendance is vital to support achievement, progress and social interaction both in and out of school and

ultimately to provide the holistic, well-rounded education at the centre of our core values.

Our aim continues to ensure that every student has an attendance figure of at least 96% by the end of the

academic year. The attendance tracker monitors students’ attendance and this is celebrated each week and

in termly rewards assemblies.

The impact of the attendance tracker, in conjunction with the work of the SAFE Team and the Attendance

Officer, have ensured Cox Green’s attendance is above the national average at 95.4% for overall school

attendance. In addition, our Persistent Absence figure (those students who have less than 85% attendance)

has reduced again this year to only 3.3% of students.

Punctually to school and lessons was also a focus last year as we believe it is also a key part in students being

ready to learn. As a result we have seen a significant improvement in punctuality.

CAREERS The Careers provision this year has targeted year 9-13, it has once again been a very exciting year which has given students impartial and sound advice.

Options

The year began with year 9 students being guided through their option choices, students worked through an option booklet for a number of weeks. This then concluded in a day of activities, starting with an assembly with guest speakers talking to our students about careers in psychology, construction, nursing and policing, This was followed by a session on apprenticeships and students were then able to attend taster lessons so they could make an informed decision about their option choices, related to a possible career rather than just choosing subject because they like it.

Business and Industry Links

This year we have been very fortunate to work alongside Learning to Work, this has enabled us to attend several fantastic events. Ten year 11 students attended a fantastic apprenticeship event at the Madejski stadium meeting local and national employers including Network Rail, British Airways. This provided our students with the opportunity to talk to all the local colleges about Apprenticeship vacancies and vocational courses. O2 in Slough also invited our year 10 students to their Think Big Day which is held at their head office in Slough, it was a great opportunity to meet with the employees and for students to see for themselves what it would be like to work in such an exciting environment and the opportunities on offer to them, as school leavers, and graduates. They also ran a girls only coding event with a group of year 9 girls who were able to meet and talk to female employees and design an exciting web page from scratch.

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The Army have worked closely mentoring a group of year 9, and year 11 students and have supported students with applications for those who are looking to join the Army. The Army have also provided team building days for students at Cox Green.

Careers Curriculum Links

Business Studies students in year 12 attended a stock market challenge day at Reading University; this was a practical day with the students being required to plan how they could make as much money as possible selling stock and shares. It was a fantastic experience into the world of banking and finance.

Careers Advice Events

Year 10, 11 and 12 students were invited to a study in the USA event, this gave students and parents an insight into the opportunities and bursaries that could be available to those students keen to study abroad.

University, Apprenticeship and Employment Support

Year 13 students have been assisted with their University/College/Apprenticeship plans. Our Oxbridge candidates attended a practice interview session at Reading Blue Coat School, which was a great experience and provided them with some valuable experience and feedback. All year 13 students that have applied to University/College have been offered a place, and we have had 2 successful apprenticeship offers, one of which is with Mars. Adviza, the independent careers advisor has been into school on a regular basis working with year 9 through to year 13 students.

Curriculum

An alternative curriculum is run for students who wish to gain other skills and experiences outside of a mainly classroom based setting. We have a range of qualifications running to support these individuals that are either taught on-site or through partners. For example, Motor vehicle mechanics, Animal Care and Princes’ trust. In addition to this we adjust our class sizes for particular subjects where students need further support. There are additional English and Maths Study Plus classes that run to support learners who need extra support in these areas. A range of bespoke courses are also used at different times of the year to support particular areas of need, e.g. Read-write-inc.

Enrichment

We are very aware that a set of good qualifications at GCSE or A Level are not the only tool students will need to reach their next step of University, Apprenticeship and ultimately career. We have been working hard at improving the soft-skills of communication, leadership and teamwork that employers are so often looking for. We subsidise trips for those in receipt of free school meals, encourage participation in one of the myriad of extra-curricular and enrichment clubs run during breaks and at either end of the day. Examples of such enrichment this year has included: a ski-ing trip, University visits, Auschwitz trip, Pompeii trip, Fitness club before school, Music lessons, Reading buddies, Mentoring, Self-esteem and behaviour support.

Our tracking and monitoring of each student’s performance in their various subjects, their positive behaviour points, detentions, attendance and punctuality means that we can swiftly intervene if any issues arise during the year. This focus on performance, attendance, curriculum and enrichment has meant that a number of our Pupil Premium students this year have been given good offers to top Universities and Apprenticeships.

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BEHAVIOUR AND SAFETY The values of fairness, tolerance and respect are shared by all within the school. This

is filtered throughout the school through the strong SMSC and PSHE programmes.

These values are reinforced in the classroom, through assemblies and through the

encouragement of positive interaction within the more social aspects of school life.

As a result, bullying, homophobic and racist incidents are very rare. Ofsted

commented, “There is a strong sense of community within the school. Relationships

with staff and other students are good and often excellent. The general atmosphere

in classes and during social time is calm and orderly. Students are courteous, polite

and respectful to others.”

The school works hard to keep students safe and secure. Students report that help is always available if

needed and feel very well cared for by their teachers.

Funding was secured last year to provide specialised training as Cyber Mentors for our Anti-Bullying group

who have subsequently led the learning in regard to this. The support and guidance of the SAFE Team have

also been instrumental, coupled with the launch of the new anti-bullying email.

Both staff and students are proud of their school. We are a community school and the school is a close knit

community. Teachers strive to ensure all students enjoy the benefits of a positive, friendly learning

environment, and both students and parents respond well to this through their support of the school.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP Student Leadership at Cox Green has developed over the last year. We currently offer the following opportunities to students: Prefects, Sports Leaders, Literacy Leaders, Young Leaders, and Cyber Mentor Leaders. These programmes provide valuable volunteering opportunities to our students, which helps further develop the community spirit at Cox Green School.

Our prefects continue to provide amazing support at school events and with fundraising. They also work as Reading Buddies and mentoring.

Our Young and Sports Leaders have planned and led events for younger students to partake in at lunchtimes and at other times. They have also assisted at local primary school sports events, ensuring.

Our Literacy Leaders have planned a school-wise short story competition, and spelling bee. They have helped design our reading room and led staff training. Our Cyber Mentor Leaders have received extensive external training to develop their mentoring skills. The funding to enable this was secured from the PTA and private donations. These leaders have applied this knowledge and delivered training to staff, their peers and Post 16 students in relation to Cyber Bullying and mentoring. They run a weekly club for any student to attend in which they discuss any areas related to bullying. They have also been instrumental in launching and supporting the new report-bullying email enabling students to ask for help in regard to bullying at points beyond the school day. These dedicated students have led learning in the PSHE curriculum delivery of this topic in year 7 and 8 and have made links with primary schools to expand this knowledge into the wider community. All our leadership programmes have had a significant impact on our students. Greater opportunities have been created for the school and wider community through our students giving up their own time to

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volunteer. Students who have led activities have developed their self-esteem, , communication, team work and organisational skills, which is not only supporting them to be even more successful in all aspects of their school life now, but is building their ‘cultural capital’ for later life also. All our new student leaders have been true pioneers, especially as these new programmes were unknown entities previously. By being prepared to take a risk and be involved in the development and design on how these programmes evolved these students have opened new doors for themselves and others. They have all supported the Cox Green School values of commitment, aspiration and collaboration.

SITE IMPROVEMENTS During the 14/15 academic year we continued with improving and maintaining our site to a high standard.

We were successful in a bid to the Government to continue with our programme to improve the student

toilet facilities across the site. During the Summer break in 2014 we remodelled and refurbished the ground

floor science student toilets and it is a large open and bright area and the effect can be seen below:

The school also remodelled one very large classroom into two classrooms; 1 for IT lessons and 1 for Business

Studies lessons. The results can be seen below:

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Governors also agreed to significant investment in the schools IT infrastructure. This has made a huge

difference to students and staff alike. Our IT system is now stable and our wireless system is secure and

effective. New equipment was installed in the Digital Arts Suite that replaced the very old original Mac’s.

This has been welcomed by staff and students and the system now runs smoothly and quickly. This has had a

positive impact on the lessons delivered in both Media, IT, Business and Photography.

The school continued with its painting programme which means that the classroom environments remain

clean and bright learning environments.

A new Reading Room was created within the English Department and students helped to design and

fundraise for how this was designed and laid out.

Grounds maintenance is carried out by our Site Team and we re-planted some areas such as the upper school

playground hedge which has been a great improvement.

The replacement of the Highfield Lane bridge by Network Rail led to the removal of some trees on the verge

between the bridge and our car park. Once the works were complete we replanted new trees in this area.

In preparation for the Winter months we refurbished our outside eating decking area. This area previously

had a canopy with open sides. We completed a project to enclose the canopy and refurbish the inside and

provide new furniture which has made the area a popular one with students. We also provided a marquee

area for the students during the winter months to give additional accommodation during break times.

THE GOVERNING BODY

Governors

Community Governors

Mr Paul Louden – Chair

Mr Steve Lumb – Vice Chair

Mr Peter Thorn

Mrs Christine Ashfield

Mrs Gwenda Lilley

Mr Ross McWilliams

Parent Governors

Mrs Diane Armstrong

Mrs Julie Batten

Mrs Wen-Lan Richard

Mr Marc Tucker

Teacher Governors

Miss Claire Saxon

Mr Matt Foster

Staff Support Governor

Mrs Jane Doarks

Headteacher

Ms Heidi Swidenbank

Head Boy and Head Girl

(non-voting members)

The work of the Governing Body

Organisational Structure

The governors have responsibility for setting and monitoring the overall strategic direction of the school,

approving decisions reserved to governors and appointing key members of staff.

The governors meet as a board five or six times each year. All decisions reserved to the governors are taken

by the board as a whole. Board committees meet four or five times each year to consider detailed matters

and recommend decisions to the full board.

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There are 5 such committees:

Leadership and Management

Remit:

Responsible for ensuring the effective operation of the Governing Body committees;

Continue to develop strategies to achieve school improvement;

To co-ordinate the working of the Governing Body and agree proposals to go to the Governing Body;

Ensure the Governing Body has a set of strategic planning process for the advancement of the school and that these are supported by a clear set of plans;

Ensuring the effectiveness of the Governing Body through a rigorous self-evaluation processes;

To be the first sounding board for potential major changes to the school;

Responsible for oversight of the sustainability of school leadership;

Responsible for SEF Strand 4 – Leadership and Management and 8 – Summative Judgements and the integration of the overall SEF document;

To provide information to the full governing body on all key personnel and employee issues. To include a review of workforce data on an annual basis;

To ensure Performance Management recommendations are adhered to and to recommend the Pay Policy (including TLRs) to the full governing body;

Oversight of SEF as agreed on the annual Self Review and Development planning calendar.

Activity during the year

Ofsted

We have worked considerably with the School Leadership Team in the preparation for our Ofsted visit. This involved providing challenge and seeking information. It was important that, with the improvements being driven by the SLT, the Governors were able to present a knowledgeable and committed presence when questioned by Ofsted. This work led to their comment “Governance is effective. Governors recognise how well the school is doing and challenge leaders to raise standards further”.

School Improvement

This year we have been very conscious of the improvement work that the School Leadership Team (SLT) has

carried out and we have worked with them on the School Development Plan and the Raising Achievement

Plan. We have seen the benefit following the improved exam results from last summer and the drive to

ensure there is continued improvement. This was recognised by Ofsted’s comment that “The clear drive and

ambition of the Headteacher, ably supported by the senior leadership team and governors, have led to rapid

improvements in this school”.

Strategic overview of developments in RBWM

We have also played a significant role in reviewing RBWM information about s106 funding and secondary school expansion. We have provided both support and challenge. Further discussion will need to take place to ensure Cox Green positions itself favourably in any future local authority plans.

Sixth Form

The development of the Sixth Form has been a priority this year and we have worked closely with Mr Hillyard

who has led this. This is work in progress but the Governors have attached a high priority to developing and

growing our sixth form capability.

Once again it has been a very busy year on our journey to help Cox Green School become the very best it can

be.

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Membership:

Paul Louden – Chair

Peter Thorn

Steve Lumb

Julie Batten

Christine Ashfield

Heidi Swidenbank

People and External Relations Committee

Remit:

To ensure that the school places the best interests of pupils as individuals and as a group at the forefront of its every action. To include a review of Behaviour Policy and pupil exclusions and a review of Child Protection Policy including the appointment of a Child Protection Governor.

To ensure the Governing Body is appropriately trained through the appointment of a Link Development Governor.

Oversee the delivery of the school’s Extended Schools Provision

Monitor the Prospectus including distribution

Relationship with RBWM and Maidenhead Federation

Activity during the year:

At every meeting the committee receives an update on behaviour for learning this includes; bullying and E Safety, which has been highlighted to heighten awareness, an Anti-Bullying Website address has been set up so that any instances can be reported.

Attendance, this year this has seen an improved attendance especially in persistent absenteeism.

Child protection, the school continues to work with the local authority and is rigorous with monitoring and tracking.

Safeguarding, promoting the safety and wellbeing of all the pupils

Looking for new ways to extend involvement in the local community

Reviewing of new and old policies

Membership:

Mrs. Julie Batten – Chair Mr Paul Louden

Mr Steve Lumb

Mrs Diane Armstrong

Mrs Wen-Lan Richard

Mrs Helen Hannam

Mr Ed Hillyard (from Sept 15)

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Finance & Resources Committee

Remit:

To assist the decision making of the governing body, by enabling more detailed consideration to be given to the best means of fulfilling the governing body's responsibility

To ensure sound management of the academy’s finances and resources, including proper planning, monitoring and probity

To make appropriate comments and recommendations on such matters to the governing body on a regular basis

Activity during the year

Cox Green School has achieved a break even position in its finances for the year ended August 2015. This meets the forecast made in the agreed budget at the start of the year; it is also an achievement in that expenditure includes finances for capital investment that has improved resources & infrastructure within our school. Investment has been approved by the Committee which has met regularly to monitor budgets & offer guidance & support. The final figures are as usual at this time subject to year-end audit.

The results & additional scope for investment of has been achieved through strict monitoring & control of expenditure applied across the year by the senior & finance teams. We also continue to see improvement in value for money in day to day operations through purchasing & reorganisation & in partnership working with other schools.

Investment has completed our planned full replacement of outdated toilet facilities & the continued

refurbishment & improvement in teaching areas. We were disappointed that we were not supported in

our bid to the Funding Agency for new & expanded refectory & social areas. Our bid was highly

considered but competed in a vastly oversubscribed national market. Interim facilities were financed &

we continue to support the school team in their proactive efforts to secure additional capital.

The Committee receives & reviews detail of Pupil Premium & is pleased with arrangements that support

individual learning & progress & in a reorganisation that has enabled teams to be more effective.

Regular reports on Health & Safety, of which there are termly inspections & general maintenance are

received. The year has been an uneventful one for the former & the general condition of the school has

been maintained to a good standard with no major issues outstanding.

It continues to be a time of change, the national financial picture for school funding is now clearer

although no easier to negotiate & budget for. Whilst secondary school budgets are protected we have

'flat line' funding which means that inflationary rises must be absorbed. Post 16 funds receive no

guaranteed protection. This requires the senior team to be very precise & detailed in their budgets to

ensure that resources are utilised effectively & efficiently & in their monthly monitoring. The Committee

have established procedures to ensure this process & to support & advise the team. The established

policy of creating a reserve to support investment & general finances in difficult times is one that the

Committee remains firmly committed to.

The local area education environment is becoming increasingly competitive largely through public

investment in 'new' schools. The Committee were delighted at Cox Greens report at the recent OfSTED

inspection which places the school in a very sound position that enhances its attraction as a 'good' place

to learn & achieve success.

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The Finance & Resources Committee are fully committed in advising the senior team & Governing Body

in the continued progress of our school. We seek to ensure investment in resources & facilities that

supports all the staff enabling them to achieve the highest standards in education & care.Our purpose is

to enable Cox Green to provide the best in education for all its students & to be a safe & pleasant place

to learn.

Membership

Mr Peter Thorn (Chair)

Mr Paul Louden

Mr Steve Lumb

Mr Matt Foster

Mrs Heidi Swidenbank

Mrs Gill Newman

Mrs Caroline Dunne

Audit Committee

This committee is a subset of the Finance & Resources Committee with the same membership.

Activity during the year:

The Audit Committee meets independently each term to review the conduct of the Academy’s financial

affairs. Members receive reports from the appointed auditors following the drafting of the annual

financial report on the accounts & following further audit to assess key processes & procedures within

internal financial systems on a rolling review basis. The Committee itself reports directly to the governing

body on these matters assuring them of standards in the probity, regularity & conduct of the Academy’s

finances.

Committee reports are brief in that Audits have confirmed the high standards of presentation & accuracy

in the keeping of our financial records. Systems & process are secure & meet both statutory & regulation

agreed by the governing body. Members follow up the application of agreed recommendations at

subsequent meetings.

The Committee recently recommended appoint of a new firm of auditors in partnership with other

academies to secure added value for money through this statutory process. This is the first full year of

audit with them & it is pleasing to report as above that our academy’s financial affairs are managed to a

high standard.

The Audit Committee seeks advice & direction from its auditors when required & as Government

regulation changes in regard to school finances & reporting.

Teaching & Learning Committee

This committee has the responsibility of focusing on the quality of teaching that is undertaken in the school

and the outcome of that teaching. Good teaching alongside other enrichment activities enable our young

people to learn effectively and aspire to be the best they can be.

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At every meeting the committee reviews a dashboard of

KS3 Level of progress

KS4 (GCSE) progress measures by subject and cohort

Current Year 11 targets

Overall quality of teaching

Appropriate polices

Parents should be aware that no individuals are named, these are overall statistics.

The metrics are used to analyse trends and review measures where these trends are negative.

This committee is also involved in monitoring any subject specific reviews that are undertaken and

monitoring any subsequent interventions in the results. This year Maths and Modern Foreign Languages

were reviewed.

Key areas for 2014/15

Match to need

This committee was particularly concerned with ensuring that our young people were getting provision

matched to their need. With this in mind we were looking at differentiation in provision across the

curriculum. One initiative supporting this has been the Independent Learning Platform Doddle, we are

monitoring its current successful roll out across the school.

Able and Most Able

We are still monitoring and questioning how we developed our able and most able group. This year has seen

a tightening of the provision for this cohort and extra sessions being made available to stretch and engage

this group. We hope that results will show that specifically targeting this group will gain them the results

that they deserve.

Teaching quality

Finally this committee has been following the progress of the implementation of the latest Ofsted

assessment of quality of teaching and the provision of professional development. This is expressed as

‘typicality’ and should ensure a better consistent pattern of teaching delivery. It looks at a variety of

evidence accumulated throughout the year and not a single judgement on a single lesson or portion of a

lesson. The school has a robust process for this which leads to solid ground for professional development

and progression. Ofsted were particularly impressed with the process that is now in place.

Membership

Mrs Christine Ashfield (Chair)

Mrs Diane Armstrong

Mrs Gwenda Lilley

Mr Ross McWilliams

Mr Marc Tucker

Mr Paul Slater – Assistant Head (from Sept 15)

Mrs Beth Sanderson – Assistant Head (from Sept 15)