Nurturing Excellence for All

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Congratulations to Blue Coat for

300 years of commitment to provide

not just good education, not even

better than good education but

the best education – an education

that raises our children to their full

dignity (their glory) as children of

the living God with a confident

capacity to live life fully!

Bishop Christopher,

Bishop of Coventry, President of the

Diocesan Board of Education

and Blue Coat parent

A warm Welcome to Blue Coat CE School & Music College

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Welcome to our schoolBlue Coat Church of England School boasts its own distinctive atmosphere, an ethos where we encourage all to achieve their personal best within a supportive and nurturing Christian environment that we affectionately call our “Blue Coat family”. We inspire our pupils to become honest and reliable members of society, to be young people to make a worthwhile contribution to this rapidly changing world and we encourage them to find a personal faith, which will sustain them throughout future life.

This is a momentous year for Blue Coat Church of England School as we begin to celebrate our 300th anniversary as a school and our 50th anniversary on our current site. It is a year which we anticipate with pride as we seek to give everyone associated with the school the opportunity to honour our heritage and pay tribute to our 300 years of Blue Coat family Christian Education.

Perhaps you already have children at our school. Perhaps you have been attracted to Blue Coat School because you are sympathetic to our ethos or have heard about the high expectations that we have of our students. Perhaps you have been drawn by the excellent examination results that our students achieve, results that exceed both local and national averages. Whatever your starting point, we welcome you to our school, one which prides itself on providing ‘Christian Education with Care’.

We invite you to begin an exciting and rewarding journey with Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College, a journey where we will work together to create a lasting and fruitful partnership between home and school that helps your child reach their potential.

Our school revolves around a strong ethos of mutual cooperation and respect which creates an environment where students and staff work together in harmony and learn from each other. We love our work, we take pride in our students and we strive to fulfil the ideal of learning in a stimulating and fun way within our caring Christian environment.

We hope you find our prospectus useful. If you require further information please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meeting you in person when the opportunity presents itself.

“Ask and it shall be given you; Seek and ye shall find: Knock and it shall be opened…” Luke 11:9

Dr Julie RobertsHeadteacher

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Worship is vital to our shared life at Blue Coat, and greatly enhanced by the work of our team of chaplains.

Our collective worship takes place four times a year; as a whole school at the prestigious Coventry Cathedral, termly within Year Communions, and every day in the context of assemblies and tutor group prayer. Following weekly themes based on the Church’s calendar, we explore the nature and character of God, and what it means to be human. Bible readings, prayers, meditations, the arts, sport, literature, film and poetry are all used creatively to teach, inspire, challenge and affirm our beliefs in every year group, right up to and including the Sixth Form.

Within the traditions of the Church of England, we learn together the prayers and liturgy used by the church for centuries as well as encouraging students to find their own personal and creative ways to prayer. Students are expected to take part in Collective Worship and have opportunities to plan and lead worship for themselves through the School Worship Committee. Each year group has their own Worship Band that supports year group assemblies and communions.

Our dedicated Chaplaincy room is set aside for students and staff to find a quiet and reflective space in the midst of their busy school day. Here in the peace, there is space for personal prayer with and without words. Prayers and

“The life of this Christian School stems from the conviction that this is God’s world; saved by Jesus Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit”

symbols, ancient and modern, are utilized to help students make their own connections with God.

The school’s Christian ethos permeates through all aspects of school life, including all areas of the curriculum. All pupils also receive Religious Education throughout their school career, including in the Sixth Form, where all students attend a series of conferences on subjects such as poverty, conflict and medical ethics.

“The School exemplifies a community that bases its vision and actions on the Christian faith” National Society Statutory Inspection of

Anglican Schools

Nurturing Excellence through a Christian Education with Care

Past

oral

Nurturing Excellence through Student Welfare, Personal Development & Community Spirit

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Today, Blue Coat is still committed to nurturing excellence

within a supportive Christian environment. Here, within the

traditions of the Anglican Church, Blue Coat places a great emphasis

on its worshipping life and the importance of teaching, inspiring, challenging and affirming beliefs”

Canon Linda Wainscot, Director of

Education on behalf of Coventry

Diocesan Board of Education

Blue Coat upholds an ethos where everyone is encouraged to achieve their personal best within a supportive and

nurturing Christian environment. A Pastoral Learning Manager has oversight of each year group and is responsible for the care of each individual. Assisted by Form Tutors and non-teaching pastoral staff, each student receives the highest level of support and guidance, so that everyone is regarded as a valued member of the school.

All students are encouraged to become active citizens, through participation in the annual Citizenship Day and engaging in a wide range of charitable activities. Our students value the importance of selfless service and giving. There is a thriving School Council, ensuring students’ voices are heard and allowing everyone an input into the running of the school. All students are encouraged to support, guide and mentor others through an active Peer Support system. Personal, Social and Health Education lessons also play a vital role in the development of all students into caring individuals, with a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the world around them.

A strong spirit of community, founded upon the principles of Christ and his messages, flourishes at Blue Coat. The school is part of a broader community and is proud of the links it maintains with local primary schools. We provide education on site for local primary school students and our teachers visit many partner schools to teach and facilitate a smooth transition to secondary education. Our Neighbourhood Forum engages with local residents, with students taking an active part in events, such as visits to a local care home, work experience with local businesses and competing with other local secondary schools in sport. Blue Coat also opens its state of the art facilities to the local community for worship, sport and theatrical activities.

Parents are keen to get involved at Blue Coat, with the thriving PTA supporting the school in all aspects of its life. Events, such as Summer and Christmas fayres, theatrical productions, concerts and parent consultation evenings are all supported by the PTA, which extends a warm welcome to all new parents who wish to contribute to its activities.

“A harmonious school that cares very well for all its students” Ofsted

“Teachers have high expectations and this makes me work much harder” Year 7 Pupil

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Examination results achieved by Blue Coat students exceed both local and national averages, with outstanding

levels of attainment and progress. We are continuously developing and refining a bespoke curriculum which enables all our students to excel in their studies, achieve exceptional results and prepare for life in the modern world. This starts with effective liaison with feeder primary schools, ensuring the transition to secondary education is personalised. All students are placed in tutor groups with sensitivity and a thorough knowledge of existing friendship groups.

During Years 7 and 8, students are provided with a comprehensive grounding in the full range of national curriculum subjects. As well as the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science, all students engage in the Arts, Humanities, Technology, Physical Education and Information Technology. Students also study a single foreign language as well as the study of Religious Education and PSHE. Specialist facilities and the highest quality teaching enable all students to enjoy their learning, and develop the skills required for academic success.

Students embark upon their GCSE course in Year 9, where the broad range of subjects on offer ensures that the personalised curriculum continues, allowing all students to follow an appropriate and balanced pathway. The three year course comprises a compulsory core and a controlled element of choice, enabling all students to explore their chosen subjects in both depth and breadth.

In the Sixth Form, an extensive range of subjects is on offer and, by the time our students embark upon their Post-16 studies, they have been well equipped with the skills required to achieve further academic success. The impressive range of courses on offer, together with the extensive number of enrichment opportunities, leads all students directly on to both university and employment.

At every stage of a student’s journey, Blue Coat provides outstanding levels of support and guidance by specialist staff, ensuring they make choices that maximise their potential. Careers and pastoral guidance are exceptional, and the school ensures that all parents are fully involved in the important decision making process. Academic mentoring and programmes of intervention are essential to each student’s success at Blue Coat. Through regular testing, thorough scrutiny of data, and regular communication with parents, the progress of all students is carefully monitored to ensure all have the opportunity to succeed.

Inclusion is a cornerstone of the Blue Coat ethos. The provision for pupils with additional needs is built on the philosophy that all students are of equal worth and that all have an entitlement to the full range of experiences and opportunities on offer. Many students, at some point during their school life, will experience difficulties which require additional support. At Blue Coat, we have a dedicated team of highly trained staff, led by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, to ensure that the needs of all students are met.

Nurturing Excellence through the Curriculum

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Nurturing Excellence through the Curriculum

“Results are testament to

the commitment and hard

work of the students, teachers

and leadership team at The

Coventry Blue Coat Church

of England School and Music

College, and show what can

be achieved when skilled

teachers have high expectations

and ambition for every young

person”

Sue Williamson,

Chief Executive of the Specialist

Schools and Academies Trust.

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tivity

“Blue Coat ignited my passion for the arts. It was a brilliant experience to work with students and teachers passionate about creativity”Former Pupil

Nurturing Excellence through Creativity Crea

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Throughout its history, Blue Coat has enjoyed an excellent reputation in the creative arts. Within all

curriculum areas, and through the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer, all students are immersed in creative activities and benefit from extensive resources, including the highly creative staff team.

As a Music College, we strive to enrich the lives of all students by exposing them to a wide variety of musical forms. Blue Coat is famed for the excellence of its music teaching and the importance we place on instrumental tuition. Individual tuition is offered in a wide range of instruments from Piano, Guitar and Flute to Kit Drumming, Steel Pans and the Tenor Horn. In addition, there are many orchestras, bands and ensembles with regular opportunities to participate in concerts, within school and in the community. The annual school band night also provides an exciting opportunity for staff and students to sing and play alongside each other. The Blue Coat Choir enjoys international fame, having been previous winners of the BBC School Choir of the Year, featuring alongside David Tennant in the film Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, and regularly performing for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Coventry.

While many schools pride themselves on producing an annual dramatic performance, Blue Coat offers students numerous opportunities to take part in theatrical events. In a single calendar year, three Shakespearean productions (Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet) were staged, allowing students a dynamic, practical experience of the bard in performance. Our magnificent state of the art theatre is in frequent use all year round and hosts the majority of Blue Coat events. Since opening with Les Misérables in 2009, at least three major productions have been staged each year, with each cast made up entirely from the student body. These productions provide all students with opportunities to develop talents in acting, singing and dancing. For students interested in the technical aspects of theatre and music technology, there are also plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Blue Coat offers students opportunities in the full range of arts disciplines. The Art department provides a haven for students to create expansive and imaginative statements. From individual pieces, to large scale murals and public works, all students have the opportunity to engage in the full range of artistic media, from drawing and painting to pottery and photography. The school also boasts its own media suite, complete with a range of cameras, editing equipment and green screen facilities. Whatever an individual student’s talent, and in all aspects of school life, the chance to be creative is always close at hand.

“Blue Coat is special because there are so many opportunities to be creative. The facilities are amazing and whatever your talent or interests, you are encouraged to explore your passion” Year 13 Pupil

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Academic studies are complemented by a wide range of enrichment activities that are an important part

of life at Blue Coat. All students are encouraged to take opportunities to socialise with their peers, broaden their horizons and develop new interests. We are continually finding new and exciting ways for our students to develop as individuals, gain self-confidence, experience a sense of achievement and appreciate the contribution they can make to the society around them.

Clubs and societies which range from chess, dance, drama, science, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, debating, board games and film encourage all students to make the most of their time, to achieve qualifications and develop interests which will enrich their future lives. Students also achieve regular success beyond the school gates, taking part in, and winning, competitions, such as the annual Coventry Literature Quiz, the Coventry Interschool Chess Cup, the Jaguar Leaper Trophy and the Coventry Schools Young Entertainer of the Year. In the Sixth Form, Blue Coat has a highly successful Young Enterprise programme, which frequently produces award winning companies.

Blue Coat also has a long tradition of sporting success, with a wide range of sporting activities on offer, from football, swimming and hockey, to rounders, skiing and athletics. Sports teams and individuals are highly successful. In one year all three Blue Coat Football teams made the final of their respective cup competitions, the U14 boys and girls Badminton teams won their categories in the Coventry School Games and in Netball, the Year 7 Team finished joint top of their league, remaining unbeaten all season. While a large number of students take part in competitive sports, all students are encouraged to participate in physical activity, both within lessons, and for enjoyment. Students are frequently inspired by visits from athletes, such as

Nurturing Excellence through Enrichment

Paralympians Bethany Woodward and Lee Doran, before showcasing their own sporting talents in our annual Sports Day. Staff also take pride in sporting achievements such as their regular participation in charity Triathlon events.

Enrichment at Blue Coat also includes a diverse range of visitors to the school such as pop bands, a Russian orchestra, actor Kevin Hicks, whose performance commemorates the First World War each Armistice Day, an annual falconry display and countless visits by visiting artists, performers, scientists and politicians. All students are provided with opportunities to deepen both their knowledge and aspirations. Partnerships with a wide range of higher education institutions and businesses, including Warwick, Cambridge and Coventry universities and companies such as Jaguar Landrover, ensure that opportunities to gain experience for the future are open to all Blue Coat students.

“Extra-curricular activities at Blue Coat gave me so much confidence. No two weeks were ever the same, I loved every minute ” Former Pupil

Nurturing Excellence through Trips & Visits Trips

and V

isits

“Blue Coat has given me choice

and opportunities. There are so many ways to experience new things and see

new places” Y10 Pupil

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Nurturing Excellence through Enrichment

At Blue Coat, we pride ourselves on the successes students have when they engage in learning beyond

the school gates. Each year, students participate in well over 120 educational trips and visits. These may be local, such as participating in the Charterhouse Heritage Weekend, designing and painting a mural on a wall as part of a neighbourhood engagement project, or sporting fixtures at Coventry Swimming Centre, the Alan Higgs Centre or local schools. Blue Coat students travel all over the country during the school year, Activities include Geography field trips to Bournemouth, History visits to the Houses of Parliament, watching England play at Wembley or appreciating the finest actors on stage at Stratford. Every effort is made to familiarise students with a wide variety of learning experiences.

Residential visits are vital to a student’s development, teaching them independence and encouraging them to take responsibility for organising themselves and others. Students at Blue Coat have endless opportunities to take part in such visits, both in the UK and abroad. The History department organise annual residential visits to Ypres and Krakow, while the Choir enjoy their annual tour to sing at Wells Cathedral. Annual visits to the Plas Dol-y-Moch field studies centre are arranged for students of Science and Geography, while Business Studies students travel to Euro Disney and Moselle. Regular exchange visits take place to France, Germany and Ireland and the Modern Languages department also organise a visit to a French Christmas Market each year. For the more adventurous, the annual ski trip, educational cruise or expeditions to far off lands, such as Madagascar, Iceland, Russia or the Galapagos, are on offer. The school organises charity and religious based excursions to many places in Europe and Africa, including the Taize Community in France.

Opportunities for whole year groups to experience visits are also an important part of life at Blue Coat. In Year 7, students spend a weekend at Kingswood Outdoor Pursuits Centre. This action- packed weekend provides students with an opportunity to bond and form new friendships within a secure, yet challenging environment. In Years 7 and 8, the RE department organises visits to places of worship for faiths other than Christian. This serves to broaden understanding and empathy with other World religions. In the Sixth Form, all Year 12 students attend the West Midlands UCAS convention each July, to investigate the full range of university options.

Our trips and visits are vital in bringing together students of different ages and backgrounds in an environment in which informal relationships between staff and students flourish, and where lasting memories are made.

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Blue Coat offers the largest range of A’ Level courses in Coventry, as well as highly successful BTEC courses. As a

result, many students continue their Blue Coat journey into our very popular Sixth Form. In addition, students joining Blue Coat from other schools make up a third of each Year 12 cohort. All students integrate quickly and happily on entry into the Sixth Form, which is a testament to the friendly nature of the school. As with the main school, there is a strong pastoral team, with two full time non-teaching pastoral assistants, who help students with everything from personal problems to accessing scholarship funding. With an excellent range of extra-curricular activities, including student- led societies, the Sixth Form is a dynamic and vibrant experience.

The Sixth Form is a key aspect of Blue Coat’s unique atmosphere and ethos. Sixth Formers are important role models to younger students, with prefects and Head Boy/Girl team featuring prominently in the life of the school, such as leading prayers in cathedral services. The prefects also support main school tutor groups and act as play leaders at local primary schools. In addition, plenty of opportunities for Sixth Form and younger students to interact are provided, such as educational visits, dramatic performances and musical concerts. The performing arts, in particular, lend themselves very well to inter-year group collaboration , with students from across the whole school occupying the stage together.

Following success at Blue Coat, the significant majority of students go on to further study at university, with others taking apprenticeships or employment. Recent pathways have included Medicine, Oxbridge, Dentistry, specialist music, art and drama schools, funded university places in the United States and an apprenticeship with Jaguar Land Rover. With a wealth of experience in providing guidance

in these areas, teaching staff are highly equipped to help all students make the best choices for their options in Year 9 and also in Year 11 when it comes to choosing their post-16 courses, as well as guiding students though the maze of university and college applications.

The extensive range of GCSE subjects offered at Blue Coat provides an excellent springboard for academic study in the Sixth Form and beyond. Complimentary subjects, such as Additional Mathematics (FSMQ) in Year 11 and the Extended Project in Year 12 & 13, have a strong track record of providing students with opportunities to shine academically. At Blue Coat, we encourage students to aim high and their post-18 destinations are evidence of this ambition. Students who start their Blue Coat journey in the main school begin the Sixth Form with a well developed range of skills, from algebra and dance, to critical analysis of text and stagecraft. Although it feels like a long way off, our aim is to nurture excellence in the students entering in Year 7, so that they leave the Sixth Form as rounded adults, well prepared for the wider world.

Nurturing Excellence through the Sixth Form

Nurturing Excellence through Creativity

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“Throughout my time at Blue Coat, my teachers and tutors always pushed me to achieve the best possible results I could. I was supported in my learning every day as I continued to grow into a young adult, ready to take on the next step in my future”Former Head Girl

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Nurturing Excellence for 300 years

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As members of the Blue Coat family, students are part of a rich heritage, spanning 300 years of history. The original

Blue Coat School was the first Charity School for girls in Coventry, founded in 1714 by voluntary subscriptions and supported by the school’s mother church, Holy Trinity. The original school buildings are preserved in the city centre, in Priory Row next to Holy Trinity Church, although the present structure was not built until 1856.

To celebrate the foundation of the school, a Commemoration service is held each year, in which current pupils wear the distinctive uniform worn by pupils attending in those early years. This uniform was extremely simple, consisting of blue frock, short sleeves, white apron, plain white tippet and straw bonnet, and a comfortable cloak for winter. Although the current uniform has been updated in the last 300 years, Blue Coat pupils are easily recognised by their uniform, and standards of personal appearance are an important and strictly enforced requirement today.

Blue Coat was originally founded to provide young girls in the city with sufficient education to secure employment in domestic service. By the nineteenth century, the girls were taught to knit, sew and read, but the skill of writing was not introduced until much later. Although current students enjoy a broader curriculum, an essential feature of their education has not changed - the teaching of the principles of the Church of England.

With the changing circumstances of the twentieth century, the school was reformed on its present site in 1964 as a co-educational comprehensive school. From relatively humble beginnings, the school has since blossomed under successive headteachers to become a key provider of educational opportunities and aspirations, and widely ranked as the number one secondary school within the city of Coventry. Our current students join a long line of successful alumni, including Paralympic swimmer, David Morton, and series director of Educating Yorkshire, David Brindley. In the modern era, all Blue Coat students continue on to education, employment or training in a wide range of subjects, at countless different institutions. These include Oxford, Cambridge, the Russell Group universities, drama schools, music conservatoires, apprenticeships and even universities in the USA.

We look forward to welcoming the next generation of Blue Coat pupils on their journey to success, as they create new memories, embrace the love of God and follow in the traditions of their predecessors.

“The family of Church Schools is a place where all are valued equally, all are nurtured to give of their best, all are supported through “thick and thin” – celebrating joys and bearing sadness together ”

Coventry Diocesan Board of Education

Terry Road, Coventry, West Midlands CV1 2BA Tel: 024 76223542 www.bluecoatschool.com

Nurturing Excellence for All