Support Your Child's Learning

Families play a vital role in their children’s educational success. It is just as, if not more, important than the role played by the school. Here are some of the ways that you can support your child’s learning in secondary school:

  • Ensure that your child attends every day, on time – every lesson missed has a big impact on educational outcomes. Children should not miss school if at all possible.
  • Ensure that your child has the correct uniform and equipment – children need to come to school ready to learn; this is an important part of developing organisational skills.
  • Provide a suitable environment for your child to work at home – this should be somewhere they can do their homework or read without distractions. We also recommend that you restrict their access to electronic devices during this time.
  • Read with your child – this is one of the best things we can do to help children learn new words and improve their understanding of the world. You can also ask them about what they are reading and help them select new books to read.
  • Support the school’s policies on behaviour – it is vital that we have share the same high expectations of students’ conduct; this is key to our success.
  • Read and sign the Student Planner – this is a great way to find out what your child is up to in school and to start a conversation about what they are learning.
  • Encourage your child to try a broad range of enrichment activities – as part of our electives programme.

The Library and Independent Reading

Supporting your child’s reading is one of the best ways you can help them to raise their attainment in all subjects, develop their knowledge of the world and their empathy, and improve their wellbeing. We encourage every student to read at home for at least twenty minutes every day.

Our well-stocked  Library is at the heart of our school – it is open before school, throughout break and lunchtime and after school every day. Our library staff are always keen to support students in their reading choices; please reach out to Dr Roynon via the school office if you have any questions.

Students (and yourselves) can access our Library catalogue to browse for books wherever they get online. Once logged on to their own account (via their Swan google SSO), they can write online book reviews and reserve and renew specific titles.

There are a range of reading lists at different levels and on different topics in the ‘Quick Lists’ drop down menu. We have copies of all books on these lists in the Library. 

Sixth formers can also access academic articles (through JSTOR) for their EPQ and coursework, and the Hodder Review magazines to support all their A level subjects, via the ‘One Search’ tab on the Library homepage.