Prospectus

BISHOPPEROWNECHURCH OF ENGLAND COLLEGE

Specialists in the performing arts

Bishop Perowne was founded as a Churchof England Aided Secondary School in1963 in the Barbourne area. Its namecomes from two former Bishops ofWorcester, John James Stuart Perowne(Bishop from 1891-1901) and his sonArthur William Thompson Perowne (from1931-1941). In the mid 1980s the schoolmoved from its present site aftersignificant refurbishment and extension.

As a Church school we have close linkswith the Diocese of Worcester. The

Governors nominated by the Churchmust always be in the majority on theGoverning Body, to ensure that theChurch has a controlling interest.

The College is Voluntary Aided, whichmeans that the Governors have aresponsibility to implement theadmissions criteria. Our annual intake is210 and we are regularly oversubscribed.The Governors welcome applicationsfrom families from other faiths and thoseof none who feel that a Church of

England environment would benefit theirchildren. We value the contributionwhich students from a variety ofbackgrounds can bring. The proceduresfor application and the criteria areavailable on a separate document.

The Christian character of the

College is overt and distinctive

without being in any way

oppressive to those students of

other religions or none.

A caring Christian community

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The students’ personal

development and well-

being, and their care,

guidance and support

are outstanding.

We regard the spiritual development of ourstudents, staff and community as a foundationfor success and a means of enriching lives.

Delivering a ‘spiritual curriculum’ means weseek to create a learning environment whereeveryone has space and time to reflect uponcomplex life themes such as hope, love, faith, joy,loss and challenges.

Whilst no one can ever, strictly speaking, betaught spirituality, we plan activities, time andspace where personal spirituality can grow.

All subject teachers give time during lessons toconsider spiritual development. Spiritualgrowth can be found in the magic of a scientificexperiment, the discussion on themes in a novel,in the creation of art work or in a music lesson,in the learning of a new language or thediscovery of x in algebra.

Our daily Acts of Collective Worship areimportant spaces in each working day wherestudents and staff gather as a community. Weeklythemes are taken from the Sunday Gospelreadings in the Church Lectionary. Acts of

Worship explore each theme along withreflections upon festivals and celebrations fromworld religions, health promotion days and theremembrance of important historical events.

Each week a member of our Chaplaincy teamsleads a voluntary Eucharist or reflection. At theend of every term we celebrate the success of ourcommunity through a whole College Eucharist.

Even in the context of an outstanding institutionour Worship is judged to be of the highest quality.

An outstanding Church of England CollegeDevelopingSpirituality




Encouraging learning, creativity and endeavour

The Foundation Day

The teachers know their students well. Theexcellent relationships between staff andstudents lead to a happy and productivelearning environment.

All students follow a broad and balancedcurriculum designed to develop a love oflearning and to empower each student withthe skills that will enable them to achievesuccess throughout their life. Our curriculumis continually evolving in response toindividual needs and innovative best practice,yet it retains the best qualities of a traditionalacademic education. We are committed toensuring that students meet challengingacademic targets and are equipped withessential quality such as adaptability, tenacity,steadfast determination and respect.

The Curriculum

Detail of the courses offered at Key Stage 3and 4 may be found in the prospectussupplement. Expert support is available forstudents who find learning challenging; thereare opportunities for those who are gifted andtalented to be ‘accelerated’ takingexaminations when they are ready to do so.Choice and flexibility figure greatly in theprovision offered in Years 10 and 11 alongsidea robust academic core. We are the leadschool in developing the new Creative andMedia Diploma.

The Extended Day

This provision beyond the Foundation Day(normal College day) provides all studentswith access to expertise, facilities andopportunities that will take their learning

even further. With an ever-increasingprogramme of activities leading to accreditedqualifications, many students thrive in theinformality and flexibility of the Extended Day.

Teaching Groups

We recognise that each student should haveaccess to the curriculum at the mostappropriate level in every subject. In somesubjects this is best achieved by settingstudents according to their ability. We monitorthe groupings of students continuously,ensuring students are placed in the mostappropriate teaching groups.




Specialists in the Performing ArtsThe Creative and Performing Arts are essentialelements of every student’s life at BishopPerowne. We provide a balanced curriculumenabling each individual to develop skills andopportunities in a rich variety of art forms.Through such experiences all students gain abetter understanding of themselves, theircapabilities and potential. They become moresensitive to developing positive relationshipsand generate practical and inter-personal skillswhich are very marketable in adult life.

The Arts reveal and express our spiritual, moral,cultural and social lives and consequently form anessential entitlement to every member of the College.

The additional resources we receive as aSpecialist Performing Arts College ensure wehave the means to support the arts andcreativity throughout the curriculum andbeyond. Bishop Perowne enjoys first-class

facilities for the Arts: theatre and dance spaces,national arts’ providers, professional qualityequipment and technical expertise, and a trulycollaborative relationship with partner schools,professional artists and members of thecommunity. Some of the additional fundinggoes towards supporting a wide range of adultand community projects which ensures manymore people benefit.

Productions and EventsEach year we plan a busy schedule of informaland formal productions and arts events. Artsstaff are joined by many others in the ExtendedDay to provide tremendous variety and quality.Students are involved in all aspects ofproduction support including technical andstage management roles. With our enviablereputation we are frequently called upon toperform in regional and national events.

Recent productions and events haveincluded:

Richard III, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys andDolls, Hamlet, Macbeth, Little Shop of Horrorsand Sweet Charity.

Regular dance performances to primaryschools and community groups

Théatelier performances in France

Residences from the National Theatre, RoyalCollege of Music, English SymphonyOrchestra, Union Dance Company, ChitralekaDance Company, Motionhouse and manymore.

Please contact the college for an up-to-dateschedule of events and productions, or visitour website www.bishopperowne.com.

Encouraging learning, creativity and endeavour


The College’s specialist

Performing Arts designation

and Church status have had

a major impact on

enhancing and extending

the learning experience

of all the students.



A College at the cutting edge of learningand teaching also have to be at the forefrontof technology. To provide the infrastructurewe use Facility, a computerisedmanagement information system.

One of its many facets allows us to provideparents with frequent and up to dateinformation about how their child isperforming. This in turn provides parentswith the knowledge to work with theCollege to support their child’s educationand it is this relationship that we encourage.

The process begins with information derivedfrom Key Stage 2 and 3 SATs and CATs(cognitive ability tests) that enables us to setaspirational targets for each student in every

subject for the end of Key Stages 3 and 4.Aspirational targets are just a little higher thanwhat we might typically expect or predict,and so include am element of challenge.

Towards the end of each term a report issent to parents prior to the consultationdays, during which parents may discuss thechild’s progress with tutors, and participatein setting short-term targets for the nextterm.

This wealth of information about everystudent allows Subject Leaders andCommunity Leaders to monitor studentsclosely, to identify issues quickly and to actupon them promptly. During eachacademic year parents also receive a more

extended report and an opportunity todiscuss their child’s progress with subjectstaff. Communication with parents iscrucial. We have introduced an automatedelectronic communication module that willenable us to inform parents promptly, forexample, if their child has not arrived atCollege and no reason for absence has beennotified.

It also allows us to inform parents by textmessage about other matters such asCollege events. A Newsletter is produced atthe end of each half term.

N u r t u r i n g I n d i v i d u a l sInspiring all to excel and reach their potential




The teachers know their

students well. The excellent

relationships between staff

and students lead

to a happy and productive

learning environment.

We aim to offer a wide range of sportingopportunities to allow students todevelop a healthy lifestyle, their physicalpotential and interest with the aspirationthat this willl continue beyond school-ageinto adult life, All students areencouraged to take part in individual andteam, as well as competitive and non-competitive activities.

We are proud of our comprehensiverange of clubs and teams runningthroughout the year in the Extended Day.The College competes on a friendly basisagainst other schools as well as takingpart in the major competitions andtournaments. The list of outstandingperformances at District, County andNational level continues to grow and ourteams enjoy an excellent reputation forsportsmanship and fair play.

A number of students each year worktowards their Junior Sports Leader Awardwhich provides them with a recognisedqualification, transferable skills and theconfidence and knowledge to runsporting activities with young people.

Through our developing partnership withthe Kings School, Worcester we shallenjoy the benefits of an all weather-surface.

Physical Education and SportActive and responsible citizens who are able to make a difference in the world




Tu t o r i n gMonitoring progress and achievement

Children, parents and visitors oftencomment on the strikingly friendly andcaring atmosphere at Bishop Perowne.We are not an imposingly large orimpersonal College.

Every student will see their Group Tutor at leasttwice a day to monitor their progress and well-being. The Group Tutor is ideally placed to gainknowledge of every student in their care, to bethe person who knows the student best. Theymonitor every event and action from attendancein lessons to merits, ensuring their work with

students is well informed and nurturing. TheGroup Tutor is the first point of contact for allacademic and pastoral matters, liaising with bothCollege staff and parents as needed. Somematters will be referred to Community Leadersand Senior Staff, as appropriate.




We enjoy outstanding and flourishinglinks with partner primary, secondary andspecial schools, universities, business,community and Church organisations. Asa Specialist College we provide a numberof Arts programmes for partner schools,hosting festivals and performances in ourTheatre and enabling our staff andstudents to lead workshops in otherschools and colleges. We have the onlyeducational partnership in the world withthe Royal College of Music in London andenjoy exciting links with WorcesterCathedral and a wealth of Arts providersthroughout the County.

We have a unique partnership with KingsSchool, Worcester, an independent 11-18

Church of England provider in Worcesterthrough which we are developingsporting and curriculum links and SixthForm Bursaries for our Year 11 leavers.

Bishop Perowne has always raised moneyin innovative ways for charities.Fundraising has now grown to aremarkable scale and is further enhancedthrough our learning communities.

We have an active parent/staff association,the Friends of Bishop Perowne. We aregrateful to them for their unstinting workon behalf of the College, and for thevaluable funds they raise for us. Over theyears we have been able to buy valuableitems that we would otherwise would be

unable to afford – including mini buses,computers, air conditioning for ourTheatre and video cameras. The Friendshave funded coaches for sports fixturesand provided refreshments for the busyprogramme of performances throughoutthe year. They also arrange regular socialevents, talks, outings, dancing andmeetings. Their work is appreciated bythe whole College community.

Student Council and CommunityParliaments flourish, proving a realcontext and opportunities for citizenship,a means whereby students can have avoice and make a real difference to ourcommunity.

B i s h o p Pe r o w n e i n t h e c o m m u n i t y

African

Drumming

Performance

Theatre quest

Mask Workshop

Photograph

taken by Sophie

Meakin at

Goodrich Castle

Royal College of

Music Workshop

Children in Need

Year 11

Leavers Ball


Documents

Prospectus