We are a popular co-educational maintained comprehensive school with over 2,500 students on roll including a sixth form of over 450 students. The school is split site with the Lower School providing education mainly for students in years 7 to 9 whilst the Upper School provides learning for students in years 10 to 13. Many parents/carers comment upon how the split-site makes the transition from primary school less daunting than it would otherwise have been.

We are an inclusive school and have a large Specialist Resource Base for ALN learners named Ty Calon which is located on both sites. We at Whitchurch are dedicated to helping each child achieve their potential and to this end we work closely in partnership with parents/carers. The needs of each individual student are reviewed at regular intervals throughout their time with us.

One of our fundamental aims is to develop responsible students who possess the qualities and skills which equip them for their next steps, be that further study or employment. Learning for life; developing ambitious capable individuals ready to play a full part in life and work as valued members of society.

We celebrate personal successes at every opportunity and take great pride in the achievements of our current students and alumni. Our honours boards celebrate achievements over the years, with our alumni board providing inspiration to our students.

We value our Welsh heritage and that our school is in the Capital City of Wales. We wish our students to become ethical and well-informed global citizens and active participants in the worldwide community and provide many formal and informal opportunities to be so.

Whitchurch High School has a long tradition of academic, sporting, and artistic excellence which we strive to maintain through high-quality teaching and learning, through nurturing the wellbeing of our young people and through providing wide and varied opportunities for extra-curricular activities.

We are very proud of our school and its place within our community.

To be a caring, well ordered, and successful community in which all individuals who come here to learn and work are able to develop their maximum potential.

• To provide an education environment in which all students can achieve at their highest possible level
• To develop personality, cultivate social skills, and prepare students for lifelong
• To provide the highest standard of care for everyone and expect a standard of behaviour appropriate to a civilised community
• To provide through the curriculum and other activities for the spiritual and moral development of students
• To develop ambitious capable individuals ready to play a full part in life and work as valued members of society.
• To value all members of the school community equally and to provide equality of opportunity for all
• To be a well-run, happy, and successful school which values its role in the local community, and is held in high regard by the local community
  

Our curriculum across all key stages is broad, balanced, relevant, and differentiated, with its overall purpose being to create ambitious and capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives. Our curriculum covers 6 main areas of learning and experience helping to create healthy, confident, enterprising, creative, ethical, and informed individuals who are ready to play a full part in life and work.

6 Areas of Learning and Experience

• Expressive arts
• Health and wellbeing
• Humanities
• Languages, literacy, and communication
• Mathematics and numeracy
• Science and technology

Literacy, numeracy, and digital competence are developed, and the Welsh dimension considered through all subject areas.

Years 7 to 9: Students follow a broad curriculum which will help them to build on the progress they have made at primary school. Details of the specific subjects followed can be found on the school website under the curriculum tab.

Years 10 and 11: The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of individual students, allowing them to maximise their progress in core subjects and have flexibility in selecting their optional subjects. Details of the core and optional curriculum can be found on the school website under the curriculum tab.

Years 12 and 13: The majority of our year 11 cohort continue their studies in the sixth form at Whitchurch. The sixth form offers a vast array of qualifications at all levels providing academic rigor, pastoral support and guidance to give students the qualifications and personal development needed for success in any chosen field. Strong links are forged between the school and selected universities. For details of the courses on offer, the application process and details of entry requirements please visit the school website.

Students of all abilities are supported in following an appropriate curriculum to help ensure that they meet their full potential. Further details of the learning pathways in place for our students and the advice and guidance programme can be found in the 11-18 learning pathways policy which is available on the school website in the Governors Policy section.

Target Setting We believe that setting targets is an important factor in helping students make the progress that will allow them to reach their potential. The school uses written and verbal targets on a day-to-day basis that allow students to make the steps required to achieve better in their subjects. These will be found in their books as they work through the school year. In addition, the school use the information from prior stages of students’ education to set appropriate but challenging targets for students to achieve throughout their time with us. These targets are based on teacher assessments, national test results, external examination results, as well as the expertise of our teachers.