Summer Newsletter 2013 (pdf) - Bishop Fox's School

Newsletter SUMMER_Layout 1 10/07/2013 11:38 Page 8
Poetry Day
Year 7 students at Bishop Fox’s School recently had a very
entertaining day with Poet, Paul Cookson, poet in residence to the
National Football Museum.
Following an initial presentation, during which students were
entertained with readings of Paul’s highly comical poems and
anecdotes, groups visited master classes where they were given
the opportunity to ask Paul questions about his career and writing
poetry. They also wrote comical group poems with Paul, learning
about structure and rhythm.
All of the students had enjoyed the day enormously - with many
comments that poetry was more fun than they could ever have
imagined!
Fab Art Club
Visit to Sheppy’s Cider Farm
The Art Club went on a visit to Sheppy’s Cider Farm in May to
get inspired for this year’s Community Arts Project. The theme
is ‘Orchard’ which we worked on and provided an exhibition.
During the visit the students saw chickens, ducks and other farm
animals. We looked around the museum and saw some vintage
farm and cider production machinery. We also posed for
photographs for the Gazette to promote the “Flag for Somerset
Competition”. Students had a great time; the sun was shining
and the orchards were beautiful with the trees all covered in pink
blossom. We tasted some lovely apple juice and enjoyed ice
creams.
Special thanks to: Mr Summerill & Mrs Sloman
Mrs Thomas
OFTSED REPORT
“A GOOD SCHOOL WITH MANY OUTSTANDING FEATURES”
Once again Bishop Fox’s School has been rated “Good” with
many outstanding features by Ofsted.
The Inspection Team visited the school on the 18 and 19 April
2013.
The school secured a judgement of “Good” in all four categories
including “achievement”, teaching and learning, leadership and
management and behaviour and safety.
Photo: Libby, Yaz, Anita, Elisabeth and Charlotte
Headteacher, Paul Scutt commented that:
“we are delighted with the outcome of the inspection particularly
given the framework which is so much more demanding than
previous ones.
A great many schools have suffered under this new framework.
We had the opportunity to attend the regular review meetings of
the team during the inspection and it was heart-warming to know
that we were within a whisker of the outstanding judgement in two
of the four categories.
Highlights in the report include the comments that:
“students make good progress throughout the school because
teaching is good”
“students behave well and feel very safe”
“leaders at all levels, including the Governing Body, are ambitious
and have high expectations of students”.
High Standards & High Expectations
76% of all lessons were judged to be good or outstanding and
none inadequate.
This is the third recent inspection where the school has been highly
regarded despite the change in the framework and the raising of
the bar.
My staff and students are the jewels in our crown and I am
delighted for them that the school continues to be highly respected
by the system”