Our Statement of Intent -
Where Hinde House School will be by 2012

We aspire to be one of the best inner city schools in the country, and certainly the best in Sheffield,
by 2012. This is our statement of intent and ambition for our future.

Ethos

• A genuine 3-16 Community of Learners in which stakeholders in the learning process.
• An unrelenting focus on learning and achievement at every level.
• A fully inclusive school committed to the development and support for all learners within the framework of Every Child Matters.
• A community in which all relationships are built upon mutual respect with the individual at
  the heart of all things.
• A commitment to the development of the whole child within the context of a changing local, national and international society.

Reputation

• A genuine 3-16 Learning Community formed on the basis of a shared vision for education across our community in Upper Brightside.
• A local, regional and national reputation for innovation and excellence, and effective collaboration work with local universities, SSAT, NCSL and DCSF Innovation Unit.
• A recognised centre of excellence for Engineering and vocational learning, and for Educational Training and Development.

Leadership

• School leadership at all levels recognised as leading edge and outstanding.
• Leadership driven by an unrelenting focus upon school improvement (learning and standards) based on painfully honest, robust and accurate self – evaluation.
• Leadership based upon the development, support and intelligent accountability of teams and staff. Working with and through others.
• A professional ‘can do’ culture that continually strives for excellence and personal best and has an unfailing optimism for the future.
• Governance that is informed, involved and appropriately critical and supportive.

Achievement

• Academically (CVA) the highest performing school in Sheffield and within the top 10% nationally at all key stages.
• Achievement outstanding with little or no within school variance between subjects or
  under-performance within student groups.

Curriculum

• A relevant and motivating curriculum that develops the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding for future progression, and equips students for life and work in an ever
  changing world.
• An innovative and personalised entitlement curriculum, bespoke to reflect the needs of
  each child with pathways offering breadth, depth and acceleration.
• A coherent curriculum with clear continuity and progression between and across all phases.
• An outstanding programme of extra-curricular and curriculum enrichment activities.

 Teaching and Learning

• Teaching and learning is consistently very good or outstanding because:
• Teaching has a sharp focus on how individuals think and learn.
• Lesson planning ensures students are more engaged, involved and have to think deeply
  about their own learning.
• Students receive very good feedback on how well they are doing.
• Students understand their targets and talk confidently about their progress.
• Students are made aware of the whole learning process and understand the relevance of topics / themes.
• Students are co-constructors of learning and the curriculum.

Personnel

• Recruitment and retention of the highest calibre staff at all levels of the school.
• A recognised centre of excellence for teaching.
• School synonymous with professional development, growth and support. The building of capacity is acknowledged as the essential vehicle for sustainable improvement.
• Significant and appropriate investment in the professional development of staff as our most valuable resource.

Support and mentoring

• Support and mentoring focussed upon learning, achievement and personal growth,
  within a context of wider community / social responsibility.
• Meaningful and genuine student voice that informs the quality of student learning.
• Students take responsibility for managing their own learning and behaviour.

Professional standards

• A professional ‘solution driven’ culture and ethos that values constructively critical professional dialogue.
• Shared cumulative expectations exert appropriate peer pressure to ensure consistency of practice and high professional standards.

Collaboration

• Parents see themselves as key partners in the educational process and are effectively supported to fulfil this role by the school.
• An extended school strategy that makes fullest possible community use of school learning facilities, whilst delivering outstanding family learning opportunities.
• Collaboration between schools (locally and nationally) brings tangible benefits to the quality of provision offered in school.
• Well established links at all levels through the engineering specialism.
• Family of schools actively pursuing closer and closer links to the mutual benefit of all.

June 2007