Information on Loughborough

Science success to boost learning at Belvoir High School

Posted on 21/09/09

Leicestershire Councty Council

21 September 2009

Science success to boost learning at Belvoir High School

Belvoir High School’s new science specialism will boost learning across the whole curriculum.

That’s the verdict of headteacher, Jon Sherwin, following the announcement that the school has secured specialist science status.

“These are tremendously exciting times for the school – we have our new Winterbeck building, the rest of the school has been refurbished and now we have been awarded specialist science status which will boost our whole curriculum,” he commented.

The approval from the Government marks the culmination of three years of hard work by staff, pupils, governors and parents.

To submit its bid, the Bottesford school needed to raise more than £40,000.  The whole community worked together to raise funds through events including a sponsored walk by the whole school, discos, a sportsmen’s dinner and a casino night.

Belvoir High School will still provide all of the core subjects and have a broad range of options, but now students will also be able to benefit from being at a school which offers a distinct area of expertise.

Teachers at the school are now planning how the specialist science status could develop children’s education not just at Belvoir High but also at its feeder primary schools.

The school will aim to provide the highest standards possible in its new specialism, as it does with all subjects.  Belvoir High’s brand new £6.5 million Winterbeck building includes five new, purpose-built science labs to help achieve this.

Paul Ainsworth, deputy headteacher at Belvoir High School, explained how the science specialism would raise standards even further: “Achieving specialist science status will help us to build research, team work and technology skills which are vital in the learning of all pupils across the whole curriculum.”

Now that it has been awarded the status, the school will be working hard to raise attainment in its new specialism and across the curriculum and provide opportunities for its pupils.

The new Year 7 pupils will be taking part in a team building two day event later this month so that they can get to know one another and the school better. There are hopes to run a study skills conference for key stage 4 pupils, bringing science to life through theatre groups and provide inspirational science and technology days.

Many other subject areas are including science themes in their studies, for example in English pupils are studying Frankenstein and in art pupils will be developing ‘sound postcards’ - this shows how the whole school will embrace these new opportunities.

After raising more than £40,000, the school has received a £100,000 Government grant for a capital project as part of its specialist science award.

This could be spent on an exciting, new Eco Centre at the school.  This would include a learning space to be used as a base for the new science diploma which will launch nationally in 2011 and a GCSE in rural and agricultural science which the school is looking to introduce.

The building could have solar panels to save energy and be used for other subjects and by community groups and local businesses.

Alternatively, existing buildings could be converted to provide a vocational centre at the school.  This would help give pupils the opportunity to develop skills in engineering, agriculture and hair and beauty.

Belvoir High School is one the partner schools in the £45 million reorganisation of schools in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir.  This aims to raise standards of education and achievement building on current school excellence.

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