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Welcome to Sixth Form at RFSS You are looking to join us at a hugely historic moment for the school, as we embark on our first cohort of sixth form students to join us in our brand new state of the art £25 million facility. We are a school that is driving forward at pace. Our collaborative approach to working with our community, local universities and employers is providing those students who choose to place their faith and futures with us, with the support needed for them to make the progress they want and deserve. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We hope that you will join us and play your part in our future success. Back to Sixth Form Home Page Kindness The quality of friendliness, generosity, consideration, honesty Our Core Values Collaboration The belief that working and learning with others will lead to greater success Curiosity A strong desire to know and learn Respect To appreciate the importance of understanding and admiration for others and self Resilience The ability to recover quickly and learn from the difficulties we face Endeavour The belief that hard work is needed to achieve something we can be proud of RFSS makes an inclusive vision a reality. We have high expectations of how our students behave and what they will achieve to prepare them for life. We believe in every student being given the opportunity to achieve his, her, their potential...even go beyond it. At RFSS we strongly believe that education transforms the lives of young people so that they can become successful adults. Helping to deepen students’ understanding of human values and attitudes, developing students' vision, ambition and aspirations, are a key part of the work within the sixth form. We believe our role is to promote students to gain the confidence and capacity to flourish in the global society we live in today, and into the future. When students move on from us to their chosen destination, they will have been supported to make the carefully considered, well informed choices, whether that is work, university or an apprenticeship. We hope that you will join us and play your part in our future success, as earnestly as we hope to help contribute to your ongoing development and academic achievements. The students who have been with us from Years 7–11 will welcome external applicants with open arms, to join us in this bright, exciting future we are building together. Sixth Form Enrolment We still have spaces for Year 12 for September 2022. Please contact Mrs James on the email below: amy.james@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

Drama Increasingly the power of drama is being recognised as one of the most effective ways to develop skills and emotional intelligence in young people. Drama promotes communication skills, teamwork, dialogue, negotiation, socialisation and problem solving. The essence of Drama lies in its capacity to provide students with the opportunity to ‘pretend to be someone else’. It is through such acts of imagination that students are able to explore the way they might behave and react in different circumstances and within different social and cultural parameters. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects I regard the theatre as the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde Drama Department - Overarching Curriculum Intent (September 2024) RFSS Curriculum Vision Statement: To build an inclusive curriculum which is aspirational for all and empowers our students to make outstanding academic and personal progress. Drama Curriculum in Context: Within KS3 we intend to equip students with the skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic techniques that they will need to interpret themes and issues that surround them within society. In the classroom we model and have high expectations across the board in standards of learning and behaviour. This has been developed through an ethos of respect and creative freedom in the classroom. We intend to stretch and challenge all our students through the development of independent learners and allowing students the freedom of interpretation and the culture that it is OK to get something wrong! Drama is assessable to all groups of students i.e. PP, SEN, EAL, through students working in mixed ability groups and students supporting one another in their learning. Within KS4 and KS5, we intend students to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic skills and techniques whilst demonstrating critical judgement in their application. Students can do this with support from teaching staff. Across the school, we aim to give all students the opportunity to experience the Arts in a wider context, for example, to perform in the whole school musical productions, enrichment, visits from professional theatre companies and theatre trips. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Develop confident young people who can communicate effectively with one another. Inspire our students to explore and develop their own ideas creatively. Give students the skills needed to be able to sympathise and empathise with situations around them. Explore and develop their own social, spiritual, moral and cultural understanding. Our broad and balanced curriculum concentrates on developing our students’ key knowledge and skills, and enhances their understanding of the world around them. We do this by: Delivering engaging topics that are relative to the world around them, in a safe and trusted environment. Giving students the opportunity to articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics and issues clearly, confidently and respectfully. Enabling creativity by supporting students to develop their own ideas and that of others. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Empathetic citizens who can understand and engage with others outside their own social, cultural and historical setting. Creative and imaginative thinkers who are not afraid to get things wrong. Team players who can communicate effectively in group situations and understand the importance of listening to others to move forward. Articulate individuals who can verbalise their own thoughts, ideas and emotions. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with improved confidence, who have developed the skills required to work as part of a team by communicating effectively with those around them. Students will have taken part in cultural experiences both inside and outside of the classroom that will enhance their understanding of drama, themselves and others. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Drama Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening. Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

Pupil Premium Rugby Free Secondary School is committed to providing a positive and engaging learning experience for all students. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Parents & Carers Inclusive education is essential because school is enhanced by inclusion, diminshed without it. Should you require further advice and guidance in addition to the information below, please contact Mr Laity on mark.laity@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk The Pupil Premium is one of the most important tools we have to address the stubborn link between family income and education outcomes. Used purposefully, it can help tackle some of the barriers that stand in the way of eligible pupils’ progress. Please click the attachment to the left to see our action plan to address the barriers that Pupil Premium students face. Please click the attachment to the left to see our Pupil Premium review statement for 2024 - 2025. Research has found that disadvantaged students have been worst affected by the impact of the pandemic. It is therefore more important than ever that school strategies focus on support for disadvantaged students’. (EEF, 2021) National Context: Taken from (www.gov.uk , 2021): Disadvantaged students tend to have lower educational attainment compared to their peers. This attainment gap exists by 9 months by the end of Year 6 (1 academic year) and by 18 months by the end of Year 11 (2 academic years). The attainment gap has stopped closing for the first time in over a decade. • This has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office for Fiscal Studies shows that at the current rate of change, it will take 560 years for the attainment gap to be equalised. Statistically, there are more families north of London that are classified as being disadvantaged. (www.northernpowerhousepartnership.co.uk 2022) The Six Central Barriers: (Taken from EEF, 2021) 1. Technological Access: There is less access to technology. In several cases, access to technology is shared. In other instances, there is a lack of internet in the household. 2. Aspirations & Understanding: In several cases, there is a generational lack of aspiration, with many students encouraged to follow in the footsteps of their family members. Some disadvantaged households shy away from support mechanisms, sometimes due to embarrassment. 3. Parental Engagement & Support: There are often increased pressures placed on disadvantaged students to earn money, as opposed to studying at home. The need for survival often outweighs delayed gratification. 4. Time: Studies indicate that on average, a non-disadvantaged student in secondary school works for 5.8 hours per week outside of school hours - this compares to 4.5 hours per week for a disadvantaged student. 5. Attendance: Disadvantaged students tend to have lower attendance than their non-disadvantaged counterparts. This is particularly evident when there are key events occurring, such as Mock Exams. Attendance to additional sessions after-school also tend to be lower for disadvantaged students. 6. Qualifications: Some schools narrow the curriculum, meaning that students do not sit qualifications that showcase their holistic skills. Our analysis and school-based research indicates that Barrier 1 is the most prevalent across year groups at RFSS, and that Barrier 2 is particularly common within Key Stage 4. Barrier 5 is also a significant issue in Year 11, with numerous legacy school-refusers (many of whom are PP). Barrier 6 is something being addressed within the Year 9 Options process. The Seven Steps to Success: (Taken from EEF, 2021): 1. What happens in the classroom makes the biggest difference: improving teaching quality generally leads to greater improvements at lower cost than structural changes. Good teaching for all pupils has a particular benefit for disadvantaged pupils. 2. Targeted small group and one-to-one interventions have the potential for the largest immediate impact on attainment. 3. The transition between phases of education – notably early years to primary, and primary to secondary – is a risk-point for vulnerable learners. Year 7 often sees the gap widen further and never recover. 4. Catch up is difficult: we should aim to get it right first time round for all children. 5. Literacy is a vital component for disadvantaged students and there is no excuse for not deploying the existing, extensive evidence to support the teaching of it. 6. Essential life skills (or ‘character’) are important in determining life chances and can be measured in a robust and comparable way. Much less is known, however, about how these skills can be developed and whether they lead to increased academic attainment. 7. Sharing effective practice between schools – and building capacity and effective mechanisms for doing so – is key to closing the gap. Our Approach: At RFSS, our plan is rooted in research and best practice that then been evaluated adapted for our context. The primary foundations for our plan have centred on the EEF’s Guide to Supporting School Planning: A Tiered Approach - and this piece of work underpins the priorities, actions and barriers for Catch-Up at RFSS. The context of our school reflects the themes and patterns from national research, but strategies have been tailored to needs of our students and their families. When compiling potential actions for this academic year, consideration was given to the three tiers explained in the aforementioned EEF publication, which are as follows: 1. Teaching 2. Targeted Academic Support 3. Wider Strategies Consequently, all actions and strategies are mapped against these three tiers, with research used to support the implementation of, and rationale behind, these strategies. Therefore, our strategies relate not just to the academic progress of students, but to their development as a whole. We work hard to ensure that assumptions about the lower expectations of disadvantaged students, and their families, are not made and that diagnostic assessments are used to plan flight paths to map minimum expected progress. All students are taught to strive for maximum progress and attainment, throughout all years and subjects. The research is consistent with surveys of parents and teachers on access to education during the pandemic, which indicates disparities in access to technology and levels of parental support -one potential explanation for why gaps might open between groups of students. The recent evidence is also consistent with prior research, which shows differential learning loss during summer holidays and other school closures, which is summarised in the EEF rapid evidence assessment on school closures. These studies have also influenced the thought process behind the interventions and strategies that have been implemented. It is important to note at this point, the significant challenges that the school has faced prior to the existing Leadership Team joining. Issues such as low staff morale and challenges in recruiting reputable teaching staff led to a poor reputation in the local community; something the new Leadership Team have worked hard to improve since their appointments, ensuring that communication, relationships and community are at the centre of what we do at RFSS. The school is now rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted and has become very popular with record numbers of students in Year 7 (213) and a blossoming Sixth Form (192). The increasing numbers have led to an increase in FSM, Pupil Premium and EAL students. If you are a parent or carer of a Pupil Premium child, some useful links are below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium/pupil-premium https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/04/04/what-is-pupil-premium-funding-for-schools-how-benefit-child/

Student Support: Year 8 Being in Year 8 at Rugby Free offers an exciting and pivotal time for students. At this stage, they are starting to feel more settled in their surroundings, allowing them to engage fully with both their academic subjects and the broader school community. This is where students can begin to excel across a variety of subjects and explore their growing interests with confidence. Year 8 presents many opportunities for individual growth, not just in the classroom but also through extra-curricular activities and student leadership roles. Students are encouraged to join clubs, take part in sports, and participate in creative and leadership opportunities, fostering a well-rounded experience. At RFSS, Year 8 is all about building confidence, resilience, and a sense of responsibility, while preparing for the exciting challenges ahead. It is a time where students lay strong foundations both academically and personally for future success. Key Dates What are we learning? What are we reading? Gallery MEGAN ANGELL HEAD OF YEAR 8 Megan.angell@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk STUART BRAMBELL ASSISTANT HEAD OF YEAR 8 Stuart.brambell@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Megan, the Head of Year 8 at Rugby Free, has been a member of staff at RFSS for three years. She brings a compassionate and thoughtful approach to her role, always striving to create a supportive environment where students can thrive. With a passion for current affairs, animals, and travelling, Megan uses her interests to help students connect with the wider world and understand their place within it. Her work in the pastoral team is close to her heart, having always aimed to provide students with the support they need both academically and emotionally. Megan has been involved in the Equality Club, which offers assistance to some of the school's most vulnerable families. She encourages students to not only focus on their studies but also to grow into compassionate, aware individuals who understand the importance of rights and fairness.As a specialist in Sociology, Megan seeks to inspire students to think critically about the world, always aiming to help them become confident and caring members of the school community. Meet the Head of Y8 - Ms Angell

Prospectus Please download our latest 2023-2024 Prospectus here. We hope you find the prospectus informative and would urge you to come and see us in action! Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We strive to develop well rounded individuals who are respectful, curious and resilient. Please click here to download

Set for Life At RFSS our Personal Development curriculum extends beyond the academic and supports our students in the many diverse aspects of life. We aim to provide students with the opportunities to focus on their personal development and character in order to ensure all students grow as active, healthy and engaged citizens and are ultimately ‘Set For Life’ when they leave our school. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Curriculum Create the highest grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe. Oprah Winfrey We recognise that in a national study that was undertaken at the start of 2021, only 47% of students who were ready to leave school, felt that they were equipped to flourish and thrive in the real-world. In addition to this, only 2 in 5 business owners believed school-leavers to be prepared for life, as part of the same study. These findings have shaped our ‘Set For Life’ offer, as we continue to prepare students to be the best they can be in all aspects. As a consequence of this, our ‘Set for Life’ curriculum is split in four areas, which include: Community Volunteering Cultural Diversity Social skills and attitudes Community Groups School, Local and national Law and authority Fairness and justice Communication Equality and Diversity Democracy Local and National Social Action Student Leadership Independent Living Self care Independent travel – Road safety Kitchen skills Home management Safety Personal Finance Accessing the community Talents and interests – Enrichment Organisation Health and Wellbeing Sex and Relationship Education Mental health Developing digital resilience in context of online pressures Respect for self and others Individual Liberty and informed choices Self esteem and belief Employability Social Skills (public speaking, eye contact) Volunteering participation Careers Education – Gatsby Benchmarks Metacognition Communication skills Self Regulation Standards and Expectations The SET for Life programme begins from Year 7 and is delivered in a variety of ways: Through dedicated ‘SET For Life’ Tutor Time Cross curricular links made throughout lessons Drop Down Days Dedicated lessons Deliberate content choices within the Curriculum

Sociology The Rugby Free Secondary sociology curriculum allows students to develop an understanding of the world around them and how different social structures, processes and issues impact their day to day lives, as well as the lives of others. This gives students an opportunity to delve deeper into the many areas of their life that will shape their behaviour, identity and beliefs, while respecting those with different experiences. This knowledge and skill set will equip them for further study, as well as ensuring they never view the world in the same way again. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects You don't retire from sociology any more than you retire from life. Laurie Taylor (BBC Radio 4 presenter) Sociology Department - Overarching Curriculum Intent (September 2024) RFSS Curriculum Vision Statement: To build an inclusive curriculum which is aspirational for all and empowers our students to make outstanding academic and personal progress. Sociology Curriculum in Context: We live in an ever-changing world, where the impact of globalisation has led to greater diversity, less economic security and more technological change than ever before. These changes in wider society can be felt in schools too. They have led to wider gaps in achievement of groups such as the disadvantaged, ethnic minorities and students with additional needs within schools nationally and have also limited their access to other areas of society as well. Often these students are drawn to Social Science subjects, with A Level Sociology drawing in the more disadvantaged students than any other subject according to the Fischer Family Trust (2022). Often this is to make sense of their position in society, our curriculum has been designed to not only meet their needs and encourage inclusivity, but also allow these students to understand why these changes are happening through the exploration of current events and more recent studies. This has led to a focus on vocabulary throughout Key Stage Four and Key Stage Five to ensure that students have a secure understanding of key terminology that they are often introduced to for the first time in the subject. The elaborate vocabulary and concepts that students are introduced to can also be used in other subjects to show an enhanced understanding, with the 2019 AQA Paper 2 English Language Examiners report quoting that the strongest responses demonstrated an ability to engage with “’the big ideas’: politics, economics, gender, aesthetics, class, morality, psychology, even philosophy”. Throughout the RFSS Sociology curriculum, students will explore the different perspectives views of society and evaluate whether they are still relevant now. The curriculum allows students to explore contemporary issues, ensuring they are aware of political, economic, cultural and social changes that are occurring in society nowadays and can confidently apply them not just within the Social Science subjects, but the wider curriculum too. The curriculum also allows for students' personal development, giving students an opportunity to delve deeper into the many areas of their life that will shape their behaviour, identity and beliefs, while respecting that those with different experiences will likely hold different perspectives from them because of this. They will learn how sociologists strive to improve their society, making it a more equal place for all, but do so from different viewpoints and show resilience when others critique them because of this. Our intent is that our students will be offered a curriculum which is academically rigorous but also helps them to develop into curious and well-rounded young people, who will never view the world in the same way again. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Promote mastery, while encouraging students to be curious, resilient learners who can work independently and in groups to employ research skills that will be used into Higher Education and beyond. Develop students ability to analyse and evaluate through the exploration of different sociological perspectives. Ensure all students can make good progress by mastering core vocabulary, identifying trends in data and having a sound understanding of key concepts. Support students to understand their social world and experiences through the study key texts associated with some of the leading sociologists of the 20th century Our broad and balanced curriculum concentrates on developing our students’ key knowledge and skills, and enhances their understanding of the world around them. We do this by: Sequencing learning in a way that allows knowledge to be built upon so that students can make synoptic links across topics. Promoting curiosity, collaboration and resilience through independent and interdependent activities such as research projects and extra-curricular trips. Exploring key themes throughout the course, such as Gender, Social Class, Ethnicity, Age, Power, Wealth, the Media and Inequality, linking these with historical and current events. Introducing students to challenging terms and concepts through the study of twenty-five key texts that have shaped Sociological thinking. Participating in debates to improve oracy and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different sociological views, collect evidence to support their arguments and accept that people have different opinions. Promoting challenge for all through the use of additional studies and evaluative points. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Curious about their position in society and the ways that they can improve upon it Empathetic to the experiences of others and aware of how inequalities within society may effect their position Effective communicators who are able to see both sides of an argument and consider alternative perspectives. Critical thinkers who are able to evaluate alternative viewpoints and support their views with statistics and academic studies. Confident students who can apply their sociological imagination to other curriculum areas around the school. Curriculum Outcome: Students studying Sociology will leave RFSS as empathetic students who no longer take the interactions that they view on a daily basis on face value. They will forevermore apply sociological perspectives to the most simple events in their lives, will be fully equipped to employ skills desired by further education providers and employers alike, such as critical thinking, planning research and extended writing. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Sociology Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

Rugby Free Secondary Meet the Team Prospectus Admissions Equal Opportunities Free School Meals Attendance Standards and Expectations Useful Information Policies Vacancies at RFSS Anchor 1 All candidates are expected to read all relevant documents below prior to interview: RFSS Main School Prospectus 2020-21 RFSS Sixth Form Prospectus 2020-21 RFSS Sixth Form Course Guides LT2 Code of Conduct Policy RFSS Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy LT2 Data Protection Policy

Standards and Expectations We are committed to providing a warm, caring and friendly environment, where students are engaged in their learning. This is achieved by positive relationships, great teaching and clear boundaries. We insist that all members of the RFSS community show kindness and respect for others at all times. At RFSS we have the highest possible expectations of our staff and students. Every student is expected to meet our high standards of behaviour, attendance, punctuality and uniform. Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Relationships for Learning We promote and reward positive behaviour and use a restorative approach if things go wrong. Relationships for learning are at the heart of the school. We promote and reward positive behaviour and use a restorative approach if things go wrong. We encourage students to reflect on their behaviour and learn from their mistakes whilst ensuring staff are fair, consistent and positive. Attendance and Punctuality We encourage students to take pride in both themselves and the school and try their best. High levels of attendance and punctuality are expected. We believe that by attending school regularly and punctually, students will be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Uniform The school uniform can be purchased from Webb Ellis Limited in Rugby. All other compulsory items can be purchased from high street retailers. Please click here for a full list of compulsory main school uniform items Please click here for our PE Kit Essentials

Meet Lizi Towle Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Learn a Little more about Lizi Towle Lizi is a dedicated educator with a wealth of experience spanning 15 years in both primary and secondary education settings. Her primary expertise has been instrumental in instilling a passion for learning in students, facilitating a smooth transition as they move into secondary education. Lizi's transition work has garnered an 'outstanding' rating from Ofsted, reflecting her commitment to student success. Upon relocating to the area in 2023, Lizi pursued and completed her SENDCO qualification while working at an inner-city secondary school. Here, she established herself as a formidable advocate for students with Special Educational Needs, showcasing her unwavering dedication to inclusive education and support. With over 8 years of experience as a valuable member of a highly successful Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Lizi has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to ensuring the best possible outcomes for all students. Her leadership roles in various subjects, including Geography, Music, English, History, Social Sciences, and French, underscore her versatile skill set and passion for fostering academic excellence across disciplines.

PSHE & RSE PSHE education at RFSS helps our students stay healthy, safe and prepared for life and work in modern Britain. PSHE education also helps our pupils to achieve their academic potential. Our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum has been produced in consultation with parents, teaching and pastoral staff and ensures all students receive RSE with an appropriate moral framework in accordance with Relationships Education, Relationships & Sex Education and Health Education guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk) Encouraging positive and healthy personal development is one of the central roles of children’s education in England (Children’s Commissioner, 2023). The importance of teaching children about life skills, finances, healthy relationships, how to keep safe amongst many more areas is of the upmost importance and ‘The Big Ask’ (2021) survey found that children want their education to prepare them for life. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 A comprehensive programme of RSE provides accurate information about the body, reproduction, sex, and sexual health. It also gives children and young people essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitative relationships and staying safe both on and offline." PSHE Association & Sex Education Forum, (2014) PSHE Curriculum in Context: Encouraging positive and healthy personal development is one of the central roles of children’s education in England (Children’s Commissioner, 2023). The importance of teaching children about life skills, finances, healthy relationships, how to keep safe amongst many more areas is of the upmost importance and ‘The Big Ask’ (2021) survey found that children want their education to prepare them for life. Along-side this the need to empower our students with the skills to be able to manage and maintain their physical and mental health in an integrative way, to help prevent escalations is something that needs addressing within schools in a more explicitly taught way. The need to introduce social and emotional learning has risen post pandemic with mental health referrals having risen 96% since 2019 (LGA, 2022), we know we need to address the importance of empowering students on mental health and helping them to understand coping mechanisms of how to navigate life during a time where there is an unhealthy emphasis on perfectionism, a lack of connection between individuals due to the increased use of technology and social media as well as pressures from daily life. Our curriculum aims to develop, empower and be thought provoking for our students in order for them to reflect, debate and challenge themselves and others on perspectives in a supportive and safe environment. We have built our lessons to develop a wide range of skills for our students including resilience, effective communication, team work, empathy and reflection to help them to see and hear things from differing perspectives enabling them to make informed choices about their life, next steps and future, having more of a positive contribution to the school and wider community. Students will develop knowledge through a spiraling curriculum with themes repeated across the key stages with age-appropriate lessons and content. They will learn about how to prepare themselves for life now and preparing for life outside of education in all aspects of their life; careers, RSHE, financial skills, physical and mental health, safety, British Values, human rights and the running of the country. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Empower all students to feel confident to ask questions Equip students with the skills to be able to understand the perspective of many different view points in order to form their own opinions Give students the permission to feel, recognise, understand, label, express and regulate their emotions in a safe and non-judgmental way Teach students how to recognise and understand safety risks in all walks of their life including how to minimise these risks Empower our students to know how to make healthy and safe choices now and in their future life. Our broad and balanced curriculum concentrates on developing our students’ key knowledge and skills, and enhances their understanding of the world around them. We do this by: Stimulating intellectual curiosity by introducing them to a broad range of topics whilst contextualising the reasons behind why they are learning it, so they understand how it is relevant to them. Facilitating collaboration through group projects, discussions and learning from one anothers experiences Promoting challenge for all through challenging their ethical approach to the world and getting them to reflect on their own moral compass. Enabling creativity by supporting them to be independent and expressing their own identity which in return will boost their own self concept Sequencing learning so there is age-appropriate context which is reviewed regularly based on the individual year group's needs. Revisiting previous learning to always check and gauge knowledge of the group already, to ensure knowledge is built on and not repeated, ensuring depth is developed at the right age. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Confident in making their own choices and understanding the consequences of these choices Compassionate towards themselves and those around them Hardworking individuals who want to make a difference in their local and wider community Knowledgeable on how to manage their own health and wellbeing including where to turn for support if it is needed. Reflective and honest with themselves in order to overcome challenges they face. Confident in their own identity. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum students will leave RFSS having developed many of the skills and abilities needed for modern life. Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

< Back Rodger Eadon House Coordinator, Boys Achievement roger.eadon@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk.co.uk roger.eadon@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk.co.uk

SEND Rugby Free Secondary School is committed to providing a positive and engaging learning experience for all students. In the SEND department, we develop individual and tailored support to build resilience, and ensure that every child has equal access to the diverse opportunities our school offers. Teaching Assistants provide in-class support, small group and 1:1 interventions across a range of areas including literacy, numeracy and social skills where appropriate. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Parents & Carers Inclusive education is essential because school is enhanced by inclusion, diminshed without it. D avid Iles SENCO David.Iles@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Open Evening Presentation September 24 SEND T&L Principles 24-25 RFSS SEND Waves 24-25 RFSS SEND Overview 24-25 What is Warwickshire's SEND local offer? Warwickshire’s SEND local offer brings together information about the local services and support available across education, health and social care for families with children and young people aged 0 to 25, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities You can read more about the offer at: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/send Kindness We regularly give ‘shout outs’ for staff who have gone above and beyond and demonstrated an exceptional display of one of our values We encourage and try to support flexible working requests and promote ‘family values’ as something that makes the workforce distinctive. We try to ensure staff have the opportunity to attend personal events or celebrations when requested and within agreed time frame. Collaboration We have an active Staff Wellbeing committee who meet regularly to discuss staff wellbeing and workload. We provide all new staff with a ‘buddy’ to provide support and advice. We plan a variety of staff social events across the year. We provide staff with a free lunch on the day of their duty. We have regular staff breakfasts, provide food on all CPD days and occasional treats such as Pizza! Curiosity We invest heavily in staff CPD and both promote and support opportunities to develop staff. We provide opportunities for all staff to network and visit other schools to improve their practice and share great ideas. Respect We have a Staff Room, where staff can meet, work and even socialise Each faculty has its own staff work room We have regular appraisal conversations to discuss career progression Resilience We promote resilience through our reflective CPD pathways. We have an area in the staff room dedicated to wellbeing which is used to promote health and wellbeing. We share weekly health and wellbeing information. Endeavour Promote a work life balance by being considerate when sending emails and holding meetings. We will endeavor to celebrate our staff and their achievements on a regular basis, for example; a black tie celebration evening.

< Back Bethan Austen Deputy Head Teacher bethan.austen@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk bethan.austen@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Lucy Mercer Teacher of Humanities lucy.mercer@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk lucy.mercer@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Gareth Campion Teacher of Food Technology gareth.champion@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk gareth.champion@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

< Back Helen Ward Director of Learning - Humanities helen.ward@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk helen.ward@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk

Meet John Harris Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Learn a little more about John Harris John has been a qualified teacher of English for 21 years. He has taught the full range of students from Years 7-13 in five different schools across Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. John has previously been Head of English at three different schools as well as part of the Senior Leadership Team in three schools, too. John has worked in a range of contexts. He has worked in big town schools to leafy suburban schools, from outstanding schools to those that require improvement. John led a school subject review that Ofsted rated as Outstanding and was also part of a leadership team that moved a school from 'Inadequate' to 'Good' in just nineteen months. John values enjoyment in learning above all else, appreciating that relationships at all levels in school are vital. John was appointed as Deputy Headteacher for Behaviour and Attitudes earlier this year and is looking forward to developing an ethos at Rugby Free School where students love their learning and their hard work is appreciated. When John is not in school, he loves to spend time with his family. If he's not with his family, he's sure to be found on the golf course or at a sporting event.

Meet Bethan Austen Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Learn a little more about Bethan Austen Bethan has been a qualified Science Teacher with a Chemistry specialism for 7 years, and has experience teaching across all secondary years and sixth form. She is originally from Manchester and relocated to Rugby 5 years ago at which point she joined the team at RFSS. Initially employed as a Classroom Teacher and then promoted to Science Second in Department, she was then appointed as the first Head of Year 7 in 2019. She has been integral in the development of the Year 6 Transition programme as well as helping to lead and develop the Pastoral Team in her promotion to KS3 Raising Standards Leader in 2021. She has seen and contributed to the school's progression through two Ofsted inspections and as a result was appointed as Assistant Headteacher in January 2023. In September 2023 she will take on the role of Senior Assistant Headteacher, supporting the Headteacher in the triangulation of Behaviour & Attitudes, Quality of Education and Personal Development. Bethan completed her NPQSL in 2021, which focused on improving the engagement of students through the implementation of a relationships focused behaviour strategy. Throughout her roles at RFSS, Bethan has always strived to ensure both students and parents feel supported and that students leave being fully 'set for life' ahead with the challenges and opportunities this can bring. Outside of RFSS, Bethan lives with her husband and their mischievous tree-climbing cat Murph! She enjoys reading, walking and spending time with family and friends back in Manchester whenever possible.

< Back Sophie Hartwell Director of Learning - Social Sciences sophie.hartwell@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk sophie.hartwell@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk