The school has high academic expectations of all students pre- and post 16 with staff appointed to provide programmes to meet specific needs and learning mentors to give one to one support and encouragement to students. We ensure that the most able students are stretched and special provision is made for them through our gifted and talented programme. Talents are identified and each student on our gifted and talented register has an individual learning plan. All year 8 students experience the 'Aiming Higher' programme to encourage them to think about aspiring to Higher Education.
On entry students are placed in mixed ability tutor groups. For some lessons students are taught in these groups and for others they are set according to ability. During the first term students needs are identified and addressed through additional language, learning or 'gifted and talented' provision.
At Key Stage 4
Students choose two other subjects from a broad list of options and may, if they wish, study 3 performing arts by taking a class in our extended day. All students study a common core of:-
Plumstead Manor is the largest provider of post 16 education in schools in the Borough. It has provided sixth form education for many years through its Negus Centre and will continue to do so as part of Greenwich's reorganised post 16 provision 'Gplus'. Students have a wide choice of courses from Entry level to Advanced level. They can choose from 25 AS + A levels, 6 vocational areas + all students study the Key Skills. Students who wish to concentrate on Performing Arts may study a full course at Intermediate or Advanced level or may choose to study just one. Students have the advantage of a supportive tutorial system with one to one sessions and a well structured pastoral, citizenship and careers programme. The quality of this provision and the quality of teaching have been commended by Her Majesty's Inspectors. The ethos of Plumstead Manor continues into Negus Sixth form with a focus on developing independence, high aspirations and self motivation.
Examination results at Plumstead Manor and Negus continue to show improvement. Examination performance is not the only indicator of success for students but is one we consider to be very important. We are very proud that many students regularly gain 10 GCSEs at Grades A-C and that students' A level grades have improved considerably. In the sixth form we have led the borough in the introduction of vocational courses and our recent Ofsted feedback noted that “pass rates are high for A level. “Overall the value added between the ages of 16+18 is high.
Negus students are very successful. Between 50 and 60 students go on to university each year, including Oxford and Cambridge, to study a wide range of degree courses. We are justly proud of our record. For three years now McDonalds have kindly awarded a scholarship of £1000 per year to help support a Negus student through university.
Plumstead Manor students find interesting jobs after school or university. Individual students have gone on to become doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, BBC producers, administrators, teachers, interior designers, fashion designers and even pop stars. Every girl is encouraged to develop her talents and aim high in her search for a career.
For able students: we have a range of provisions to ensure that our most able students achieve well. The Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator organises a programme of activities for able students which includes:
There are also many opportunities for students with outstanding sporting ability and talents in the performing arts. Free instrumental tuition is offered in 30 different instruments. For bilingual students: The Language Development Department assesses need and provides specialist teaching and support to bi-lingual students. The quality of this provision has been commended by the National Literacy Team and by GCRE.
For students with specific learning difficulties: The Learning Support Department ensures that support is offered to students in all years, including post 16, with specific needs - learning, emotional and physical. A specialist teacher provides an appropriate curriculum in class or in withdrawal group for the small number of students with moderate learning difficulties. Summer schools in numeracy and literacy are held each July to support new year 7 students and prepare them for the new term and booster classes are held three times a week for students who have not yet reached their expected national curriculum level. For students with behaviour problems: The Inclusions Unit provides individual programmes for this small group of students including group support, mentoring or work related learning. A member of the leadership group is responsible for day to day behaviour management.
Homework is an essential part of the curriculum and all students have homework timetables in their diaries which parents are asked to sign each week. Supervised homework sessions are run each evening after school in the library.
All students are given a dictionary and reading lists to extend and develop their knowledge and skills. The library is a major learning resource with CD Roms, computer facilities and a video resource room. Students may use it for study and research before, during and after school. The library is open and staffed from 7.45am until 5pm each day. We also have reading programmes designed to develop the skills of students who are not reading independently and for students whose first language is not English.
Careers Education
The careers advice and education at Plumstead Manor is excellent. Students follow a structured careers programme including computer assisted learning in Year 9; a full programme of work experience in Year 10; mock interviews with employers; preparation of a curriculum vitae; a personal career development plan; job application forms and letters in Year 11; work shadowing opportunities and mock job and higher education interviews in Years 12 and 13. The school has been awarded the Investors in Careers Award for the quality of its careers education and guidance and the Roqwa award for the quality of its work experience preparation, organisation and monitoring.
The Religious Education course covers all the world's major religions. It is based on the syllabus drawn up and agreed by the local Education Authority and representatives from all religious denominations, including parents and teachers. Parents wishing to withdraw their children from Religious Education or assemblies should make a written application to the Headteacher, and alternative arrangements will be made.
The Governors' policy is that sex education is to be provided for all students and taught in tutorial lessons as part of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).
We recognise that raising students' self esteem through celebration of their successes plays a significant part in raising their achievement. We encourage good work and reward achievement by:
One important way to acknowledge achievement is by public recognition from parents, peers and staff and we hold a number of ceremonies annually to publicly celebrate students' achievement including Certificate Ceremony for years 7-10, Record of Achievement evening for year 11 and Prize giving ceremony for years 11 and post 16 students.
Extending Horizons
We are successful in encouraging our students to extend their experiences and their horizons. Staff organise focus weeks with exciting activities to highlight subject areas - science week, book week, design week, performing arts festival. Year 11 students can study for the Junior Sports Leader Award, enter national Maths and Chemistry challenges and take part in the English Speaking Union debates. A huge range of visits is organised, to local, national or international destinations and a variety of speakers and celebrities have been invited into school with enormous success.
We are successful in helping students break gender stereotypes. On two occasions students have won an Arkwright scholarship, which involved fierce competition and rigorous selection. Gifted students in Year 8 won a Salter's Chemistry competition beating boys' teams and teams from independent schools and another group of girls won the first Greenwich Cyber Challenge. We encourage students to use the technology available with open access to our six computer network rooms, the library with CD Roms, videos and computers, the health and fitness room and the technology block. Our girls play cricket, hockey and go rock climbing. Our football team is very successful. We also organise a range of work experience placements for students in predominantly male professions, including construction, plumbing, car mechanics and girls have gone on to study Physics, Technical Design and Computer Information Systems Design at University.
We were awarded Performing Arts College status in September 2000 in recognition of the quality of our curriculum and teaching. The additional resources and sponsorship from Music Sound Foundation (EMI charity), the Bernard Sunley Trust, SELCHP and others have enabled us to build a high quality mirrored dance studio, to upgrade our practice rooms and to provide many opportunities for students to experience dance, drama and music. All students benefit. We expect every student to be involved in some way either to examination level, involvement in extra curricular activities or through visits to theatres and concerts. Students have the opportunity, free of charge, to learn to play a musical instrument of their choice. Students gain confidence, develop communication skills and build self esteem through performance so celebration of student performance is high on our list of priorities. We provide opportunities and encourage as many students as possible to perform both inside and outside of school.
Plumstead Manor is the only school in Greenwich to have been awarded the English Sports Council Sportsmark Award for excellence in sport for a second three-year period. The quality of sport is high with girls continuing their sports to high standards.
Plumstead Manor School
Old Mill Road
London SE18 1QF
tel: 020 3260 3333
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