Assistant Headteacher

Our aim as a school is to raise pupils' expectations and standards of achievement and develop in our pupils the qualities of resilience, kindness and empathy. We encourage pupils to have high aspirations and encourage them to reach the very highest levels of personal achievement. We provide extensive extra-curricular opportunities and provide a high-quality learning environment which encourages them to succeed. We wish to provide achievement and opportunity for all the pupils in our care. We provide an excellent academic education within a caring and supportive environment.

The school was inspected by Ofsted in June 2024 and was graded “outstanding” in every category.

The inspectors described the school as a” highly happy and purposeful place to be”.  They also said that “Pupils produce exceptional work and attain extremely well because they benefit from highly skilled and expert teaching. They develop a complex and deep understanding of the subjects they learn.” They referred to how “Pupils treat each other with the highest levels of respect and tolerance.”

Our aim as a school is to maintain these high standards and to continue to improve further the quality of our provision.

FACILITIES

We moved into our new, state of the art £30 million school in April 2021 with additional sixth form, business and T-level accommodation opened in September 2022.

THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Broxbourne is situated in Hertfordshire close to the A10 about 5 miles north of the M25. The school occupies a large attractive site in the Green Belt. The school is a short walk from Broxbourne Station from where there are trains to London Liverpool Street, Cambridge and Hertford. The school receives pupils from Broxbourne, Wormley, Hoddesdon and Cheshunt and the surrounding villages.

PUPILS

The school's planned admission number has increased to 240 from September 2022. The school is held in very high regard in the community and is always considerably oversubscribed. Although the majority of our students come from four partner schools, we admit students from over twenty local primary schools. 997 parents stated a preference for a Year 7 place in September 2024.  There are currently 1418 pupils on roll which includes a Sixth Form of 270.

Pupils are friendly and well-behaved and are proud of the school. In our recent inspection, Ofsted found that, “pupils treat each other with the highest levels of respect and tolerance” and that “pupils take responsibility for doing the right things, including behaving well, even when no one is watching”.

Many visitors compliment us on the quality of relationships in the school. The atmosphere in the school is such that teachers can teach and pupils can learn.

THE CURRICULUM

Ofsted described how “the school has developed an extremely ambitious curriculum. This curriculum allows pupils to study and achieve well in both academic and vocational courses.” In their words “Pupils produce exceptional work and attain extremely well because they benefit from highly skilled and expert teaching. They develop a complex and deep understanding of the subjects they learn.” We are proud of our curriculum which has been carefully designed by our expert staff.

Currently, Key Stage 3 pupils are arranged in mixed ability form groups (9 groups in Year 7 and Year 8 and 8 groups in Year 9). Each year group is then blocked for different subjects and classes are taught in a mixture of sets and mixed ability classes. At Key Stage 4, which begins in the summer term of Year 9, the school offers pupils considerable choice. The compulsory core consists of English, Maths, Science, RSE, PSHE and PE. Pupils then choose option subjects from a wide range which includes vocational courses.

In Years 12 and 13 the school offers 25 A-levels. Ofsted observed “In the sixth form, students follow ambitious courses. This enables very high proportions to progress to the destination of their choice”. About 74% of sixth form students enter Higher Education each year, with most securing their first-choice university. An increasing number successfully embark on high level graduate apprenticeships with institutions such as KPMG, the BBC and the Bank of England.

GOVERNANCE

The school converted to Academy status in January 2011 and operates its own admissions policy. In line with the school’s specialist status as a Language College, up to 10% of pupils (24) are admitted on the basis of their aptitude for languages). After statemented pupils, Children Looked After, siblings and children of staff, others are admitted on distances measured using ‘straight line distance’.

We were also extremely pleased that Ofsted recognised the quality of our governors referring to how “Trustees have a precise understanding of the school”.

The school is in a very strong financial position and as a result finance is available for curricular and other developments.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Senior Leadership Team consists of the Headteacher, three Deputy Headteachers and five Assistant Headteachers. There are opportunities for areas of responsibility to change to provide opportunities for professional development. Ofsted noted the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

STAFFING

There are 95 teaching staff and 62 support staff as well as a team of exam invigilators and peripatetic music tutors. Teachers are well qualified and teach their subject specialism. Staff enjoy working at the school and there is an attractive balance of age and experience. We recruit excellent staff and retention is high.

Teachers demonstrate high expectations for learning and they plan varied activities that cater for the full range of pupils’ learning needs and interests, including for the most able. Teachers have many training opportunities to improve the quality of teaching including participation in the Teaching and Learning Group, the Educator Leadership Development Project (ELDP) or breakfast meetings at the fifteen minute Friday Fortnightly Forums; sharing best practice in the school’s blog or termly newsletter; visits from external speakers and our own in-house teaching and learning programme. We have also supported teachers to complete master’s degrees.

The school provides support for ECTs with a designated mentor, and for newly appointed staff. There are excellent staff development opportunities.

There is an exceptional sense of team work. We believe the school is so successful because accountability operates within an atmosphere of openness and trust throughout so that all feel they can contribute and support each other.

PASTORAL SUPPORT

Most teachers are form tutors. There are five Heads of Year in Years 7 to 11. The Sixth Form is led by the Assistant Head (Director of Sixth Form) supported by two Heads of Year. The school places great emphasis on good behaviour, excellent attendance, the encouragement of self- discipline and upon uniform and appearance. Ofsted made reference to how “Staff care about forming highly positive relationships with pupils. Pupils know there is always someone they can turn to either for academic or personal reasons.”

.  EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

The school offers pupils a wide range of clubs and activities both at lunchtime and after school. Ofsted described how “Pupils benefit from a wealth of wider opportunities that promote personal development. These include choirs, exchange visits, regular sporting fixtures and competitions and school productions.”

There are strong programmes in sport, drama and music. The quality of performance om these areas is very high. The sporting programme is exceptionally strong with school teams achieving success at both county and national level. Our girls, for example, have been successful at the National Netball Championships at Under 14, 16 and 19 level. Pupils engage in community service. The school has high numbers of pupils participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Gold Award. The House system involves pupils in a large number of sporting and cultural competitions. Staff organise many visits during term-time to places of interest in this country and abroad including annual French and Italian study visits, Sixth Form trip to New York, German exchanges and ski and water sports holidays. Sporting teams tour Canada and the West Indies.

We are an Equal Opportunities employer. The Broxbourne School is committed to ensuring inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity. We welcome applications from all suitable candidates and encourage those from underrepresented groups, and/or with protected characteristics, to apply. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects anyone applying to work in our school to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to pre-employment checks, including a satisfactory enhanced criminal records with Barred List check through the Disclosure and Barring service.