An Overview
Leventhorpe is an Outstanding11-19 co-educational comprehensive school which became a Business and Enterprise Academy in August 2011. The intake at age 11 is drawn mainly from Sawbridgeworth, Bishop’s Stortford and from the surrounding villages. Demand for places in the school is high with over 4 applications for each place and some students travel significant distances to attend.
The school places a high priority on academic achievement as demonstrated in our recent Ofsted report (January 2012) where we achieved Oustanding in all five categories. All staff are expected to play their role in ensuring the best possible outcomes for every student. Pass rates are 100% in nearly all subjects and percentages in the highest grades are well above national averages. For instance, at A Level in 2013, 55% of students scored A*-B grades. 88% of Year 11 students scored 5A*-C with a quarter of all GCSEs being awardedA* or A. Teachers, students and parents place a very high value on behaviour and care which were rated as “outstanding” in the last inspection (January 2012).
April 2013 saw the opening of our £1 million Learning Resource Centre whilst our£6 million Leisure Centre (sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, all weather pitch and floodlit tennis courts) is valued by the local community as well as the school. In recent years Leventhorpe has experienced an intensive capital build programme, including most recently, re-modelling of Design & Technology facilities and 150k investment in ICT provision.
The school is a High performing Specialist School and is the lead school for Initial teacher Training for the Bishops Stortford and Sawbridgeworth Training School Alliance – “Catalyst”. Then in 2012 the school was awarded National Support School status in recognition of the school to school support that Leventhorpe provides.
Leventhorpe also belongs to The Bishops’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth Consortium of Secondary Schools, a group of six local schools. Joint development ventures are becoming more frequent with many shared CPD activities taking place, much of this is now done as part of the Catalyst Teaching School Alliance.
Subject departments are organised on a Faculty basis. The responsibility for the preparation of schemes of work and for monitoring their delivery lies with the Head of Faculty. Each student undergoes a termly assessment in each subject. Again the responsibility for implementing the assessment policy lies with the Head of Faculty.
For many years Leventhorpe has had a strong reputation for teacher training and is a partner school with Cambridge University for PGCE and with Hertford University for the Graduate Teacher Programme. Staff are encouraged to gain mentoring qualifications. For newly qualified teachers there is strong support and excellent opportunities for professional development. This includes involvement in action research projects, aspirant leadership programme and SLT secondments.
The school upholds the traditional values of uniform, discipline, homework, punctuality and behaviour based on respect. Each of Years 7 – 11 is organised into six mixed ability tutor groups and each tutor group is assigned to one of six houses. House Heads oversee the academic and social development of students in their house as they progress through the school. Years 12 and 13, although assigned to a house, are overseen by the Head of Sixth Form. Form tutors are expected to monitor their form’s progress and to liaise with pastoral heads in deciding appropriate action.
Extra-curricular activities are available to all students and we particularly welcome staff prepared to contribute in any way. Music and drama productions are frequently staged and, in music, there is a strong tradition of excellence with many visiting instrumental teachers. 10% of students are admitted on the basis of musical aptitude. Both boys and girls are encouraged to represent the school in various sports including Saturday fixtures.
The school has approximately 180 staff (part-time and full time) about half of whom are teachers. All subjects are fully staffed with highly qualified teachers.
Sawbridgeworth is a small, prosperous Hertfordshire town very close to the Essex border, with London, Cambridge, Chelmsford and Hertford all readily accessible. It is well served by both road (M11 and M25) and rail links (Liverpool Street 35 minutes) and Stansted airport. Unemployment rates in Hertfordshire are below both the national and southeast area averages. The school is situated on the edge of the town adjoining open farmland. There is a wide range of housing available in the area.