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Food Preparation & Nutrition Food preparation and Nutrition is an exciting and creative course, which focuses on nurturing students' practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition. The curriculum covers five key concepts: food nutrition and health, food science, food safety, food choice and food provenance. Students will have the opportunity to explore food nutrition and health during key stage 3 and key stage 4, with a focus on the nutritional value of ingredients, how to make healthy choices and how to cook nutritional meals. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Every kid in every school no matter their background, deserves to learn the basics about food. Jamie Oliver Food and Nutrition 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. Curriculum in Context: The National Child Measurement Programme, England, found that the percentage of children living with obesity was highest in the North East at 26.6% and the West Midlands at 26.2% in 2021-22 (NHS, November 2022). Our aim is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn about healthy eating and practical cooking during their time at RFSS. Schemes of learning focus on savoury cooking and aim to develop practical culinary skills needed for independent living; in line with our school ethos ‘Set for Life’ (Creating a culture and ethos of healthy eating: DfE February 2023). We are passionate about supporting our subgroups; ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed. As a result of this, our curriculum offer at Key Stage 4 provides two pathways into the food industry, with students having the option to study GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition or Level 2 Hospitality and Catering. The subject naturally develops skills such as independence and problem solving, as well as providing students with key information about having a healthy and nutritious diet. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: • Provide students with the knowledge needed to make healthy, nutritional food choices • Provide students with the practical skills needed to cook healthy, nutritional meals • Support students’ religious, cultural, moral and/or ethical food choices with carefully selected recipes • Provide students with the knowledge needed to reduce food waste • Provide opportunities for students to reflect on and refine their work; practical and written 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 : • Sequencing learning so students can revisit key learning about nutrition throughout each Key Stage • Selecting recipes that are nutritional and can easily be adapted to suit a range of nutritional needs • Introducing students to a range of medium and high-level skills, to promote challenge for all • Empowering students to make creative adaptions to dishes; which in turn limits food waste • Encouraging students to critically analyse their work in relation to nutrition, technical skill and food provenance Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: ​ • Independent learners, who understand how to prepare and cook healthy, nutritious meals • Curious learners, who seek to problem solve • Reflective learners, with a desire to improve and refine their work • Learners who are socially aware and understand the cultural diversity around them ​ Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with the knowledge and skills necessary to live independently; able to make healthy food choices and cook nutritious and skillful meals. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Food & Nutrition 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.

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 All of these units will allow progressions to further education in the sports field in areas students may not have realised were possible, or even existed. This is a step up from core PE due to the theoretical content and nature of the course. Students will be coached, taught and guided along the way, to reach their potential in this course. With 3 coursework units and 1 exam unit, this is an excellent course for students who prefer opportunities to be assessed over a period of time rather than in 1 exam period. 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. Level 3 Diploma Level 3 Extended Certificate

Enrichment Enrichment is a huge part of school life. This is often some of the experiences we remember the most and can provide students with fantastic opportunities, these experiences push us out of our comfort zone and equip us with skills we can transfer into further learning and outside of the school environment. The staff at RFSS offer a wide variety of different opportunities ranging from Duke of Edinburgh Awards to STEM clubs, Equality club to learning sign language with a wide variety of clubs in-between. Staff also offer homework clubs and interventions to support our student’s academic progression as well as developing wider skills. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Curriculum At RFSS we believe that learning should extend beyond the classroom. Clubs are offered throughout the week both at lunch time and after school. Please speak to the staff involved for more information. The timetable is reviewed each term to ensure that we are offering a wide variety of clubs. We have a proud history of entering both local, regional and national competitions and we have had some great success in sporting events and Robotics, where we have represented the region at national fixtures. Our termly Music concerts and recitals have always been well supported by students and parents showcasing the diverse skills that our students (and staff) possess. ​ All of the clubs hit our six core values of Endeavour, Respect, Kindness, Collaboration, Resilience and Curiosity. We also value the place that Enrichment sits within our curriculum, with all subjects planning within their schemes of learning opportunities for Enriching their curriculum so that all students’ experiences make their time at RFSS a time to remember. 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.

Drama Increasingly the power of drama is being recognised as one of the most effective ways to develop skills and emotional intelligence in young people. Drama promotes communication skills, teamwork, dialogue, negotiation, socialisation and problem solving. The essence of Drama lies in its capacity to provide students with the opportunity to ‘pretend to be someone else’. It is through such acts of imagination that students are able to explore the way they might behave and react in different circumstances and within different social and cultural parameters. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects I regard the theatre as the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde Drama 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. Drama Curriculum in Context: Within KS3 we intend to equip students with the skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic techniques that they will need to interpret themes and issues that surround them within society. In the classroom we model and have high expectations across the board in standards of learning and behaviour. This has been developed through an ethos of respect and creative freedom in the classroom. We intend to stretch and challenge all our students through the development of independent learners and allowing students the freedom of interpretation and the culture that it is OK to get something wrong! Drama is assessable to all groups of students i.e. PP, SEN, EAL, through students working in mixed ability groups and students supporting one another in their learning. Within KS4 and KS5 we intend students to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding of dramatic skills and techniques whilst being able to demonstrate critical judgement in their application. Students will be able to do this with support from teaching staff. Across the school, we aim to give all students the opportunity to experience the Arts in a wider context, for example; to perform in whole school musical productions, enrichment, visits from professional theatre companies and theatre trips. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Develop confident young people who can communicate effectively with one another. Inspire our students to explore and develop their own ideas creatively. Give students the skills needed to be able to sympathise and empathise with situations around them. Explore and develop their own social, spiritual, moral and cultural understanding. 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: Delivering engaging topics that are relative to the world around them, in a safe and trusted environment. Giving students the opportunity to articulate and express their ideas, views and opinions about a wide range of topics and issues clearly, confidently and respectfully. Enabling creativity by supporting students to develop their own ideas and that of others. Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: Empathetic citizens who can understand and engage with others outside their own social, cultural and historical setting. Creative and imaginative thinkers who are not afraid to get things wrong. Team players who can communicate effectively in group situations and understand the importance of listening to others to move forward. Articulate individuals who can verbalise their own thoughts, ideas and emotions. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS with improved confidence, who have developed the skills required to work as part of a team by communicating effectively with those around them. Students will have taken part in cultural experiences both inside and outside of the classroom that will enhance their understanding of drama, themselves and others. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Drama 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. 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 R.E 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. ​ 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. This will be achieved by building the KS3 curriculum around our Coventry and Warwickshire agreed Syllabus but also by reflecting on the needs, experiences of our school community. Our enquiry questions will allow students to examine key themes such as changes, belonging and believing, authority and power, personal responsibility and grand narratives. We aim to help students in appreciating and respecting what it means to belong to a faith community in 21st century, by examining topics like Sikhism in the Community, 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. At KS3, 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. Curriculum Aims: ​ Our curriculum aims to: Develop confident young people who have a secure knowledge and understanding of their individual worldview and that of others. 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 ways 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: ​ By creating a multi-disciplinary Religious Education curriculum that allows our students to explore themes around Theology, Philosophy 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: ​Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student. The study of Religious Education is important because it will allow our pupils to: ​​ ​ 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 it To appreciate and respect the influence of religions and beliefs on individuals, culture, behaviour and national / international life. Improve their knowledge of global affairs Develop a stronger sense of wellbeing, ethical standards and personal happiness Avoid extremism and religious discrimination Contribute 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.

MFL - Spanish Learning a second language will equip students with new skills, such as resilience and curiosity and transferable skills to other subjects and live experiences. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects 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 different language is a different vision of life. Federico Fellini MFL will support students to learn a second or third language, but also open their minds to other cultures and ways of living. ​ MFL 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. MFL Curriculum in Context: DfE does not have clear guidance for Modern Foreign Languages in KS2. Schools are not required by law to teach the content. That makes the curriculum in Y7 more challenging as students come from different backgrounds and levels, making French one of the most popular languages in Primary schools but not being taught properly as is a very common practice not to have specialist teachers of MFL in schools. ​ The curriculum is created based on the literacy levels of students the first term of Y7, making sure that students have the foundations they will need for a second language acquisition. Once this foundation is developed KS3 curriculum is created to empower students. The topics have been selected by MFL teachers that have questioned the following: What is it essential to understand other cultures? What are the main areas of understanding that will help students to communicate and be independent? Which are the key words and grammar structures that will make a difference beyond the classroom? As Federico Fellini said "A different language is a different vision of life." With these answers in place the curriculum was develop making sure that students are supported, and the correct differentiation and scaffolding is in place. ​ Moving into KS4 the questions get bigger. Considering all the previous point we considered the exams requirements, but we also seek to inspire and engage our pupils through culture and History. Making sure that the learning is always contextualized. ​ Languages are linked to every subject in the DfE curriculum. Quoting Geoffrey Willans "You can never understand one language until you understand at least two." While students are developing MFL skills they are also developing their English and understanding better the world and people around them. Curriculum Aims: Our curriculum aims to: Empower our students to communicate effectively and independently in a second language context. Fully support our students’ moral and cultural understanding of the modern world through languages. Inspire our students to explore and improve their linguist skills through culture and History. Empower our students to Know more about others understanding their languages. Understand people around them through their culture backgrounds. Do more by applying this knowledge in their life experiences. Becoming more respectful in the school environment and in their future adulthood. ​ Our curriculum has been developed through the experiences of MFL teachers, that understand what the possible barriers and frustrations are while learning a second language. Also being realistic with the content making sure is contextualized and updated with the students lifes. We do this by: Stimulating intellectual curiosity about other cultures and languages, through storytelling, History events or personal experiences. Facilitating collaboration, where students can apply their speaking skills with peers and thinking routines. Promoting challenge for all through vocabulary, listening, speaking, and reading. Developing the four pillars of language acquisition. Promoting curiosity with cultural research of other countries cuisine, art, music, idioms… Sequencing learning creating the strong foundations on literacy and then developing vocabulary and grammar. Revisiting previous learning, languages always need the previous learning to develop longer sentences, stronger statements or better speech. 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 foreign languages in society. Resilient learners who reflect on their work and understand the steps of language acquisition. Creative thinkers who find ways to express their thoughts and opinions in a second language. Respectful citizens that can understand other’s points of view and way of living. Hard-working students who are committed to fully developing and exploring their ideas. More prepare future workers, ready for a multicultural world. Curriculum Outcome: As a result of our curriculum, students will leave RFSS competent in the skills of reading, listening, writing and spoken language. They will also be empowered by the ability of speaking and understanding a second language, improving their carriers and life. Finishing with one sentence from Nelson Mandela "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." Learning languages make people better in a personal and professional level. Please view or download our 'Sequence Overview' document for Spanish

High levels of attendance and punctuality are expected, so that students can take full advantage of all educational opportunities available to them. Attendance When letting us know about your child's absence, please always give a reason. All absences have to be coded and then become part of your child's attendance record. If we are given no reason, absences will be unauthorised. ​ On some very busy mornings, it can be very difficult to get through on the phones to leave a message about absence. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 We have two ways you contact us: 01788 222 0690 OPTION 1 sixth form absences ​ 01788 222 0690 OPTION 2 year 7 - 11 absences Attendance@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk (year 7 - 11) RFSS-sixthformattendance@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk (sixth form) Application for Leave of Absence March 2020 Senior Attendance Champion: Mr Howard Stokes ​ Email: Howard.stokes@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk ​ Other staff you can contact regarding a child's attendance Rugby Free Secondary School is proudly recognised as an Inclusive Attendance school. Our unwavering commitment to attendance centres around child-centric actions, evidence-informed practices, and a shared understanding of everyone's roles and collective responsibilities to promote exceptional attendance. ​ Inclusive Attendance Professional Development Model ​ Our attendance approach is fundamentally guided by the Inclusive Attendance professional development model. Comprising six tailored Learning Modules, this model empowers us to deepen our understanding by facilitating continuous professional learning for all staff. Within this model, the four domains of practice ensure the provision of professional learning, professional development, evidence-based practices, and exemplary leadership and management to seamlessly integrate theory into practice. ​ Annual Inclusive Attendance 7-Month Development Programme Year after year, we review and further enhance our attendance practices through dedicated participation in the Inclusive Attendance 7-month development programme. This investment allows us to remain at the forefront of educational change and extends unparalleled support to our children and their families, equipping them with access to the finest possible assistance. ​ Multi-Tiered System of Support To guarantee a comprehensive approach to attendance, we implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support. A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for school attendance involves three tiers of intervention, with roles for teachers, the school, children, parents, and external agencies – including the Local Authority. Data-driven decision-making and training requirements are pivotal to the implementation of the system. The system aligns with the Department for Education's (DFE) "Working Together to Improve School Attendance" guidelines. Tier 1 - Universal Approach: Establishing a baseline universal attendance approach that benefits all children. Tier 2 - Individualised Strategies and Early Help Support: Tailoring strategies to individual needs and providing early help support for persistent attendance challenges. Tier 3 - Higher Needs Strategies Support: Furnishing specialised support for children, young people, and families with complex attendance requirements, including access to external agency support when necessary. 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. Recognition-Based Approach Our attendance philosophy is rooted in a recognition-based approach that recognises both personal and collective achievements. This approach serves to thwart isolation, prevent victimisation, cultivate positive environments, nurture relationships, foster inclusivity, and ultimately cultivate intrinsic motivation among our children, families, and staff. At RFSS we ensure that all families who require additional support to ensure their child attends school are offered frequent reviews of their child’s progress and ensure that there is a personalised attendance plan in place to remove any barriers and help support reintegration in to school. All plans and support are based on a relationship approach and reflect the knowledge that every child is different. The Importance of School Attendance School attendance is not merely a requirement but a fundamental pillar of education. It plays a pivotal role in shaping academic success, personal growth, and future prospects, making it an indispensable aspect of any educational system. Academic Achievement: Regular attendance directly correlates with academic success. Children who attend school consistently are more likely to keep up with the curriculum, perform better in exams, and improve their life outcomes. Knowledge Acquisition: School is where children acquire knowledge and skills that are crucial for their personal and professional growth. Missing days means missing out on valuable learning opportunities. Social Development: School provides a vital social environment for children and adolescents to interact with peers, develop friendships, and learn essential social skills. Consistent attendance ensures children remain connected to their peer group. Building Routine: School attendance establishes a structured routine in children’s lives, teaching them time management and responsibility, which are valuable life skills. Teacher Interaction: Regular attendance allows for meaningful teacher-child interactions. Teachers can provide personalised support, address questions, and assess individual progress more effectively when children attend regularly. Preventing Knowledge Gaps: Frequent absences can lead to significant knowledge gaps, making it challenging for children to catch up with missed lessons, potentially resulting in long-term academic struggles. School Engagement: Children who attend school regularly are more likely to engage in extracurricular activities, sports, and other enriching experiences that contribute to their overall development. Legal and Parental Responsibility: Parents or guardians are legally responsible for ensuring their child's regular school attendance. Failing to do so can lead to legal consequences. Community Well-being: High levels of school attendance contribute to the overall well-being of communities.

Core PE The PE curriculum not only looks at the physical requirements of students but addresses health and wellbeing aspects that students may face. This combines with the development of lifelong skills that are so important in modern life. Within PE we will be looking to develop student’s competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school. Our new curriculum is designed to help students become healthy, happy and successful in whatever they want to do. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Back to Subjects Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Nelson Mandela At Rugby Free Secondary School we want students leaving core PE at the end of KS4 feeling confident to continue physical activity in their own free time, and make it a regular part of their lives. This could be recreationally or competitively, and we know our programme of study will help students to follow pathways that suit them best. Our high-quality PE curriculum will enable all students to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully. When they are performing, they think about what they are doing, analyse the situation and make decisions. They also reflect on their own and others’ performances and find ways to improve them. As a result, they develop the confidence to take part in different physical activities, and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles. Discovering what they like to do, what their aptitudes are at school, and how and where to get involved in physical activity, helps them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity. PE helps students to develop physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. They work as individuals, in groups and in teams, developing concepts of fairness and of personal and social responsibility. They take on different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, coaching and officiating. Through the range of experiences that PE offers, they learn how to be effective in competitive, creative and challenging situations. PE also helps tackle mental health and wellbeing, encouraging students to communicate with others, to get support from teams, and physically, they will release serotonin when participating in exercise which will make them feel happier. 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.

Year 11 Revision 2024 ​ The Senior Leadership & Key Stage 4 Team have provided the following documents to support your child’s learning & revision Subjects You Struggled With Flipped Learning Cognitive Load Theory Keeping Active During Revision Interleaving ​ ​​ Student Support: Year 11 ​ Year 11 is a year of opportunity at RFSS. Students are expected to take greater responsibility for their learning. They are encouraged to reflect on all aspects of their learning, seek and respond to feedback, and work closely with subject teachers to address gaps in knowledge and skills. A variety of target-setting days and next-step evenings provide students, parents and carers with support and advice on how to effectively prepare for their GCSE examinations. ​ The Personal Development Programme supports students with effective strategies to develop resilience, and the self-belief needed to achieve their potential. This includes the development of personalised plans for students next steps and opportunities to develop life-skills to support their journey to adulthood. All students have the opportunity to take part in our sixth-form taster days, which provide an insight into a variety of post-sixteen courses and enable students to make an informed choice about their next steps. ​ Year 11 is also a year of celebration of all that has been achieved at RFSS, culminating in the end of year prom, held in June. This event is a fantastic opportunity to share great memories and look to the future. ​ 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 GURJIT RUPAL HEAD OF YEAR 11 rachael.probert@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk CLAIRE GROOCOCK ASSISTANT HEAD OF YEAR 11 Claire.groocock@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Meet the Head of Y11 - Mr Rupal Gurjit is a dedicated educator with over 10 years of teaching experience and a strong commitment to student pastoral care. Having served as Head of Year in several schools, he believes in creating a supportive environment where students feel valued, safe, and empowered to succeed. Now as Head of Key Stage 4, Gurjit is excited to embrace new challenges and use his role to guide students through a pivotal stage of their education. Passionate about research-based approaches, Gurjit is focused on improving student outcomes and life chances, ensuring they gain both academic knowledge and essential life skills. As a PE teacher, his energy and enthusiasm inspire students to lead active, healthy lifestyles, whilst still sharing his expertise and ever developing practise through his involvement and participation in competitive Rugby Union, Basketball, Football, and Cricket. Gurjit’s continued passion and participation in sport reflects the values of teamwork and perseverance that he promotes in his students. Gurjit holds a BSc in Sports Studies from the University of Bedfordshire and completed his SCITT at the University of Birmingham. Gurjit also holds a range of other qualifications and experience that help in his goal to ensure every student achieves their best, academically and personally, with the support and opportunities needed for success.

Curriculum Anchor 1 Curriculum at RFSS Subjects at RFSS SET for Life Enrichment

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. Specialist Resource Provision “Resourced provision allows children to attend mainstream school, whilst accessing specialist provision. Placement in these settings is agreed by the Local Authority Provision Panel. This may be appropriate for a child with an EHC plan or who is undertaking the EHC assessment process. The Specialist Resource Provision at Rugby Free Secondary School is a resource base that offers a bespoke programme of support to students in years 7 to 11 whose primary area of need is Communication and Interaction. The provision is a calm, welcoming and safe space located at the heart of our beautiful school. Students enrolled in the provision are able to access a highly personalized and nurturing curriculum delivered by both our specialist and mainstream staff; including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and Set for Life skills. ​ ​ Our Specialist Resource Provision is fully integrated with the broader educational and SEND offer of our school and our goal is to nurture each student’s wellbeing, confidence, and most importantly, their independence. We aim to develop the crucial skills and attitudes each young person needs to be successful and to ensure that our students feel they belong within our school and the wider community. As such, students at our provision will be fully supported to access as much of the National and GCSE Curriculum as they are able, and where appropriate will be able to follow alternative pathways to gain functional skills and life skills qualifications including ASDAN qualifications. Students also have access to the rich and diverse range of extracurricular clubs and activities offered including sports, arts, and personal development that are on offer. ​ RFSS is an inclusive, aspirational school that currently supports a wide range of students with SEND​ ​ The DfE full scale national SEND review acknowledged that the SEND system was failing to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND or alternative provision. ​ ​ The green paper (2022) focused on delivering improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND, or who need alternative provision, building confidence and improving experiences, within a financially sustainable system. ​ ​ The SEND Local Area Inspection by Ofsted/CQC visit in 2021 highlighted that ‘too many children and young people [in Warwickshire] have been placed in specialist settings without proper consideration of whether their needs could be met in mainstream schools.’ In addition, training for mainstream staff working with children with SEND was also highlighted in the inspection as an area of weakness in meeting the needs of this cohort. ​ ​ ​ The SRP is intended to address the shortage of appropriate provision, whilst also enhancing the level of specialist SEND expertise within our school. ​ Who does the SRP serve? ​ Students whose primary additional educational need is Communication and Interaction, including; Those with Autism, developmental delays, significant speech and language delays and disorders, hearing impairment, ACEs ​ Students with related anxiety disorders, sensory needs, and motor coordination difficulties ​ Our provision is NOT suitable for students whose primary barrier to attending mainstream school is SEMH*** A maximum of 15 pupils for the 23-24 academic year, rising to 20 pupils in September 2024 ​ ​ Meet The Team ​ Elsa Ell iott Manager, Specialist in Speech and Language Difficulties and Specialist in SEND Assessment ​ Helen Townsend SEND Specialist Teacher and Specialist in Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing, experienced in SEMH ​ Donna Whitley HLTA Specialist in Communication and Interaction, Sign Language, and PDA ​ Natalie Flitter HLTA experienced with students with complex needs and SEMH ​ Sharon Large LSA experienced in SEMH and ASD, having worked in several specialist educational settings ​ Useful Website s​ ​ ​ What is autism? Why Autism is a Difference, not a Deficit ​ Autism Advice and Guidance ​

OFSTED & OUTCOMES Anchor 1 Click the icon for our latest Ofsted report Ofsted Report Pupil Premium Performance Information SEND Information Report and Policy Self Evaluation and School Improvement Plan Key Stage 4 & 5 Provisional Outcomes 2023

HIGH PRIOR ATTAINERS Rugby Free Secondary School is committed to providing a positive and engaging learning experience for all students. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Parents & Carers Inclusive education is essential because school is enhanced by inclusion, diminshed without it. Should you require further advice and guidance in addition to the information below, please contact Mrs Edmonds on laura.edmonds@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk "Great teachers understand that every student, especially those with higher abilities, deserve tailored strategies that challenge their potential. By nurturing their unique strengths and encouraging intellectual growth, teachers light the path to remarkable achievements and lifelong success." What is a High Prior Attainer? When students start Secondary school, their SATs Scaled Score dictates whether they are a Low Prior Attainer (LPA), Mid Prior Attainer (MPA), or a High Prior Attainer (HPA). HPA students enter Secondary school with a Key Stage 2 scaled score of 107 upwards. This means that these students should achieve at least Grade 7s at GCSE, if they achieve in line with their expected flight path. Evidence shows that HPA children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school, and this is linked to sometimes being seen as more ‘invisible’, whilst some students suffer from heightened levels of stress and anxiety due to internal and external pressures and expectations. HPA at RFSS: At Rugby Free Secondary School, we aim to ensure that our HPA students receive learning opportunities that allow them to fulfil their potential and excel in all aspects of the curriculum. Consequently, we understand that all students need to receive an appropriate level of stretch and challenge in their lessons, and of course this is particularly important for our HPA students. Strategies for providing this challenge in lessons include adaptive teaching, provision of challenge activities, Bloom’s for greater depth, and bespoke extra-curricular sessions. We currently have xxxxx students classified as Higher Prior Attainers across the whole school, which accounts for xxxx% of the overall Year 7 – Year 11 cohort. However, we also recognise that some students flourish later than Key Stage 2 data suggests, and therefore our internal register is fluid. The percentage of students who are High Prior Attainers at RFSS lower than the picture across Warwickshire. Some of this is due to being within an area that operates with Grammar Schools and 11 Plus examinations. RFSS Year Group data can be found below: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Additionally, there are some students in Year 12 and Year 13 who are classified as Sixth Form HPA students: ​ ​ In recent times, we have experienced more HPA students joining RFSS, due to parental choice. This is because of our strong reputation for developing the whole child, and for the good work that we do here. However, this brings different pressures and expectations from parents and carers, who may have chosen Rugby Free Secondary School as their school of choice, ahead of the local Grammar and Public Schools. This change has made our demographic slightly more polarised than in previous academic years. The numbers for each of these sub-groups linked to HPA are below: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ = Ofsted’s Research: Ofsted’s research into HPA provision (2019) states that: Most able students should not be placed in groups where the teaching does not challenge them Most able students should be prepared for GCSE and A-Level exams from the outset of secondary school There must be high expectations of the most able students and their families Flexibility in curriculum implementation, allowing the most able students to be challenged and extended Expert teaching, supported by effective formative and summative assessment Effective training and cooperative practice, ensuring that teachers learnt from best practice Regular checks on the progress of the most able students so that any slippage was identified early and acted on, both in terms of hard and soft data An effective programme that encourages and supported the most able students to apply to our most prestigious universities This research, coupled with recent changes to our demographic means that HPA provision is a priority for RFSS, students at RFSS, and that strategies have to be interwoven through quality-first provision for all, not just bolt-ons. Wave 1 HPA strategies can be seen below: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Further Research: EEF https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/within-class-attainment-grouping Summary: What & How We Have Implemented at RFSS: 2. The Sutton Trust https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PotentialForSuccess.pdf Summary: What & How We Have Implemented at RFSS: Key Statistics (2023-24): Attendance (HPA v Non HPA): ​ Suspensions (HPA v Non HPA): ​ Permanent Exclusions (HPA v Non HPA):

Welcome to RFSS We are at the start of a very exciting journey and have worked extremely hard over the last year to create a culture of high expectations across the school, supported every step of the way by our Trust. An ambitious culture has been achieved through the development of strong and positive relationships with staff, students, parents and carers. Our reflective approach means we are always striving to improve in all that we do and believe that mistakes are only an opportunity to learn. Anchor 1 Back to Home Page Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Welcome to Rugby Free Secondary School - an inclusive and forward-thinking school that promotes everything that is good in the world. Our school was judged by Ofsted to be ‘Good’ in July 2021 - an achievement we are all proud of. ​ At Rugby Free Secondary School, we aim to foster kindness and pride, whilst maximising our academic and personal potential. We believe that all of our students should be happy and safe, whilst demonstrating the limitless endeavour and resilience required to succeed by striving for excellence. To achieve these goals, our school ethos is underpinned by the foundations of mutual respect, positive relationships and genuine curiosity. ​ This is encompassed in our educational philosophy of creating more articulate, organised and progressive learners, and the desire to create both independent and collaborative learners who are proud to be educated here. Achievement in all forms: artistic, academic, social, cultural, sporting and intellectual, are equally valued. Our wide-ranging curriculum gives scope for students to express preferences and enhance their abilities. ​ As a consequence of this, we focus on broadening our students’ core subject knowledge and understanding of the wider world. We not only prepare students to be ‘examination ready’, but place real value on ensuring that students are 'set for life’, and can access the world outside of our school buildings. To that end, 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. ​ 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. ​ I look forward to working in partnership with you and I am committed to the success of our school. ​ Mr Iain Green Our Core Values Kindness The quality of friendliness, generosity, consideration, honesty Collaboration The belief that working and learning with others will lead to greater success Curiosity A strong desire to know and learn Respect To appreciate the importance of understanding and admiration for others and self Resilience The ability to recover quickly and learn from the difficulties we face Endeavour The belief that hard work is needed to achieve something we can be proud of We strive to develop well rounded individuals who are respectful, curious and resilient. Ofsted Click the icon for our latest report

The Trust Anchor 1 Vision, Mission and Values COVID-19 Governance Structure Trust Policies Trustees GDPR Sustainable Improvement Board (SIB) Contact Us Parent/Carer Advisory Board (PCAB)

safeguarding team Karen%20Grant%20SLT%20and%20safeguarding Roberts,Samirah,1657906_COL_square safeguarding team 1/12 Safeguarding Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering, or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child. Anchor 1 Anchor 2 core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Parents & Carers Joedie Bradgate Deput y Designated Safeguarding Leader Bethan Austen Deput y Designated Safeguarding Leader Mandy Milsom Desi gnated Safeguarding Leader Karen Lewis Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leader RFSS is committed to safeguarding and promotes the welfare of children and young people. protecting children from abuse and maltreatment preventing harm to children’s health or development ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes ​Safeguarding at RFSS ​RFSS is committed to safeguarding and promotes the welfare of children and young people, expecting all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The safety and welfare of our staff and students is of paramount importance to all those involved in education. We have a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads who are responsible for leading on safeguarding. However, students can, and do, form positive relationships with school staff, and will at times view them as significant and trustworthy adults. We encourage students to talk to staff about anything that worries them, and staff will always act in the best interests of students. How children can be harmed If you have a safeguarding concern about a child or adult, please follow the instructions below for reporting your concern; During Schools Hours-Contact the Designated safeguarding lead, to share your concerns. RFSS Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy LT2 Code of Conduct Coping with self harm information Safeline Parent Workshops Safeguarding Newsletter What do I do if I have a safeguarding concern? Anchor 3 Click the above file to view Keeping children safe in education 2023 Safeguarding Autumn 2023 Contact Out of school hours; Contact Warwickshire multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) on 01926 414144 or contact 101 .

Term Dates Welcome core_values2 kind2 endeav3 core_values2 1/18 Calendar Anchor 1 Autumn term 2024 ​ Starts: Monday 2nd September 2024 (Teacher Training Day) Tuesday 3rd September 2024 (Teacher Training Day) Wednesday 4th September - Open to New Year 7 only Thursday 5th September - Open to all year Groups ​ Half term: Monday 28 October 2024 to Friday 1 November 2024 ​ Ends: Friday 20 December 2024 ​ Christmas holiday: Monday 23 December 2024 to Friday 3 January 2025 ​ Spring term 2025 ​ Starts: Monday 6 January 2025 (Teacher Training Day) ​ Half term: Monday 17 February 2025 to Friday 21 February 2025 ​ Ends: Friday 11 April 2025 ​ Spring (Easter) holiday: Monday 14 April 2025 to Friday 25 April 2025 ​ Summer term 2025 ​ Starts: Monday 28 April 2025 ​ Half term: Monday 26 May 2025 to Friday 30 May 2025 ​ Ends: Monday 21 July 2025 ​ Click here for Warwickshire County Council Term Dates Autumn term 2025 Starts: Monday 1 September 2025 (Teacher Training Day) Half term: Monday 27 October 2025 to Friday 31 October 2025 Ends: Friday 19 December 2025 Christmas holiday: Monday 22 December 2025 to Friday 2 January 2026 ​ ​ Spring term 2026 Starts: Monday 5 January 2026 Half term: Monday 16 February 2026 to Friday 20 February 2026 Ends: Friday 27 March 2026 Spring (Easter) holiday: Monday 30 March 2026 to Friday 10 April 2026 Summer term 2026 Starts: Monday 13 April 2026 Half term: Monday 25 May 2026 to Friday 29 May 2026 Ends: Monday 20 July 2026 (Teacher Training Day) ​ Click here for Warwickshire County Council Term Dates

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 ​ ​

Student Support: Year 10 ​ As the students enter Year 10, they will notice a real step up in the academic expectations on them as they begin their GCSEs in earnest. Strong routines and a desire to improve independently will be essential for the pupils and concepts we will focus on collectively. The foundations set at the start of this year will prepare them for the upcoming challenges their exams may offer. ​ Developing the pupils as more than just academic students is fundamental to life at RFSS. Students in Year 10 will be provided with opportunities to further develop self-confidence, excellent communication skills and the determination to reach their potential. We expect students to engage in a variety of enrichment activities, including the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills by applying to become a school prefect. We ask our Year 10 pupils to act as positive role models to the younger students and becoming a prefect is one way to do this. Wider enrichment also enables students to develop a broad variety of skills outside the classroom, and encourages a well-balanced school life. ​ As always, the year group will be supported by a dedicated team of Form Tutors who will deliver a Personal Development Programme, not only supporting the careers and academic side of education but also the wellbeing of the individual. We understand that there may be difficult times throughout the year and our Pastoral Staff will be there to guide all students through stormy seas until calmer waters are found. ​ Year 10 will be a challenging, exciting and ultimately rewarding year for all of our students and those who fully immerse themselves in the school’s principles and core values will achieve wonderful things. ​ Cognitive Load Theory Flipped Learning Interleaving Chunking Using Flashcards BETHANY WOODWARD HEAD OF YEAR 10 bwoodward@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk CLAIRE GROOCOCK ASSISTANT HEAD OF YEAR 10 Claire.groocock@rugbyfreesecondary.co.uk Meet the Head of Y10 - Ms Woodward Beth, the Head of Year 10 at Rugby Free, has only recently become a part of the RFSS community, joining in September 2024. She has high expectations of our students which sets them up to be prepared and form good habits ready for Year 11 & their GCSEs. Beth has previously worked in a similar role in a school in Coventry where she has supported pupils across all 5 main school year groups but also as Head of PE so has a good understanding of all aspects of school performance and progress. Beth is passionate about making a difference to our students lives by preparing them for adult life and her pastoral role enables her to support our students both academically and emotionally which allow them to work towards their future aspirations. Beth is a PE specialist, studying Sport & Exercise science at the University of Chester, so is highly involved in the wider school experience by running a number of sport enrichment clubs including Girls Rugby & Netball. Beth herself plays rugby for Kenilworth RFC who play in the National Championship 1 North League and also enjoys being outdoors hiking & paddleboarding. Beth says these activities help with her own mental health for which she is a huge advocate for physical activity contributing positively to the health & wellbeing of our students. ​

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 ​ ​