Vision and Values

Posted on 26/03/2011

Aims of the School …

We aim to provide an outstanding environment which fosters;

Academic achievement

Personal development

& Caring attitudes

In doing so we will be prepare our girls for the challenges of the 21st Century so they become the leaders of tomorrow. This aim can be achieved through the development of the skills and attributes clearly shown in our Vision Compass, below:

The Vision Compass sets out in diagrammatic form an affirmation of our school aims and the ways in which they can be put into practice. These values underpin the total ethos and style of the school and identify what the school considers to be of worth. All members of the school community are encouraged to use the Compass as a guide to enhance personal behaviour, academic achievement and the quality of community life.

Pastoral System:

Our pastoral system is based around the need to look after all parts of a student’s life. Our students are allocated to a House on entry to the school. These are named after former Head Teachers: Beal, Jackson, Robertson and Wilkinson. The House system enables students to work together for events such as Sports’ Day, the Swimming Gala and various interhouse events.

Sixth form students are elected by their House members to be Heads of House and these senior students also provide invaluable support for the younger members of the school.

Our support system includes a wide range of options. The leaders of the Pastoral care system are the Heads of Year:

Head of Year 7 Mrs Dolan

Head of Year 8 Miss Beard

Head of Year 9 Miss Stanlake

Head of Year 10 Mrs Payne

Head of Year 11 Mrs Colombini

Head of Year 12/13 Mr Gregory & Miss Neal

Additionally, Year 12 students are trained to be peer educators so that younger students can feel confident in approaching someone other than a teacher for support and advice.

The school has strong links with outside agencies such as Connexions and the Early Intervention Team for Torbay.

We have a school nurse or counsellors on site most days and they can be called in for emergency support at other times.

Induction of New Pupils:

When a girl joins the school in Year 7 every effort is made to help her settle in and adjust to the new environment. Every girl who gains and accepts a place at the school will be visited in her Primary school. She is then invited to an Induction Day in July so that she can become familiar with the buildings and meet the members of her new tutor group and her form teacher. Parents are invited to a meeting in the Summer Term before admission. For girls who join the school at a later stage, care is taken to ensure that they settle in as quickly as possible.

Expectations for Girls Behaviour:

We are a caring and considerate community where individuals are treated fairly and with respect and where the girls treat each other and their environment with care. The girls are expected to maintain a high standard of personal behaviour so that they can pursue their studies unhindered and community life can run smoothly. We have a few clear and simple rules which reflect the aims of the school and we seek to minimise the need for sanctions through encouragement and praise. Rewards are given for exceptional work, effort, service and achievement in all walks of school life.

Girls are able to catch up or repeat a piece of work during the lunch-times if necessary. More serious problems with work and behaviour may result in the girl being placed on report. Parents will be involved as appropriate in any discussions involving the behaviour of their daughter.

The School and the Community …

At Torquay Girls' Grammar School we understand that education is for life as well as for academic success. We value our contacts with local businesses and institutions as well as those with the wider international community. Visitors from the Health Service, the Police and the local Magistrates contribute significantly to our PSHME programme.

Through the Specialist School Programme all years experience an "Industry Day" in which they work on business projects led by local employers. As part of their Citizenship GCSE course, all girls in Key Stage 3 undertake some form of community work and Year 10 are placed in local businesses during the Business Enterprise Week. They carry out work experience and complete a work-based assignment based on the use of key skills. The scheme has been recognised as a model of good practice and the school has received an award from the Devon Education Business Partnership. The school holds the Investors in Business Education Partnership award for this work.

Again, through the Specialist School Programme, girls have the opportunity to work with members of the local community i.e. Havenscourt Retirement Home and Rowcroft Hospice and pupils in our partner schools – Stokeinteignhead Primary School, Upton St James Primary School, Oldway Primary School, Mayfield School and Torquay Community College.

Charity

The total raised in the Autumn term 2010 was £6917 this included Children in Need, Lepra, Charity week and the Y9 enterprise project.

Charity work occupies an important place in school activities and there is a long tradition of contributing to the needs of others. This helps to develop social awareness and fosters in the girls an understanding and concern for those less fortunate than themselves.

Students together nominate one or more charities they wish to support and organise events to raise funds. In addition we always support national initiatives such as Children in Need and Operation Christmas Child. The school also maintains its commitment to improving the lives of the students of Imprezza School in Kenya and receive regular updates on their welfare and progress.

The choirs are asked to perform for many outside bodies and undertake a considerable amount of work for charities such as Hospice Care, Devon Air Ambulance, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Christian Aid.