Deputy Headteacher

The Blue Coat School was founded in 1708. Whilst we are very conscious of our long and proud traditions, we are also conscious of preparing our students for life in the twenty-first century. When Bryan Blundell and the Rev. Robert Stythe founded the Blue Coat Hospital and School in the eighteenth century they could never have imagined that through information and communication techniques we would be capable of making known the name of the School to a worldwide audience.

The Blue Coat admits boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18. Examination success rates are among the best in the country at both GCSE and A Level. The majority of students go on to university and in the last five years 40 students have won places at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

However, we believe that examination results are only part of the Blue Coat traditions. We believe that this School should prepare students to be valued and worthy members of their community. That tradition is summed up as follows:

"Non sibi sed omnibus"

We believe that The Blue Coat School is a learning community committed to academic excellence and guided by principles of justice and compassion. We aim to foster intellectual, physical, moral, cultural and spiritual development. We expect everyone to demonstrate qualities of courtesy, honesty, diligence and enterprise. We believe education to be an undertaking of supreme importance, enabling all to become responsible citizens and active participants and leaders in the wider community. That tradition is summed up in the School's motto:

"Not for oneself, but for all"

We aim to prepare all students to be good, useful, productive citizens:
* by maintaining high expectations.
* by offering a variety of experiences.
* by encouraging students to be lifelong learners.
* by providing a supportive pastoral and careers system.
* by offering students an interactive experience with the world beyond education.

We aim to achieve the highest quality teaching and learning:
* by re-recognising the needs and talents of every individual.
* by encouraging every student to achieve his/her potential.
* by developing positive attitudes to learning, to work and to study.
* by maximising student achievement through the effective use of teaching and learning facilities.
* by continuing to improve the learning and social environment.
* by developing information and communication technologies as strategies for learning.

We aim to ensure effective involvement by all partners in the school's life:
* by maximising opportunities for involvement in home-school partnership to support student achievement.
* by developing opportunities for governor training.
* by ensuring the school meets the needs of its community.
* by providing opportunities for continuous professional development for all staff.

We aim to foster the values of responsible citizenship in a democratic society:
* by providing opportunities to exercise responsibility and leadership.
* by making students aware of and encouraging them to form views on a range of political, social, moral and spiritual issues.
* by encouraging students to understand and tolerate the views of others.
* by encouraging mutually supportive relationships amongst all members of the school community.