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Student Support Each year group has a Head of Year who is a full time teacher, and an Assistant Head of Year (non- teaching) supporting this role. There are also Form Tutors in each year group who meet with their class each morning for registration, and who deliver a Form Tutor programme throughout the year that covers all areas of PSHCE, and creates opportunities for celebrating success. Anchor 1 Back to Students Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Parents & Carers Our structure reinforces the school value of Collaboration as we all seek to work in partnership with your child. This structure also means that students and parents have three dedicated points of contact for their specific year group which allows for regular contact between school and home via phone, email or prearranged meetings. It also reinforces the school value of Collaboration as we all seek to work in partnership for the benefit of your child. Anchor 3 Please click the below area for information specifically relevant to your childs' year group:

Rugby Free Secondary Meet the Team Prospectus Admissions Equal Opportunities Free School Meals Attendance Standards and Expectations Useful Information Policies Student Leaders Anchor 1 Student Leaders at RFSS encapsulate our six core values at all times. They have aspirations to become leaders in their adult lives and are passionate about using their voices to empower change among the student body of our school. They are elected democratically by their tutor groups after a short presentation. Students Leaders are representatives for their form and support staff with ensuring the smooth running of multiple school events. We look forward to them becoming a central part of our new and growing community. Year 7 Student Leaders 7.1 Seb Kallah, Josh Murphy 7.2 Sienna Smyth, Penny Hobson 7.3 Mara Baesu, David Szulc 7.4 Freya Walker, Ruby Clarke 7.5 Amara Brassey, Malachi Chambati 7.6 Rebecca Coltan, Khwezi Moyo 7.7 Willow Palmer, Sofiya Shadiq Year 8 Student Leaders 8.1 Keira Cossar, Evan Gravell 8.2 Theo Muller, Dorrit Davies 8.3 Hala Al Tourn, Shub Vaja 8.4 Stefan Manea, Lydia Wu 8.5 Abraham Jarju, Ellie Patrick 8.6 Sofia Bates, Jessica Charlton Year 9 Student Leaders 9.1 Freddie Green, Kiefer Teasdale 9.2 Lauren Wilkins, William Barlow 9.3 Aquila Dulco, Zack Lowe 9.4 Cianan Evans, Hidaya Ahmed 9.5 Junior Kabeya, Angelo Laye Year 11 Student Leaders 11.1 Jacob Green, Emine Das 11.2 Nicole Finnegan, William Carvell 11.3 Hemali Mistry, Hazel Jennings 11.4 Ella Trainer, Harrishan Sivaraj 11.5 Toby. O, Anastasia. G 11.6 Muhammad Salman, Elijah T 11.7 Gabriel Stroe, Nicole Nolberczak Year 12 Student Leaders Denise Veiga, Petala Dulco Lexi Issitt, Zoe Dredge Cameron Sheepy, Melissa Maron Brogan Flowers, Freddie Ouattara Richie Ford Alvin Leung Year 13 Student Leaders Drew Moore, Jack McCulloch Lauren Gibbons, Harriet Pryor Tsunguari Chirumba, Joe Torrance Matthew Sanders

Rugby Free Secondary Meet the Team Prospectus Admissions Equal Opportunities Free School Meals Attendance Standards and Expectations Useful Information Policies Year 11 Head Students Anchor 1 Austin Morris - Head Student Eshaal Islam- Deputy Head Student Ananya Veeragandlam - Deputy Head Student Head Students at RFSS encapsulate our six core values at all times. They have aspirations to become leaders in their adult lives and are passionate about using their voices to empower change among the student body of our school. They are elected democratically by their peers and staff, after a leadership campaign, during which they must demonstrate their vision for and commitment to the school community. Our Head Students are role models for all students in the school, illustrating a strong academic skill set, alongside a compassion for the wellbeing of all students and staff at RFSS. They challenge all students to hold themselves to high standards, and coordinate and inspire the whole Student Leadership Team to do likewise. They play a key role in promotional events for the school and are a vital link for communication and collaboration between staff and students. We look forward to them becoming a central part of our new and growing alumni community.

Sixth Form Academic Subjects Anchor 1 Below are the academic options we offer at RFSS A Level Art Students will undertake a mini practice project to prepare them for component 1 & 2. During component 1 they will choose a personal investigation. Alongside the investigation they will produce a 1000 - 3000 word essay about their chosen investigation and research. Component 1 forms 60% of the final grade, and component 2 forms the remaining 40%. Component 2 consists of a 15-hour exam and a supporting portfolio. A Level Biology Biology is a subject sought after by many employers as it allows students to develop their ability to adapt and work logically in both learned and new environments. This is a two year linear course and the A level is based on the exams taken at the end of year 13. In their first year of study, students will complete four units of work: biological molecules; cells; how organisms exchange substances with their environment; genetic information, variation and relationships between organisms. Each of these units will also contain required practicals that will need to be completed as part of the practical endorsement for this subject. In the second year of study, students will complete a further four units of work: energy transfers in and between organisms; how organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments; genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems; the control of gene expression. Each of these units will also contain required practicals that will need to be completed as part of the practical endorsement for this subject. A Level Chemistry Students will study aspects of Physical, Inorganic and Organic chemistry in both years of the course. The Year 12 course covers the following from 1 - Physical Chemistry: Atomic structure, Amount of substance, Bonding, Energetics, Kinetics, Chemical equilibria and Oxidationd, reduction and redox equations. 2 - Inorganic Chemistry: Periodicity, Group 2 and Group 7. Alongside this students will complete the specified Required Practicals. Students will study further aspects of Physical, Inorganic and Organic chemistry in Year 13. The Year 13 course covers the remaining topics from Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry: 1 - Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Rate and equations, Equilibrium constant for homogeneous systems, Electrode potentials and Acids and bases. 2 - Inorganic Chemistry: Properties of Period 3, Transition metals, Reactions of ions in aqueous solution. Alongside this students will complete the specified Required Practicals. A Level Computer Science A-level specification in computer science will have students develop: • an understanding of, and the ability to apply, the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation • the ability to analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including writing programs to do so • the capacity for thinking creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically • the capacity to see relationships between different aspects of computer science • mathematical skills related to: Boolean algebra; comparison and complexity of algorithms; number representations and bases. • the ability to articulate the individual (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural opportunities and risks of digital technology. Curriculum Year 1: Subject content: 1. Programming – imperative procedural-oriented, OOP, recursive techniques 2. Data structures – arrays, lists, dictionaries, hash tables, queue, graph, tree, stack, vector, fields, records, files (text & binary) 3. Algorithms – traversal, search, sort, optimisation 4. Theory of computation – abstraction, automation, FSM with and without output, language hierarchy, complexity, Turing machines 5. Data representation – number systems/bases, information coding systems, encryption 6. Computer systems – logic gates, Boolean algebra, program translator types, classification of programming languages, system software 7. Computer organisation and architecture – machine code/assembly language, CPU, internal components of computer, external hardware devices (limited range) 8. Consequences of uses of computing – software and their algorithms embed moral & cultural values, issue of scale brings potential for great good but also ability to cause great harm, challenges facing legislators 9. Communication and networking – communication methods/basics, network topology, wireless, the Internet, TCP/IP, CRUD applications and REST, JSON, JavaScript Curriculum Year 2: Subject content: 10. Databases – data modelling, relational database, SQL, client server databases 11. Big Data – volume/velocity/variety, fact-based model, distributed processing and functional programming 12. Fundamentals of functional programming – function type, first-class object, function application, partial function application, composition of functions, map, filter, reduce, lists 13. Systematic approach to problem solving – skills needed for Paper 1 and NEA 14. NEA - The computing practical project A Level Drama Yr 12 & 13 is spent preparing, rehearsing and examining students for their Component 1, 2 & 3 examinations. Students are encouraged to work as part of a group, whilst also being able to be independent with their studies. Students are encouraged to book masterclass sessions with their teacher to refine their practical and written work. We offer students the opportunity to attend live theatre productions and work alongside professional artists. C1 - Theatre Workshop Internally assessed, externally moderated, 20% of qualification Students participate in the creation, development & performance of a piece of theatre based on a reinterpretation of an extract from a text. Students must produce a performance and a creative log. C2 - Text in Action Externally assessed by a visiting examiner, 40% of qualification Students participate in the creation, development and performance of two pieces of theatre based on a stimulus; a devised piece and an extract from a text. Students must produce two performances and a process and evaluation report. C3 - Text in Performance Written examination, 40% of qualification Students must answer two questions based on two different texts, one written pre-1956 and one written post-1956, whilst also answering a question based on a specific extract from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. A Level English Literature & Language This A Level course offers opportunities for students to develop their subject expertise by engaging creatively, critically and independently with a wide range of texts. Using literary and linguistic concepts and methods, students analyse literary and non-literary texts in a range of modes and genres, in the process gaining insights into the nature of different discourses and ideas about creativity. Students develop skills as producers and interpreters of language by creating texts themselves and critically reflecting on their own processes of production. The 2 year course comprises of 3 components: Component 1: 'Telling Stories’ Section A: Remembered Places ( studying the AQA Non-Fiction Paris Anthology) Section B: Imagined worlds (studying a prose text) Section C: Poetic Voices (studying a collection of poetry by a particular poet) Component 2: 'Exploring Conflict’ Section A: Writing about Society (studying a set text with the purpose of producing re-creative writing and a critical commentary) Section B: Dramatic Encounters (studying a drama text) Component 3: 'Making Connections’ A personal investigation that explores a specific technique or theme in both literary and non-literary discourse. A Level English Literature English Literature A Level encourages students to explore the relationships that exist between texts and the contexts within which they are written, received and understood. Studying texts within a shared context enables students to investigate and connect them, drawing out patterns of similarity and difference using a variety of reading strategies and perspectives. English Literature privileges the process of making autonomous meaning, encouraging students to debate and challenge the interpretations of other readers as they develop their own informed personal responses. Curriculum Year 1: The 2 year course comprises of 3 components: Component 1: 'Love Through the Ages’ Section A: Shakespeare Section B: Unseen Poetry Section C: Comparing Texts (one pre and one post 1900) Component 2: 'Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times’ Section A: Set Texts Section B: Contextual Linking (comparing two texts) Component 3: 'Texts Across Time’ An independent critical study of two texts, at least one of which must be pre 1900. A level Geography Geography is for those interested in the world around them, and how people and the environment interact. It is suitable for those interested in the sciences and natural sciences, but who want to focus on actual places and real life situations, taking in traditional and contemporary issues. By studying Geography at A- Level, students will develop a deep understanding of the world around them and how it can change. Geography combines well with both arts and science subjects. Curriculum Year 1: Water and the carbon cycles Focuses on the major stores of water and carbon at or near the Earth’s surface and the dynamic cyclical relationships associated with them. These are major elements in the natural environment and understanding them is fundamental to many aspects of physical geography. This topic invites students to contemplate the magnitude and significance of the cycles at a variety of scales, their relevance to wider geography and their central importance for human populations. Hazards Focuses on the lithosphere and the atmosphere, which intermittently but regularly present natural hazards to human populations, often in dramatic and sometimes catastrophic fashion. By exploring the origin and nature of these hazards and the various ways in which people respond to them, students are able to engage with many dimensions of the relationships between people and the environments they occupy. Changing Places Focuses on people's engagement with places, their experience of them and the qualities they ascribe to them, all of which are of fundamental importance in their lives. Students acknowledge this importance and engage with how places are known and experienced, how their character is appreciated, the factors and processes which impact upon places and how they change and develop over time Geographical Fieldwork All students are required to undertake fieldwork in relation to processes in both physical and human geography. Students must undertake four days of fieldwork during their A-level course. Curriculum Year 2: Physical Geography a choice of: Glacial landscapes Focuses on glaciated landscapes. These are dynamic environments in which landscapes continue to develop through contemporary processes but which mainly reflect former climatic conditions associated with the Pleistocene era. Coastal systems Focuses on coastal zones, which are dynamic environments in which landscapes develop by the interaction of winds, waves, currents and terrestrial and marine sediments. The operation and outcomes of fundamental geomorphological processes and their association with distinctive landscapes are readily observable. Hot deserts and landscapes The focus is on hot deserts and their margins, where the operation of characteristic aeolian and episodic fluvial processes with their distinctive landscape outcomes are readily observable. Human Geography a choice of: Global systems and global governance Focuses on globalisation – the economic, political and social changes associated with technological and other driving forces which have been a key feature of global economy and society in recent decades. Population and the environment Designed to explore the relationships between key aspects of physical geography and population numbers, population health and well-being, levels of economic development and the role and impact of the natural environment. Contemporary urban environments Focuses on urban growth and change which are seemingly ubiquitous processes and present significant environmental and social challenges for human populations. Resource security Focuses on the large-scale exploitation of unevenly distributed natural resources, which is one of the defining features of the present era. A Level History A level history will encourage you to: Develop an interest and enthusiasm for history and an understanding of its intrinsic value To acquire an understanding of different identities within society and an appreciation of aspects such as social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity. To improve your ability to be an effective and independent learner and a critical and reflective thinker. To develop your ability to ask relevant and significant questions about the past and to research them. To develop your use and understanding of historical key terms, concepts and skills To make links and draw comparisons within and across different periods and aspects of the past. To organise and communicate your historical knowledge and understanding in different ways, to be able to argue a case and reach substantiated judgements. We will be studying: Component 1 – 1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603 2Q The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945–1980 Component 3: Historical investigation A level Maths A Level Mathematics A qualification in Mathematics is sought after by many employers, as it develops skills in logic, communication and problem solving. The A-level course is examined after 2 years of study over 3 two-hour papers. These papers cover Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics in the form of Statistics and Mechanics in a ratio of 2:1. Students will be assessed throughout the course in order to provide directed support, there will be a blend of topic-based assessments to inform students of the competency with a given topic and multi-topic assessments to support retrieval and to give students a picture of the long term understanding of the course Skills Needed: · Have very good mathematical knowledge · Be tenacious · Be independent learners · Be problem solvers · Go above and beyond what is expected · Have a genuine love for the subject Enrichment Those with a Grade 8 in Mathematics will have the opportunity to undertake study in aspects of the A Level Further Maths curriculum. A level Further Maths Curriculum Year 1: A-level Further Mathematics is a linear specification with no specific modules. All students will learn aspects of: • Pure Mathematics • Mechanics • Decision Mathematics. Assessment Year 1: The course is 100% examined at the end of the final year. Within year 1 assessments will consist of 2 written internal exam papers at the end of Year 12 Based on the Year 1 content. Paper 1: Core Pure mathematics. Paper 2: Decision & Mechanics. Curriculum Year 2: All students will learn aspects of • Pure Mathematics, • Mechanics • Decision Mathematics Pure Mathematics accounts for half of the curriculum with Mechanics and Decision each accounting for a quarter of the currciulum. The second year curriculum builds on and extends on what was covered in the first year of both A Level Mathematics & Further Mathematics and introduces a range new topics. Assessment Year 2: This course is 100% exam based and will consist of 3 written exam papers A-level Paper 1: Core Pure Mathematics 1. 1 hour 30 minute exam paper out of 80 marks. Accounts for 1 quarter of the final A level qualification A-level Paper 2: Core Pure Mathematics 2. 1 hour 30 minute exam paper out of 80 marks. Accounts for 1 quarter of the final A level qualification A-level Paper 3: Further Mechanics. 1 hour 30 minute exam paper out of 80 marks. Accounts for 1 quarter of the final A level qualification A-level Paper 4: Decision Mathematics. 1 hour 30 minute exam paper out of 80 marks. Accounts for 1 quarter of the final A level qualification A level Philosophy & Ethics A level Physics A-Level Philosophy and Ethics is a course aimed at students who want to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as asking questions about the world we live in. From ethical conundrums to debates around the nature of knowledge, religion and the mind itself, students will be presented with engaging texts from a variety of viewpoints, and will become adept at using these to articulate their own worldview. Curriculum Year 1: The curriculum in Year 1 will consist of modules 1 and 2 of the A-Level course: Epistemology: This focuses on the concept of knowledge; what it is, when we can truly 'know' things and what the criteria are for this. This includes: The Tripartite view of knowledge Perception as a source of knowledge with reference to Direct Realism, Indirect Realism and Berkeley's Idealism Reason as a source of knowledge with reference to Innatism, the debate between intuition and deduction The argument from Scepticism and the limits of knowledge 2. Moral Philosophy: This focuses on ethical debates- you will examine differing moral theories, applying them to situations and taking a closer look at what it actually means to refer to something as 'right' or 'wrong' This includes: An in-depth study of three moral theories; Utilitarianism (Bentham and J.S Mill) Deontology (Kant) and Virtue Ethics (Aristotle) Applied ethics- applying these theories to ethical debates surrounding stealing, simulated killing (within computer games, plays, films etc), eating animals and telling lies Meta-Ethics- the status of moral language and whether moral statements, such as 'murder is wrong' can have truth values. Curriculum Year 2: The curriculum in Year 2 will consist of modules 3-4 of the A-Level Course: 3. Metaphysics of God This module focuses on the nature of the Judeo-Christian God- arguments for his existence and the status of religious language. This includes: The Ontological, Teleological (Design) and Cosmological arguments for the existence of God. The Problem of Evil- what it is and its ramifications for the existence of God Religious language- Cognitivists and Non-Positivist debates over the status of religious language and what it means. 4. Metaphysics of Mind This module focuses on philosophical debates about the human mind and the idea of 'consciousness', such as the 'Mind-Body Problem'. This includes:# Dualist theories- Property Dualism and Substance Dualism Physicalist theories- theories such as Eliminativism and Physicalism, which states the mind is part of the body and not a separate entity/substance Functionalism- all mental states can be explained in terms of their functions. Physics is a subject sought after by many employers as it allows students to develop their ability to adapt and work logically in both learned and new environments. This is a two year linear course and the A level is based on the exams taken at the end of year 13. Curriculum Year 1: Students will study a broad range of Physics in Year 12 as a foundation for the Year 13 course. This will include Measurements and errors, Particles and radiation, Waves, Mechanics and materials and Electricity. Students will also compete all specified Required Practicals. Curriculum Year 2: Students will be expected to have good knowledge of the Year 12 work and in addition to this will study: Further mechanics and thermal physics, Fields and their consequences and Nuclear Physics. In addition to this an Option Topic will be chosen from the following: Astophysics, Medical physics, Engineering physics, Turning points in physics or Electronics. This decision will be made by the science department at RFSS. A level Product Design Students have the opportunity to take an A-level in Product Design following the AQA specification. This creative and thought-provoking qualification gives students the practical skills, theoretical knowledge and confidence to succeed in a number of careers. Especially those in the creative industries. They will investigate historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic influences on design and technology, whilst enjoying opportunities to put their learning in to practice by producing prototypes of their choice. Students will gain a real understanding of what it means to be a designer, alongside the knowledge and skills sought by higher education and employers. A level Psychology We provide a broad A Level Psychology curriculum that not only promotes mastery, but encourages students to be curious, resilient learners who use these skills regularly, long after their A levels have ended. Learners will experience a curriculum that is broad, balanced, and relevant. Topics range from Attachments, Social influence, Memory and Psychopathology to, Approaches, Research methods, Schizophrenia and Aggression, to name but a few. Through this, they will develop their knowledge of Psychological issues, research studies, theories, and models in a range of topic areas. They develop the higher order skill of evaluation by examining strengths, limitations, and other discussion points such as compare and contrast through the duration of their studies. Parallel with this, is the development of research methods skills so that students are able to understand the issues and challenges of studying human behaviour using the scientific method. They learn how to read, process, interpret and record data so that they are able to draw sound evidence-based conclusions. This permits them to understand the complexity of psychological issues and move away from simplistic answers towards more developed discussions that allows for them to formulate academic, evidence based arguments and an understanding of some of the deeper philosophical arguments that run through the heart of psychology including reductionism, determinism, free-will and holism. Students will develop their ability to apply Psychological concepts in activities that promote real world application and therefore support in their ability to apply knowledge and understanding to a wide range of behaviours and contexts. A Level Exam Board and Spec AQA A Level Psychology 7182 A level Sociology A Level Sociology allows for a greater understanding of the society in which we live, with a particular focus on Post Modernity and whether the traditional perspectives can still be applied to the world we now live in. It considers what key Sociologists say about external factors within society and how these influence and shape individuals actions. Core components: Compulsory content: Education with Theory and Methods. Optional content: Topics in Sociology: Families and households. Optional content: Topics in Sociology: Beliefs in society. Compulsory content: Crime and deviance with theory and methods

Physical Education At RFSS, GCSE PE gives students the opportunity to dig deeper into sport performance at its best. To learn the physiology and biomechanics behind the human body in sport, is to understand why it can perform skills required in different sports. We learn how our bodies systems work together to protect, nourish, move, recover and train for all sports. We learn about the psychology behind the perfect game or the perfect execution of a skill and how our mental state impacts what we do. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear. Buddha Physical Education [PE] Department - Overarching Curriculum Intent (September 2023) 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. PE Curriculum in Context: Our intention is to deliver an ambitious, inclusive and challenging curriculum that will stimulate students physically, socially and cognitively within PE lessons. It will inspire our students to be confident, independent and inquisitive learners. Our aim is to promote a healthy active lifestyle focusing on enjoyment, a love of sport, physical activity and the importance of well-being. With the increased use of modern technology, social media and the impact of Covid 19, research has shown that fundamental movement skills are lacking in our young people. Social skills are also a concern. PE at Rugby Free strives to fill in the gaps as well as improve these skills for all students. Communication, leadership and teamwork skills are developed, increasing students’ physical as well as mental health and well-being. We will provide the students of the Rugby area with a broad, inspirational curriculum that allows for opportunities to participate in competitive sport (team and individual) whilst ‘Physically Educating’ pupils, in an inclusive environment regardless of sporting ability. The department will continually push the importance of sporting values, such as, fairness and respect along with core British values. These will form the heart of the curriculum and will continually be revisited, along with opportunities to build character and resilience in pupils at every opportunity. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Instill and develop fundamental movement skills to give students the best chance of establishing and maintaining physically active lives both across a broad range of activities and in the long term. Give students full access to the National Curriculum for PE which is differentiated to meet students’ learning needs and styles. Implement the national curriculum for PE to ensure that all pupils: develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities. are physically active for sustained periods of time. engage in competitive sports and activities. lead healthy, active lives. Explore and develop the students’ physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills as well as promoting literacy and numeracy skills. Allow success to be experienced and exhibited for all students to encourage inclusion and independence. Provide students with the opportunity to express themselves physically, challenge themselves and others, experience different environments and activities, work together and release energy which will benefit the students’ mental health and lower anxiety levels. Allow students to achieve success in a variety of roles in PE such as leadership and officiating, not just practically. This will enhance their social and communication skills, self-belief as well as developing independent learners. Develop a healthy life-long love of sport and physical activity. 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: Providing fun and engaging PE lessons that are enjoyable, challenging, socially supportive and accessible to all. Exposing students to a variety of sports [both team and individual], physical activities and roles supported by passionate staff in lessons and after school during extra-curricular provision. Educating students into the mental benefits as well as the physical benefits of PE. Ensuring lessons are fully inclusive, nurturing students, promoting positive values, encouraging participation, as well as promoting excellence. Encouraging academic and personal progress through regular monitoring and assessment. Incorporating literacy and numeracy into PE lessons for cross curricular links and exploring new initiatives to get students more active. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Students who demonstrate the values of teamwork, passion, respect, determination, self-belief and honesty. Enthusiastic students who are motivated to take part in a wide variety of sports and physical activities both in and out of school. Hard-working students who are committed to fully developing and exploring their ideas. Resilient learners who reflect on their work, and the work of others in order to make progress. Physically and mentally aware students who understand the importance of being physically active and how to regulate their own mental health through physical activity. Ethically conscious students with values and morals. Moral traits such as kindness, respect, fairness, honesty and an appreciation of others. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with a strong knowledge of a wide range of sports along with health and fitness ideas, on how to maintain a lifelong healthy and active lifestyle.  They will leave wanting to be physically active, maintaining a lifelong involvement in sports and physical activity through participation, leadership or officiating. They will also leave knowing the importance of being physically active to their mental as well as physical health and with the social and communication skills combined with the self-confidence and independence needed to be successful in the future. Students who take the academic route through sport have an ability to gain employment within sport and gain access to Colleges/Universities. This will give them the opportunity to further study sport related courses and to supplement their understanding of the human mind and body and how it reacts to physical activity. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for PE 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. A Level Specification

Sports Studies Sport studies is an excellent course for students who wish to develop their knowledge on a variety of sports-based topics. This is a developmental course which requires students to study, and be assessed, in a variety of ways. Over the duration of the course, students will cover 4 different topics: Contemporary Issues in Sport (theory), Developing Sports Skills (practical), Sports Leadership (practical and theory) and Sport in the Media (theory). All these units will allow students to be introduced to topics and issues that will allow them to grasp these key areas. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Do your best when no one is looking. If you do that, then you can be successful at anything you put your mind to. Bob Cousy Physical Education [PE] 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. PE Curriculum in Context: Our intention is to deliver an ambitious, inclusive and challenging curriculum that will stimulate students physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively within PE lessons. It will inspire our students to be confident, independent and inquisitive learners. Our aim is to promote a healthy active lifestyle focusing on enjoyment, a love of sport, physical activity and the importance of well-being. Giving students the ‘moral compass’ and values sport and physical activity promote, in order for them to thrive beyond the school gates and for the rest of their lives. With the increased use of modern technology, social media and the impact of Covid 19, research has shown that fundamental movement skills are lacking in our young people. Social skills are also a concern. PE at Rugby Free strives to fill in the gaps as well as improve these skills for all students. Communication, leadership and teamwork skills are developed, increasing students’ physical as well as mental health and well-being. We will provide the students of the Rugby area with a broad, inspirational curriculum that allows for opportunities to participate in competitive sport (team and individual) whilst ‘Physically Educating’ pupils, in an inclusive environment regardless of sporting ability. The department will continually push the importance of sporting values, such as, fairness and respect along with core British values. These will form the heart of the curriculum and will continually be revisited, along with opportunities to build character and resilience in pupils at every opportunity. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Instill and develop fundamental movement skills to give students the best chance of establishing and maintaining physically active lives both across a broad range of activities and in the long term. Give students full access to the National Curriculum for PE which is differentiated to meet students’ learning needs and styles. Implement the national curriculum for PE to ensure that all pupils: develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities. are physically active for sustained periods of time. engage in competitive sports and activities. lead healthy, active lives. Explore and develop the students’ physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills as well as promoting literacy and numeracy skills. Allow success to be experienced and exhibited for all students to encourage inclusion and independence. Provide students with the opportunity to express themselves physically, challenge themselves and others, experience different environments and activities, work together and release energy which will benefit the students’ mental health and lower anxiety levels. Allow students to achieve success in a variety of roles in PE such as leadership and officiating, not just practically. This will enhance their social and communication skills, self-belief as well as developing independent learners. Develop a healthy life-long love of sport and physical activity. 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: Providing fun and engaging PE lessons that are enjoyable, challenging, socially supportive and accessible to all. Exposing students to a variety of sports [both team and individual], physical activities and roles supported by passionate staff in lessons and after school during extra-curricular provision. Educating students into the mental benefits as well as the physical benefits of PE. Ensuring lessons are fully inclusive, nurturing students, promoting positive values, encouraging participation, as well as promoting excellence. Encouraging academic and personal progress through regular monitoring and assessment. Incorporating literacy and numeracy into PE lessons for cross curricular links and exploring new initiatives to get students more active. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Students who demonstrate the values of teamwork, passion, respect, determination, self-belief and honesty. Enthusiastic students who are motivated to take part in a wide variety of sports and physical activities both in and out of school. Hard-working students who are committed to fully developing and exploring their ideas. Resilient learners who reflect on their work, and the work of others in order to make progress. Physically and mentally aware students who understand the importance of being physically active and how to regulate their own mental health through physical activity. Ethically conscious students with values and morals. Moral traits such as kindness, respect, fairness, honesty and an appreciation of others. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with a strong knowledge of a wide range of sports along with health and fitness ideas, on how to maintain a lifelong healthy and active lifestyle.  They will leave wanting to be physically active, maintaining a lifelong involvement in sports and physical activity through participation, leadership or officiating. They will also leave knowing the importance of being physically active to their mental as well as physical health and with the social and communication skills combined with the self-confidence and independence needed to be successful in the future. Students who take the academic route through sport have an ability to gain employment within sport and gain access to Colleges/Universities. This will give them the opportunity to further study sport related courses and to supplement their understanding of the human mind and body and how it reacts to physical activity. Strengths: Fully inclusive curriculum. Relationships with students Pupil engagement Kit Questioning SLANT SET for learning [inconsistent to start, not always based on recall, this has improved, modelling/meetings, QA checks, learning walks]. Subject Knowledge Areas for Improvement: Curriculum. Assessment. Road maps. Tracking assessment? Checking for Understanding – hands up / fingers / mini whiteboards Thinking time – give 8 seconds Embed SLANT / SET in all lessons [core as well] Challenge – [HPA] Target sub groups [SEN / White boys / PP] Consistent marking and feedback Presentation in books/folders [pride in work!] 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.

Design & Technology The design and technology curriculum aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world. Students will have the opportunity to explore the five key curriculum concepts: materials and their working properties, specialist techniques and processes, communication of designs, prototype development and impact on society and the environment. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Design and Technology is a phenomenally important subject. Logical, creative and practical, it's the only opportunity students have to apply what they learn in maths and science. James Dyson Product Design Department – Overarching Curriculum Intent 2024-25 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. Design & Technology Curriculum in Context: In 2022 the IET discovered that there is an estimated shortfall of over 173,000 workers in STEM sectors, with an average of 10 unfilled roles per business in the UK, costing the economy a “shocking” £1.5bn each year. 49% of engineering businesses are experiencing difficulties recruiting workers with the skills they need. Design and technology is more than a practical subject. The knowledge gained from learning the subject allows pupils to understand how the world around them has been created. Through first-hand experiences they can see that things are designed and made to help people in their daily lives. To that end, through designing and making products, pupils are realising their ability to respond to needs and wants, whilst solving real-life problems. At RFSS the Design & Technology curriculum is collaboratively and coherently planned and sequenced across Years 7- 9/GCSE to ensure that pupils build on all aspects of prior learning and stretches and challenges all pupils regardless of starting point. As pupils progress through Key Stage 3, they are given the opportunity to develop skills in using a range of materials and equipment as well as understanding the process of designing and making products. Cultural capital is explored across the key stages by appreciation of the work of others locally, nationally and internationally, each subject identifies and relates to real contextual challenges focusing upon people, communities or businesses. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Excite and ignite our pupils’ interest in product design and prepare them to participate in the development of a rapidly changing world. To ensure that learners develop technical and practical competencies as well as the wider skills valued by employers. To have a curriculum which will allow students to become self-motivated and confident learners, who can work independently and as part of a team. 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: Incorporating elements of KS4 work even in year 7 as we instil in all our pupils high academic rigour and challenge from the outset. Enabling pupils to experience a range of product design projects and contexts, taught by subject specialist teachers that are enthusiastic about their subjects and share this passion with all our pupils. Use academic language consistently and appropriately in their subject specific teaching and learning where pupils are encouraged to use tier 2 & 3 language in lessons both verbally and in extended written work for example in evaluations. Planning projects, tasks and challenges to enable students to find areas that they can excel in, that they may never have had the opportunity to see or do. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Able to problem solve real contextualised briefs in a variety of materials and using a range of strategies. Able to analyse, critique and evaluate their own work and the work of others. Critical and creative thinkers problem solvers evaluators and decision makers. Willing to express their own creativity through their designs and are more socially confident to give their opinions. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with a range of practical modern life skills and create a work ethic to prepare students for the world of work. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Design Technology 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.

Religious Education Like Aristotle, here at Rugby Free Secondary School we believe that education should have an impact on your character. Religious studies not only offers the opportunity for high quality academic excellence, but also a chance to enhance your personal excellence. The themes and topics covered will change how you think about the world, society and religion itself. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Educating the mind without educating the heart is not education at all. Aristotle Parents and Carers can choose to withdraw their child / children from any/all RE lessons. Should you wish to do so, please contact Helen Ward at Helen.ward@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk RE 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. Religious Education Curriculum in Context: ‘When you understand religion, you see the world in full technicolor. All works of Art, literature, paintings, poems, films and books trace their origins to religious stories’ Nikki McGee – Curriculum Conversations The teaching of R.E is going through a metamorphosis, with a sharper focus on supporting our students in developing their own worldview and in turn understanding the world view of others. Throughout their curriculum journey, we aim to provide opportunities for our students to reflect on the lens through which they view the world around them, allowing our students to explore questions of spirituality, identity, ethics, discrimination and prejudice. We will enable pupils to develop religious literacy and an understanding of what it means to be a person of faith or no faith. We will encourage pupils to engage critically with ideas and experience of religion, belief and spirituality and in turn understand their own personal worldview. Our R.E curriculum endeavours to teach Religious Education not as a survey of world religions but as a “deep dive” into Religion and Worldviews of many kinds. It shifts the emphasis from simply explaining the beliefs and practices of the major world faiths to exploring through academic disciplines the complex picture of religion and non-religion in the 21st century. This necessarily involves every pupil in considering at regular intervals their own personal or worldview. This has been achieved by building the KS3- KS5 curriculum around our Coventry and Warwickshire agreed Syllabus but also by reflecting on the needs, experiences of our school community. With consideration to the following features, The character of our school community (as below) has been carefully considered alongside the national and international context in which we live. For example, 60% of students at RFSS are White British, compared to 65% in Secondary schools across the country. 28% of students speak a language other than English as their home language. 50 different languages are spoken within our school. After English, the most common home languages are Polish and Romanian There are 1096 students currently in the school. (May 2024) Religion & Number of students       Christian 279 Christian (Ecumenical) 1 Buddhist 3 COE 36 Greek Orthodox 1 Hindu 24 Jehovah's Witness 3 Muslim 42 Roman Catholic 95 No Religion 256 Other Faith (Replaces OT) 27 Refused 33 Salvation Army 1 Sikh 7 Not given 288 The religious composition of our school community has been reflected in some of key enquiry units. For example, in year 7 we examine, how is God understood by those with a Christian Worldview? This will enable us to explore diverse Christian worldviews and how nationality, history, culture and ethnicity has shaped this – represented within our own school community. Our curriculum has been built around enquiry questions which will allow students to examine key themes such as changes, belonging and believing, authority and power, personal responsibility and grand narratives. We have considered the journey that our students should have experienced at KS2 so as our pupils move into Key Stage Three (KS3), they will be provided with texts, case studies, interpretations which will allow them to critically make sense of the seven core concepts relevant to all worldviews, religious and non-religious. They begin to consider the concept of religion itself, what it is and how to think critically about religion. For example, our What is Belief Unit, encourages students to analyze how evidence of belief can be traced back to the dawns of time, in this way, pupils begin to understand that religion and history can often entwine and what happens in the past can still be significant in the present. We aim to provide a diverse and inclusive curriculum where all our students can explore key questions through a range of mediums such as sacred texts, art, music and the opportunity to engage with places of worship and faith communities. We will help all our students to engage by utilizing key strategies as below Discussing misconceptions with pupils e.g. teacher modelling their own difficulties in understanding or what you ‘might’ think before addressing misconceptions Explaining that there are no ‘right’ answers but instead belief and opinion are being discussed Drawing on the personal experience of pupils e.g. the personal worldviews of pupils or the communal worldviews of the families or faith communities they belong to The use of visual maps of identity and belief so that pupils can add to these and begin to understand themselves and their own personal worldview We aim to help students in appreciating and respecting what it means to belong to a faith community in 21st century, for example exploring how the Sikh community actively promotes charity and generosity to all, as reflected in their community efforts during the cost-of-living crisis and Covid Pandemic. From KS3-KS5, our curriculum will explore religions thematically to enable students to explore links and trace the key thinkers, events that have shaped the direction of religious belief, philosophy and ethical debate. Our curriculum aims to: Develop confident young people who have a secure knowledge and understanding of their individual worldview and that of others. Young people who will apprecicate how diversity might shape a worldview Enable the students to engage with religious, philosophical and ethical texts that allow them to appreciate and explore how people and texts may influence belief and lived expression in diverse way Foster the ability to support, evaluate and challenge their own and others’ views using evidence derived from a range of sources. Empower our students to respect, reflect, debate, discuss religious, philosophical and ethical issues and beliefs. We do this by: W By creating a multi-disciplinary Religious Education curriculum that allows our students to explore themes around Theology, Philosophy, History and Human and Social Sciences. Building opportunities for our students to engage with spiritual, academic texts and art to foster curiosity but also support in our understanding of how ideas and belief are both shaped and expressed. Building a sequenced curriculum which presents opportunities for our students to engage with the disciplinary knowledge and concepts that underpin our subject; changes, belonging and believing, authority and power, personal responsibility and grand narratives Following the guidance provided by the Coventry and Warwickshire SACRE and the context of our school community, we have selected key themes around some of the six major world religions but our exploration will be conducted thematically. Curriculum Outcome: Appreciate that we all have a worldview that provides a lense on how we see the world and our place in it. Respect others and gain a broader understanding of views and beliefs. Will enable our students to consider their own worldview and the factors that shape itTo appreciate and respect the influence of religions and beliefs on individuals, culture, behaviour and national / international life. Improve their knowledge of global affairsDevelop a stronger sense of wellbeing, ethical standards and personal happinessAvoid extremism and religious discriminationContribute to and build a more cohesive community Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Religious Education 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.

Meet our Headteacher Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Learn a little more about Iain Green I ain has been a qualified teacher for 13 years and has taught across the secondary age range from Year 7 - 13 in four different secondary schools across Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. Iain is a former Head of English and has experience in three schools of leading Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Development and Student Outcomes at Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher levels. Iain is an English teacher, and has taught both Language and Literature across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Iain’s background is in school improvement, and he has been part of two leadership teams that have moved schools from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ within eighteen-month periods. Iain is currently undertaking his NPQH and has led on training with external partners for senior and middle leaders, with a particular emphasis on upskilling leaders of the future. Iain was appointed as Acting Headteacher in March 2023 and helped to move the school forward from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’ in his previous role as Deputy Headteacher (Quality of Education), before becoming the permanent Headteacher of RFSS in June 2023. Iain enjoys the challenge of leading a growing inclusive and diverse school, and inspiring all members of the community to achieve their potential and beyond. He places high value on promoting people-centred leadership, in conjunction with research and best practice. Iain is proud to be a key part of RFSS, alongside students, staff and parents and carers. Outside of school-life, Iain has a young daughter of which he is extremely proud, and has a passion for sports (Liverpool FC), music (Oasis) and eating out (Italian).

Admissions At Rugby Free Secondary School, we recognise the importance of a smooth, positive transition from primary school to secondary school. We understand that this may be a stressful time for both students and parents. Therefore we work very closely with students, parents and our feeder primary schools to ensure that the process is as stress free as possible. Deciding where to send your child to secondary school is a huge decision and one which must be taken early on. Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We ensure that the transition process is as stress free as possible. Why don't you come and visit us? In order to help you make the decision on whether RFSS is the right school for your child, we invite you to join up for our Open Evening held at the beginning of each academic year. During the Open Evening you will have the chance to meet the leadership team, teaching staff, support staff and discuss all aspects of school life. You can visit our excellent facilities and see examples of students work as each department showcases what they have on offer. There will also be the opportunity to hear directly from the Headteacher during one of the talks held throughout the evening. Please keep an eye on our website and social media pages for dates, times and links to book in for the evening. If you would like to see the school but can't wait until one of our Open Evenings then you can watch our virtual tour, the video for which is shown below. Admissions Policy 2024 - 25 Click HERE for the In Year Admissions Application Form This form is only to be used for in year admission applications for Year 8 - Year 11 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Year 7 in year admission applications are managed by Warwickshire County Council until the end of the Autumn Term. At the start of the Spring Term, the above form can then be used. 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.

Student Login Welcome core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Gallery Section

English Education and society are rooted in English. History is documented, perspectives are captured, and empathy developed through literature. A high-quality education in English will teach students to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others. Through reading and listening, others are able to communicate their ideas and emotions with them. It is through reading that students are able to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually and socially, enabling them to acquire knowledge and build on their existing knowledge. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects This is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, so that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong. F. Scott Fitzgerald English 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. As a school with a diverse demographic beyond our school gates, it is essential that we not only prepare them for their examinations, but also for the challenges life may bring. English Curriculum in Context: With more than a third of our students experiencing higher than average levels of deprivation, we are acutely aware of the impact this has on both literacy levels and cultural capital. With this in mind, we carefully craft our curriculum to include texts that inspire and engage our pupils, stimulating debate and acting as spring-boards for their own writing and thinking skills. We have built a curriculum around the diverse nature of our cohort, so that students see themselves reflected, and see English as a way to understand the world around them. Due to the ongoing legacy of COVID-19, research has indicated ‘particularly negative impacts on reading for secondary school students’. With our ever-changing cohorts, we will only see the detrimental impact increase as primary school closures had ‘a greater impact on primary reading on average’ and ‘writing outcomes for primary-aged children were lower than expected compared to previous year groups’ (The Impact of COVID-19 on Learning: May 22). Therefore, we aim to ensure that we are not only building upon previous knowledge in our English Curriculum, but are consistently filling in the gaps too. We are also noticing the generational change where school-age pupils now have more control of the media they consume, which in turn limits their cultural capital. Short-term media forms are becoming increasingly popular, meaning that sustained exploration of ideas across longer texts is something we need to explicitly teach. This was evidenced in our 2023 GCSE results, where Literature lagged someway behind Language. This has resulted in a change to our intervention curriculum where deeper knowledge and exploration of literature texts is now further foregrounded. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Ensure our students view language skills, from a written, analytical and spoken perspective, as a springboard to create more opportunities in life and facilitate the ability to become a greater stakeholder in society. Empower our students to communicate effectively and independently (developing their core literacy skills) Fully support our students’ moral and cultural understanding of the modern world Inspire our students to explore and develop their own ideas creatively Empower our students to Know more about the texts we study and their contexts Remember more about the methods used by writers Apply this knowledge regularly in their own extended responses 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: Encouraging a love of language and developing and nuancing students’ vocabularies so that they can be both precise and concise in their written and spoken communication. Stimulating intellectual curiosity about texts and allowing for independent exploration of these ideas. Facilitating collaboration, where students work with each other to develop and challenge ideas on texts and in their own writing. Promoting challenge for all through both the texts we teach and the tools we provide students with to interrogate them. We see explicit teaching of vocabulary as a core element of this. Enabling creativity, by supporting students to develop their own authorial and journalistic voices. Sequencing learning so that the texts, ideas, and styles of writing they engage with are logically progressed, taking into account individual starting points. Revisiting previous learning of analytical approaches, vocabulary, methods and key literary ideas to support the transfer to long-term memory. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Empathetic citizens who understand the power of writing and language in society Resilient learners who reflect on their work, and the work of others in order to make progress Creative thinkers who challenge and develop interpretations, and reflect this nuanced understanding in their own writing. Articulate individuals who can verbalise their own thoughts, ideas and emotions Hard-working students who are committed to fully developing and exploring their ideas. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS competent in the skills of reading, writing and spoken language. They will also be empowered in their thinking, viewing the world through a critical lens and understanding that their voices have the power to change it. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for English 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.

Meet the Senior Leadership Team We have a dedicated and dynamic team of senior leaders at RFSS, all of whom have specific areas of responsibility, but work closely with students, staff and parents and carers. Please see their contact details below. Anchor 1 Back to Our School Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Iain Green HEA DTEACHER iain.green@rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Mandy Milsom ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER DSL, Behaviour & Attitudes, Personal Development, Vulnerable Student Lead mandy.milsom@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Elizabeth Towle ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER SEND & Inclusion Lead, SEND Quality of Education, Interventions, Alternative Provision, SRP Oversight Timetable Adjustment Plans Unit Award Scheme etowle@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Laura Edmonds ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Professional Development, KS4 Outcomes, HPA Lead, Revision Strategies laura.edmonds@rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Phil Edwards ASSOCIATE ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Sixth Form, Careers Personal Development, Website Marketing and PR, Compliance philip.edwards@rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Staff Contact List - usual emails at RFSS are: f orename.surname@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Please use the above format to contact specific members of staff John Harris DEPUTY HEADTEACHE R Quality of Education, Staff Wellbeing, Sub-Groups, Trips, john.harris@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Mitchell Chadwick ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Sixth Form, KS5 Outcomes, Appraisal mitchell.chadwick@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Simon Tibke ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Quality Assurance Lead (Maths Lead ), Home Learning, Data analysis simon.tibke @rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Seb Cooper ASSOCIATE ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Data Production, Reporting, Timetable Creation, Curriculum Design, MIS Management sebastian.cooper@rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Xian Wright ASSOCIATE ASSIS TANT HEADTEACHER Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Tutor Time Programme, Assembly Programme Tutor Time Quality Assurance, Transition xian.wright @rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Bethan Austen DEPUTY HEA DTEACHER Behaviour & Attitudes, Culture & Ethos, Pastoral Interventions, Head of Year Lead, Admissions bethan.austen@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Kerry Masterman ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Exams, Calendar, Communications & Cover, Heath & Safety, Marking & Feedback Kerry.masterman @rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Sami Bryant ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Curriculum Intent, Curriculum Implementation, Teaching & Learning, Literacy sami.bryant @rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Marc Skelton ASSOCIATE ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER Teaching & Learning, CPD, Research lead marc.skelton @rugb yfreesecondary.co.uk Mark Laity ASSOCIATE ASSIS TANT HEADTEACHER Pupil Premium Leadership Mark.laity@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Our aim is for all students to achieve their full potential.

Rugby Free Secondary School as part of Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow MAT is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses data in order to meet it's data protection obligations under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Regulations 2018 Please find below links to further information. 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. General information, details of our Data Protection Officer and related policies including our Data Protection Policy which includes our data breach and subject access request procedures LT2 Privacy Notices for Students, Parents/Carers, Staff, Applicants and Visitors/Volunteers Subject Access Requests and Freedom of Information

Careers It is our passionate belief that every child has the right to achieve their very best in whatever field of work they pursue. All that we do at RFSS is aimed towards the future of our students. We endeavour to prepare them for adulthood and the world of work, not only through our curriculum, but very specifically by delivering a thorough, complete and engaging careers programme, which begins in year 7 and continues through to sixth form and beyond. This is an exciting time for our students as we build our careers programme in conjunction with SET for life work. What an amazing opportunity to offer the very best we can to our students, as they prepare to move on to further education, apprenticeships or full time employed work. Book a Careers Appointment If you need further support, you can book an appointment with our careers advisor by emailing Mr Edwards on philip.edwards@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Students On this page we have selected some really useful websites to help you research your careers ideas and help you plan your next steps Parents Rugby Free Secondary School benefits from having a Careers Torch Careers advisor who delivers a one-to-one service and works alongside our pastoral teams to deliver a range of services for our students. Find out how you can help as a parent. Employers and Education Providers A number of events, integrated into the school's careers programme, will offer providers and employers the opportunity to come into school to speak with students/their parents/their carers. CEIAG Programme Information on how RFSS utilises Unifrog to embed our careers programme of study across Key stage 3, 4 and 5.

Geography Geography is essentially about understanding the world we live in. It helps to provoke and provide answers to questions about the natural and human aspects of the world. At Rugby Free Secondary school children are encouraged to develop a greater understanding and knowledge of the world, as well as their place in it. The geography curriculum enables students to develop knowledge and skills that are transferrable to other curriculum areas. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects The study of geography is about more than just memorising places on a map. It's about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across continents. Barack Obama Geography Statement of Intent 2024-25 Our mission is to ensure that all students value and enjoy their humanities subjects. They enjoy well planned, engaging lessons which ensure that all make strong and sustained progress. Students will be offered a curriculum which is academically rigorous but also helps them to develop into confident and well-rounded young people. Intent Geography is fundamental to a student’s education. It inspires a sense of awe and wonder and instils a respect and appreciation of diverse places, cultures, people and resources. Bringing together the complex interrelations of the human and physical world, the study of Geography is invaluable in addressing the challenges we face today. Geography is continuously evolving, and therefore we endeavour to offer a rigorous and responsive curriculum that supports the cultivation of curious and kind learners. Implementation We provide a carefully sequenced and knowledge rich Geography curriculum that allows for the progressive development of students understanding of geographical concepts and skills. From Year 7 through to eventual A Level, students will hone in on concepts such as cause and effect, management, sustainability and conflict whilst developing skills such as drawing and reading graphs, reading maps and photo analysis. Our curriculum comprises a balance of human and physical Geography. Students study a range of systematic units, as well as a regional unit in Year 7 and 8. Each student is provided with a visual curriculum map to ensure they are aware of their learning journey. We want our students to be curious about the world around them. To encourage this, each unit begins with an enquiry question. Throughout the unit, students become equipped with the knowledge and skills required to answer this question. This guides the lesson sequence and allows us to measure the impact of our curriculum. Without a strong starting point, it is impossible to measure progress effectively. Therefore, every student completes a baseline assessment at the beginning of Year 7. We have a large number of feeder schools so it is important to gain an understanding of what a student knows and can do, as well as any gaps in their learning. This information is then used to inform the scaffolding and level of challenge required in the first unit, Where in the World. This unit focuses on the concept of scale and provides students with a grounding in geographical skills as well as knowledge of place. Concepts and skills are continuously revisited, but in a more challenging capacity. For example, in Year 7 students are introduced to the concept of development early on in year 7 this concept is a thread throughout the KS3 course and revisited in topics such as natural hazards, and population in year 9. By revisiting concepts in different contexts, students can begin to make connections and develop their schema. Every subject is communicated through its own unique language. Our curriculum develops student’s disciplinary literacy by providing opportunities to read and actively engage with challenging geographical texts. Some examples include extracts from Prisoners of Geography and Factfulness, as well as a range of articles, policy documents and fiction texts. We encourage students to strengthen their oracy when discussing and presenting ideas, and provide explicit vocabulary instruction to support students in accessing and using geographical terminology. Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (2012) and Doug Lemov’s Teach like a Champion (2014) strategies are employed to develop our teaching practice in Geography. We ensure students retain knowledge by interleaving learning. This leads to improved knowledge retention and allows students to make connections between concepts and ideas. Retrieval practice is used in every lesson in the form of Do it Now Activities (DIN) to ensure students are constantly reviewing their learning and addressing misconceptions. Within the DINs, students are given a challenge question which is used to stretch students beyond pure knowledge. We provide guided practice through the ‘I, We, You’ method and show call students work to maximise accountability and build resilience. Students develop independence throughout key stage 3, 4 and 5. Initially at KS3 students are given independent activities through revision lessons and homework. This foundation is developed throughout KS into KS4 and 5, to become a normal part of the learning process. Impact Formative and summative assessments are carefully planned and implemented to monitor progress and address misconceptions. At KS3, every unit has a mid-term and end of unit assessment. Here, students are assessed on their ability to recall and apply key knowledge and skills. Prior learning is continuously assessed in the form of retrieval practice to ensure knowledge retention. Probing questions are also used to instantly check understanding and deepen thinking. Key assessments are marked in line with the FAR policy. Whole class feedback is used to address misconceptions and highlight areas for development and model answers are used to showcase good practice. By the time students leave RFSS, they will: Have secure knowledge of where places are and what they are like Have respect and appreciation of diverse places, cultures, people and resources Have an understanding of the complex interrelations of the human and physical world Be able to express well-balanced opinions and support, evaluate and challenge the opinions of others Be able to plan, conduct and evaluate fieldwork collaboratively using geographical skills and techniques Be passionate about Geography and continue to be curious about our ever changing world. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Geography 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.

Careers information for PARENTS Should you require further advice and guidance in addition to the information below, please contact Mr Edwards on philip.edwards@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Rugby Free Secondary School benefits from having a Career Torch Careers Advisor who delivers a one-to-one service and works alongside the pastoral teams to provide a range of services to our students. These services include: Assistance with college and university applications Securing employment and apprenticeships One to one interviews And help with CVs and application forms. The team also facilitates work experience, careers fairs (internal & external), A-Level and Vocational taster sessions, trips to colleges and universities. Every year Rugby Free Secondary School holds a careers fair attended by higher education institutions, workplaces, public service representatives and the armed services. We also provide career talks on apprenticeships, university & college options and careers on a weekly basis. Posters and flyers about careers events are also posted throughout the school and students are made aware of events via tutor time. Every summer our year 12 students are given the opportunity to take part in work experience. You can view our full careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) programme on here. ADVICE FOR PARENTS As a parent, you are incredibly influential when it comes to the decisions your child makes in all areas of their lives and that is especially true when it comes to their education and careers. This guide makes it as easy as possible for you to talk to your child about their options. Careers Advice for Parents - Careers Advice for UK parents, young people, school leavers, A Level students, teenagers. Independent, informative & accurate Mumsnet Education - Find all you need to know on getting them from preschool through to higher education. Parent Adviser - Parent Adviser provide useful, up to date advice for parents about the career options available to their children. Advice on UCAS for parents and guardians - Lots of resources and information dedicated to helping parents and guardians support students applying to uni. Paths to Professional Careers – a Parent’s Guide 2024 - Get advice aimed at parents on careers, university and school leaver programmes such as higher apprenticeships and sponsored degrees. CHILD EMPLOYMENT The youngest age a child can work part-time is 13 - except children involved in areas like: television, theatre, modelling. Children working in these areas will need a performance licence. Children can only start full-time work once they’ve reached the minimum school leaving age - they can then work up to a maximum of 40 hours a week. Once someone reaches 16, you may need to pay them through PAYE. Once someone reaches 18, adult employment rights and rules then apply. APPRENTICESHIP INFORMATION A Parent’s Guide to Apprenticeships Information for parents about the benefits of apprenticeships and the opportunities they provide.

CEIAG PROGRAMME Rugby Free Secondary School have invested in Unifrog to bring CEIAG information into one single, impartial, user-friendly platform that helps students to make the best choices, and submit the strongest applications. Unifrog also empowers our teachers and pastoral team to manage the progression process effectively. Review our Blended Learning Plans for CEIAG for Years 7-13 here: Review our CEIAG Action Plan here: SEE HOW WE MEASURE AND ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE CAREERS PROGRAMME RFSS works closely with the CW Growth Hub . This is an external organisation that supports us to develop and strengthen our careers education strategy across the whole school. At RFSS we use the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks and the Careers Development Institute Framework as a foundation when planning our Careers programme. The effectiveness of our provision is reviewed by the CW Growth Hub and the Careers and Enterprise Company using the Compass Plus Tool. This tool is used by schools and colleges in England to support the analysis and evaluation of careers activity against the eight benchmarks of best practice. This ensures the development of our careers strategy is ongoing. RFSS is a member of the CW Growth Hub . We will benchmark our schools against the Gatsby Benchmarks once a term. In line with the recommendations set out in Gatsby Benchmark 1, we as a school plan to review the published information on an annual basis, inviting feedback from key audiences in our stakeholder evaluation group. Why we evaluate – This careers programme is evaluated every year to assess its efficacy and areas for improvement. Key stakeholders (scholars, parents, teachers and employers) provide feedback on their participation in activities via questionnaires, surveys and focus groups throughout the year. We use the evidence collected to inform continuous improvement of the programme. How we evaluate – the school careers leader combines their own knowledge, evidence and information and provides school improvement recommendations to SLT towards the end of the summer term for the following academic year. What we evaluate Stakeholder Feedback – We review samples of feedback collected using various methods after activities, events and experiences. Implementation – We review what was actually delivered against the programme of planned activity and how well it went. Impact -We measure key performance indicators linked directly to our vision and desired outcomes for our students

Teaching and Learning Quality-first Teaching and Learning is at the centre of our school’s ethos, and is the key priority for all staff. Our aim is for teachers to deliver high-quality lessons to all year groups, whilst also being supported to develop through pertinent and purposeful internal and external CPD that is bespoke. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Parents & Carers At RFSS, we believe our students are entitled to consistently good lessons. Learning is integral to everything we do at RFSS. We ensure that all of our students, regardless of gender, ethnicity or ability, receive the best possible learning experiences, to enable them to achieve and maximise their potential. Our forward-thinking curriculum, designed to meet the needs of all learners, is delivered by subject specialists, who embrace the latest innovations in teaching and learning. At RFSS, we continually support students to develop a love of learning to help them become learners for life, in order to equip them with the knowledge and skills that they will need in the real world. This is also the case with our teaching staff, who continuously develop and update their own pedagogical practices, through Action Research projects and other bespoke professional development sessions. At RFSS, we expect our staff to adopt a set of Teaching and Learning principles that are both research-based and pedagogy-led, ensuring all students are seen as individuals who are not limited by their ability or expertise. This framework allows for the systematic growth of minds, and the development of the cognitive skills, values, attitudes and attributes needed to reach success. In addition to this, we believe that staff are the experts in their areas, and we aim to work collaboratively to share good practice and ideas. Our students are encouraged to use their thinking skills to build on existing knowledge, generate their own ideas and opinion, and to solve problems effectively, both individually and in collaboration with their peers. This philosophy also extends itself to the personal aspect of Teaching and Learning, as we strive to develop well rounded individuals who are respectful, curious and resilient. To support Parents and Carers we have created some help sheets around home learning and revision techniques that you can use with your child whilst they are away from the classroom. Cognitive Load Theory Flipped Learning Interleaving Chunking Using Flashcards 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.

Sixth Form Application Process Sixth Form Application Process Back to Sixth Form Home Page Sixth Form Application Process Applications for Sixth Form for September 2025 are now open. To be guaranteed an Interview your application must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Monday 16th December 2024. Anchor 1 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We strive to develop well rounded individuals who are respectful, curious and resilient. For enquiries please email: Sixthformenquiries@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Applications can be made by visiting: https://rugbyfreesecondary.applicaa.com/5 Rugby Free Secondary School Sixth Form applications for 2025 are now open! View / download our Sixth Form Entry Requirements Watch our Sixth Form promotional video for September 2025 Hear from staff and students at Rugby Free Secondary Sixth Form Anchor 2 RFSS SIXTH FORM APPLICATION PROCESS