FIVE YEAR VISION 2014 - 2019 DEVELOPING TOMORROW’S LEADERS TODAY
INTRODUCTION – THE HEADTEACHER The Misbourne has travelled quickly on a journey from finding itself in challenging circumstances to being graded as “Good” by Ofsted in December 2013 and again in June 2017, but our journey has only just begun. Our vision for the future is ambitious and well-considered and it is to develop tomorrow’s leaders today. We increasingly live in a global economy in which technology controls the way we live and work.
At The
Misbourne, we are anticipating the world as it will be when our students enter the workplace. In addition to the best possible academic qualifications, they also need a range of “soft skills” for employability, such as decision-making, teamwork, creativity, flexibility, resilience and communication. We are developing these through challenging targets, a wide range of opportunities and an emphasis on ensuring that each student meets her or his potential. There are four key components to realising our vision, namely Securing Success, Student Leadership, Staff Leadership and Innovation, each of which is described on the following pages. Our overall aim, therefore, is to be the very best and the school of first choice. Students from The Misbourne will be among the leaders of tomorrow and will play their part in shaping the 21st century. Robert Preston Headteacher
Letter from the Trustees
Following a “Good” judgement from Ofsted inspectors in the autumn of 2013, the Governors and Senior Leaders at The Misbourne worked in partnership to develop a clear and challenging vision to drive the school forward, and to deliver excellence in all areas.
Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today is a truly shared vision with trustees, staff, students and parents all having significant input into the ideas and agreed direction, and I am delighted to report that significant progress has been achieved in all areas.
In May 2017 Ofsted undertook a short inspection, which confirmed that The Misbourne continues to be a GOOD school. The report underlined the vision highlighting the “aspirational leadership embedding a culture of ambition. Students have very positive attitudes to learning and the quality of teaching is consistently good across the school.” The fabric of the school building was materially improved with the opening of the new classrooms and 6th Form area. Furthermore planning permission for a new Sports Hall has been obtained and work is anticipated to commence in 2018. The new classrooms bought the added benefit of making the school more attractive to local community groups and an increasing number are regularly benefitting from hiring the space. The new Sports Hall will, I believe, further strengthen the school’s links with Great Missenden and the wider area.
The School Development Plan has been re-focussed on embedding an aspirational learning culture throughout all areas of the school. The installation of Wi-Fi, the purchase of Raspberry Pi’s and refurbishment of the Library are just some of the many practical steps completed to support this plan. The school is justifiably proud of its record in helping all pupils to achieve their potential and leave well equipped to enter employment, apprenticeships or further education.
There is also an unrelenting focus on method and practice of teaching which, coupled with bespoke staff development plans, is moving the school towards becoming recognised as a Teaching School in its own right.
Most recently The Misbourne converted to become a Standalone Academy and I am excited by the opportunities to further develop the school. There is an incredible energy and positive momentum in all areas of the school and I look forward to working with all the team at The Misbourne to develop the next phase of Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.
Philip Brown Board of Trustees The Misbourne Academy 2018.
THE JOURNEY The Misbourne is an upper school in Buckinghamshire, drawing from a diverse catchment area, including both affluent rural communities and more deprived urban parts of High Wycombe. Hence, the overall intake is typical of the national average yet the rapid progress made by the school from 2010 to 2013 has meant that public examination results are now consistently above the national average at both GCSE and A Level. We are oversubscribed with a waiting list. These impressive achievements were recognised by Ofsted in December 2013 when it rated The Misbourne as “Good” and again in June 2017 confirming a consistently good school. Now, teaching and learning are of a high quality with the majority of lessons being good or outstanding. The very good A Level results enable many students to go on to the best universities. Leadership of the school at all levels is particularly strong, driven by an energetic and committed Senior Team. The Sixth Form is expanding and will be housed in a new state-of-the-art centre, completed in 2015.
The students in Years 12 and 13 are the highest
performing of all similar schools in the county. Among the subjects on offer, art and photography are exceptional, achieving success at a national level.
In 2013/14, wide ranging consultations were held with staff, students, governors and parents to map out the strategic vision for the next five years, bearing in mind the rapid changes in the global economy and the need not only to keep raising standards and ensure that each student reaches her or his own unique potential, but also to fit them to play their part in shaping the 21st century.
THE FUTURE The Misbourne is not a school which rests on its laurels, but rather one that is constantly looking forward. Our vision for the future is an ambitious one and one that is based on an understanding of the way in which our global economy is changing and is becoming increasingly connected digitally. Many of our young people will not follow a rigidly defined career ladder but will sell their skills on a variety of short term contracts or will run their own businesses. They are likely to change career more than once in their working lives and will need lifelong learning. Some will carry out jobs that do not yet exist. The global economy is shifting east to Asia and away from Europe and the USA. The opportunities offered by globalisation together with digital technology are the forces that drive us. Schools have, for too long, operated in a backward-looking environment in which the status quo seems an easier option and in which they all have similar mission statements. The Misbourne is different: we do not remain in a comfort zone where students are prepared for a world identical to the one in which their teachers were educated. Instead, we anticipate the world as it will be when our students enter the workplace, full of new and exciting opportunities. Moreover, it is well known that businesses are calling not just for academic qualifications but for schools to develop “soft skills” as well, such as communication, team work, problem-solving, decision making, resilience, risk-taking and, above all, leadership competencies. Therefore, our strategic vision for 2014 – 2019 is to develop tomorrow’s leaders today. The four key themes are illustrated overleaf.
THE MISBOURNE FIVE YEAR VISION 2014 - 2019
The vision is then translated into annual action plans which are monitored regularly by the Senior Leadership Team and the Governing Body against performance indicators
Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
The Misbourne Misbourne Drive Great Missenden Buckinghamshire HP16 0BN Tel: 01494 862869 Email:
[email protected] DFE No: 825/4042
www.misbourne.bucks.sch.uk
