Risedale Sports & Community College

A Message from Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett, followed by Risedale Sports & Community College's best practice article

The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Risedale Sports & Community College is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.

Rt Hon The Lord David Blunkett

Rt Hon The Lord Eric Pickles

www.risedale.org.uk

37RISEDALE SPORTS & COMMUNITY COLLEGE |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2018

Principal Colin Scott and Lt Col

Joe Jordan, Catterick Garrison

commander and Risedale

governor

Risedale students presenting their cheque

to StJohns Community Centre

Situated in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, Risedale

Sports & Community College has one of the largest

proportions of students from families in the services (over

40 per cent) of any secondary school in the UK. Colin Scott,

principal of Risedale College, explains that as a result tenacity

has become an integral part of the school’s ethos, something

that has been successfully bought into by students, staff and

parents alike. Students at the college come from a variety of

backgrounds which Colin says has shaped a diverse, nurturing

and broad learning environment.

Risedale has been on a nine-year journey of improvement leading to a “good”

judgment by Ofsted in 2015. Justifiably proud of this accomplishment, our staff

are by no means complacent. We work diligently to better ourselves, and our staff

consistently seek to effect positive change among our students. In September 2016

Risedale welcomed its new principal, Colin Scott, whose passion, determination and

dedication to the school has galvanised the efforts of teachers and students alike.

Historically, Risedale has not always had the best reputation. One of the toughest

opinions to change has been the view of parents, who themselves went to

Risedale many years ago. By celebrating success in the news and social media

and by actively increasing community engagement, we have managed to change

people’s perception of Risedale for the better. In 2017, our school population

grew by 10 per cent and our year 7 intake increased by a third. Parents are now

making Risedale their first choice, as we are becoming a cornerstone of the

localcommunity.

REPORT CARD

RISEDALE SPORTS & COMMUNITY

COLLEGE

»Head teacher: Colin Scott

»Founded in 1953

»Based in Catterick Garrison,

North Yorkshire

»Type of school: Secondary

school serving both military

and civilian children

»No. of employees: 68

»Stonewall Schools Champion

»www.risedale.org.uk

Risedale Sports &

Community College

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

38 | RISEDALE SPORTS & COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Our military connection is part of

Risedale’s distinctive character. Staff

support all students emotionally

and academically. Military moves, or

transition, mean that we have a high

admission turnover, but as a school

we are confident in assimilating new

students here. Students empathise and

care for each other, as many know

what it’s like to be “the new kid”

and are accepting of new entrants.

Our population is diverse and we

always accept new applicants, even

when excluded from other schools,

regardless of the negative impact

on our own performance statistics.

Weareinvested in the development of

the next generation of our community;

we often take on students who have

been rejected elsewhere.

By fostering close and supportive

relationships with our parents/carers,

we are able to work together on

improving student attendance and

progress. We have coined “coffee

breaks”, where parents are invited to

meet the principal and other parents,

where they are encouraged to discuss

issues and concerns pertaining to the

everyday running of the school. We

wanted to break down the formality

of the usual parent/teacher meetings,

allowing parents to see Risedale in

a more favourable light and to feel

included. Moreover, these meetings

allow parents the opportunity to ask

questions and to learn more about

their child’s education. As a result,

a new parent teacher association is

being formed and parents are invested

in utilising the school as a positive

outlet for their community.

We believe that our students should

enjoy a rounded and challenging

experience at Risedale, in order to

Risedale offers an

exciting and engaging

education, delivered

by dedicated staff who

are passionate about

supporting everyone to

achieve their aspirations

Our mission statement

Risedale Sports & Community College – committed to nurturing

and sustaining a positive future for all, through an inclusive and

exceptional learning journey.

Our aims

»To ensure everyone exceeds their potential

»To shape our curriculum to meet the future aspirations of our children

»To learn from failures and celebrate success

»To always be a force for resilience and excellence

39RISEDALE SPORTS & COMMUNITY COLLEGE |

BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2018

equip them as compassionate and

thoughtful citizens of the future.

Students and staff work directly within

the community, in tandem with local

institutions such as the police, military,

fire service, doctors’ surgeries and

care homes. In 2016-17 the school

raised over £4,000 for local charities,

demonstrating how our students

place value on altruism and wider

community action.

Our facilities and curriculum are

expanding, enabling us to teach a

diverse range of subjects. We have

now moved to a 30-period-per-week

timetable with 50-minute lessons,

affording us greater flexibility for

option subjects in years 10 and 11.

This approach gives students frequent

contact with key subjects, resulting

in young people deepening their

knowledge, skills and understanding.

We have an extensive programme

of extracurricular activities, e.g. the

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, as well

as cultural experiences at the theatre

and art galleries, something that has

previously been lacking. This has

ensured that our young people’s

experiences broaden their horizons and

experiences.

Moving forward, it is expected that

Risedale will expand to accommodate

up to 800 students over the next

decade as the population of Catterick

Garrison increases. We have a strong

and supportive governing body, with

members from military and civilian

backgrounds, and are ready to tackle

challenges head on. Our focus will

remain on equipping staff with

personalised CPD programmes that are

fit for purpose and utilising every staff

member’s skills to offer our students

the very best experience we can.

In just one year

»Attendance rose by two per

cent

»Progress 8 score rose by 0.18

»Fixed-term exclusions are down

to just ten per cent of previous

levels

»No compulsory redundancies

despite challenging budget

»School population increased by

ten per cent

»Reinvigorated Armed Forces

Covenant resulting in even

stronger military ties

Our school is a supportive and happy place

to learn and achieve together

Iam proud to be a governor at Risedale

Sports & Community College as I

strongly feel that this school is a

positive focus for all families within the

garrison community, whether civilian or

military. Being a governor allows me to

helpmy local community school in its

vision, direction and support for all,

ensuring the strongest possible

outcomes for our young people

“

www.risedale.org.uk

This article was sponsored by Risedale Sports & Community College. The Parliamentary Review is wholly funded by the representatives who write for it. The publication in which this article originally appeared contained the following foreword from The Rt Hon Theresa May MP.

The Rt Hon Theresa May MP's Foreword For The Parliamentary Review

By The Rt Hon Theresa May MP

This foreword from the then Prime Minister appeared in the 2018/19 Parliamentary Review.

British politics provides ample material for analysis in the pages of The Parliamentary Review. For Her Majesty’s Government, our task in the year ahead is clear: to achieve the best Brexit deal for Britain and to carry on our work to build a more prosperous and united country – one that truly works for everyone.

The right Brexit deal will not be sufficient on its own to secure a more prosperous future for Britain. We also need to ensure that our economy is ready for what tomorrow will bring. Our Modern Industrial Strategy is our plan to do that. It means Government stepping up to secure the foundations of our productivity: providing an education system that delivers the skills our economy needs, improving school standards and transforming technical education; delivering infrastructure for growth; ensuring people have the homes they need in the places they want to live. It is all about taking action for the long-term that will pay dividends in the future.

But it also goes beyond that. Government, the private sector and academia working together as strategic partners achieve far more than we could separately. That is why we have set an ambitious goal of lifting UK public and private research and development investment to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027. It is why we are developing four Grand Challenges, the big drivers of social and economic change in the world today: harnessing artificial intelligence and the data revolution; leading in changes to the future of mobility; meeting the challenges of our ageing society; and driving ahead the revolution in clean growth. By focusing our efforts on making the most of these areas of enormous potential, we can develop new exports, grow new industries and create more good jobs in every part of our country.

Years of hard work and sacrifice from the British people have got our deficit down by over three quarters. We are building on this success by taking a balanced approach to public spending. We are continuing to deal with our debts, so that our economy can remain strong and we can protect people’s jobs, and at the same time we are investing in vital public services, like our NHS. We have set out plans to increase NHS funding annually by an average by 3.4 percent in real terms: that is £394 million a week more. In return, the NHS will produce a ten-year plan, led by doctors and nurses, to eliminate waste and improve patient care.

I believe that Britain can look to the future with confidence. We are leaving the EU and setting a new course for prosperity as a global trading nation. We have a Modern Industrial Strategy that is strengthening the foundations of our economy and helping us to seize the opportunities of the future. We are investing in the public services we all rely on and helping them to grow and improve. Building on our country’s great strengths – our world-class universities and researchers, our excellent services sector, our cutting edge manufacturers, our vibrant creative industries, our dedicated public servants – we can look towards a new decade that is ripe with possibility. The government I lead is doing all it can to make that brighter future a reality for everyone in our country.

British politics provides ample material for analysis in the pages of The Parliamentary Review

The Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Prime Minister