Newsletter
Summer 2019
“For life, not school, we learn”
School is transformed and rated Outstanding VILLIERS High School has “returned to its former glory” after being given the highest rating of Outstanding in all areas following an inspection by Ofsted this term. The glowing assessment from inspectors gave the top grade to the quality of leadership, teaching, curriculum, pupils’ achievements, behaviour and personal development, as well as sixth form. The report said there has been a “rapid and transformational change” under the exemplary leadership of Headteacher Ms Sharma, who took charge just two years ago. They said teachers “cared deeply” about students, noted the school’s excellent GCSE and A-Level results and described behaviour as excellent. The school came in for special praise for their commitment to the personal development and welfare of pupils, said to be outstanding.
Headteacher Ms Sharma has welcomed the report, saying the students and the community now have the school they deserve. to help students fulfil their potential across a range of subjects. This is about allowing students to be creative and expressing themselves and encouraging them to brave with their choices, both at school and in the future. This is done in a number of ways, throughout enrichment programmes, visits to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, inspirational talks from top professionals and trips that broaden their cultural capital.
This gives them exposure to different options; not just doctors and lawyers, but writers, artists, engineers, creative and new media. We need to develop all their talents because there is no ‘one box fits all’ for education or children. From the moment I arrived in this school, I felt the students were very polite and aspirational and there was a strong sense of belonging but the school needed – and pupils deserved to learn in – an outstanding environment. All the raw ingredients were there, from ambitious pupils to highly skilled teachers but the school struggled to make a positive impact with the community. As this report shows, that confidence has now been restored.
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What is most pleasing is the recognition by OFSTED that while we are a school that pushes pupils to achieve the very best in their exams, we also place equal importance on the welfare and personal development of our young people. This is not only a school where students excel academically but also where they enjoy learning in a warm and welcoming environment. Whilst we are happy with the report, we do not do what we do to receive an outstanding judgement from OFSTED. We do it because we are passionate about improving the lives and life chances of our students. As the report rightly points out, we have extended the curriculum so that we are not just focusing on the core subjects but seek
Chair of Governors pays tribute to Headteacher’s leadership
Villiers High School Chair of Governors Ms Mee says appointing Ms Sharma was the catalyst for change at the school. the right decision was made. Her commitment, leadership and dedication to the school and pupils is truly admirable.
“The aspirational standards she has set since being appointed quickly reverberated throughout the school, uniting staff and students alike. “Her understanding of what was required at this school was instinctive – she knew exactly what was required and got it the job done.
“As the report rightly points out, Ms Sharma has been the catalyst for a truly extraordinary transformation at this school and is responsible for returning Villiers High School to its former glory. “We are truly fortunate to have Ms Sharma as our Headteacher.
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By far the most important job you have as a school governor is appointing a Headteacher. We knew we had the making of a truly great school, with wonderful pupils and great staff but we lacked the requisite leadership. “It is as clear today as the day we appointed Ms Sharma that
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
OFSTED REPORT SPECIAL UPDATE
‘A school where both pupils and staff excel’ LEADERSHIP THE report reserved special praise for the leadership of Ms Sharma, describing her impact as “rapid and transformational”. The inspectors also said leaders set very high expectations for pupils, which in turn contribute to them making excellent progress. The report stated: “Since the arrival of the new headteacher, rapid and transformational change has taken place. “Villiers High School is now an outstanding school where pupils and staff excel in a supportive and caring environment.”
SIXTH FORM OUR Sixth Form was praised for developing a culture of high expectation and broadening students’ horizons. The inspectors also noted the sixth form offered students a variety of work and leadership opportunities and had a good mix of academic and vocational subjects on offer. It states: “Leaders set a culture of high expectations and seek to widen students’ experience well beyond their own environment. “Leaders encourage students to explore higher education opportunities both inside and outside London. They also encourage students to experience learning outside the subject content.”
SAFEGUARDING
TEACHING AND LEARNING THE exceptional progress made by the students in exams is because of the outstanding quality of teaching, according to the Ofsted report. Staff are given dedicated Continuing Professional Learning (CPL) time every Thursday, when the school shuts at 2.30pm, including time for collaborative planning in teams, planning and marking and training. Staff say they felt this time was invaluable.
The report stated: “Teaching across all Year groups and subjects is very effective. The teaching of mathematics is exceptional. “Pupils’ progress is outstanding because of the quality of teaching. “Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and this encourages pupils to take risks and learn from mistakes in their learning.”
PASTORAL care at the school was described as excellent, with students getting support and guidance across a range of issues. The school has created a culture of high vigilance and care, especially for the most vulnerable, the report concluded. It stated: “Leaders ensure that the curriculum includes guidance for pupils about how to identify and avoid local risks. “Pupils are well informed and confident in making sensible choices. Pupils feel safe and cared for in this environment.” Mr Adams, one of the Assistant Heads and in charge of Safeguarding for the school, also sits on the Ealing Learning Partnership’s (ELP) Safeguarding and Well Being Committee and represents one of only three secondary schools in borough who are piloting the Operation Encompass programme, working together with the Metropolitan Police service and ELP.”
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Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
OFSTED REPORT SPECIAL UPDATE
‘Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary’ WELFARE
BEHAVIOUR THE school was described as a harmonious environment where student behaviour is exemplary and respect is shown for one other. It was also noted that school exclusion was below the national average and attendance was above national average. The report stated: “Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary.
Praise all round at Outstanding news There was congratulations galore for the school at the Ofsted rating, including a letter from local MP Virendra Sharma (right) and parents’ comments on social media (below).
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They manage their own behaviour effectively and movement around the school is calm and orderly. “This is a very harmonious school where pupils show respect for others, for diversity, for human rights and for different religions and cultures. “Pupils are very effectively prepared for life in modern Britain.”
STUDENT welfare and personal development is outstanding, despite the challenge of a large intake arriving from outside of the UK. The Ofsted judgment also found that students are well supported with physical and mental health, as well as getting help adapting to life in London. It added: “Teachers give pupils strong support to develop healthy lifestyles and good mental health. There is a counsellor in school four days a week to support pupils who need additional help. “Staff are very aware of potential challenges for their pupils in adapting to life in London and use both internal and external expertise to help their pupils in this.”
OUTCOMES DISADVANTAGED students make better progress while at Villiers than nondisadvantaged pupils do nationally. That was the remarkable fact that Ofsted put down to the highly effective teaching across the curriculum and throughout the school. While noting the school’s outstanding exam results across “several years” the report stated: “Pupils make outstanding progress from their different starting points across all subjects and Year groups. “This very high progress is enabled by highly effective teaching across the curriculum and through the school. Disadvantaged pupils make stronger progress than all pupils nationally because they are carefully tracked and supported very effectively.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
Steep learning curve in fundraising project TWO teams of Sixth Form fundraisers from Villiers High School came close to winning a charity challenge to raise money for underprivileged children. Villiers teams Vision and Pentagon made it through to the grand final of the Wings of Hope competition but just fell short of victory. They were selected after taking part in six months of fundraising activities, which included a bake sale, a mini festival and public raffles to support orphans in Malawi. But despite raising more than £1,000 and impressing a panel of judges at the final held at the House of Lords, neither team was selected for the top prize. Year 12 student Alya said: “It was disappointing not to win because we had put a lot of effort into the challenge. However, we knew that was not really the point. “The point was to teach us that we can make difference, that you should not stand on the sidelines when you can help people who desperately need it.” Fellow Year 12 Imran said: “There was so much to this project that the learning curve was very steep. “We had to organise and promote our own events to raise money. “We had to use all the skills you would need to run a business – like teamwork, communication and leadership – and at the same time do something to help others.” Charity Director Rajni Sriram visited the school last September to give student fundraising tips and to discuss the charity.
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Speaker offers career advice OUR Sixth Form students learned about healthy eating, got career tips from a motivational speaker and heard from a housing civil servant for our Speaker Series this term. Year 12 Rhiya said: “The Speakers Series is fantastic because as a Sixth Form student you are really trying to work out what you want to do as a career. “Your university choice will be important when picking a career, so hearing from top professionals is really helpful.”
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Fun and learning in Paris STUDENTS got the chance to practise their French, toured famous landmarks and sampled local cuisine when visiting Paris. The Modern Foreign Languages trip included a trip up the Eiffel Tower, a viewing of the Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre Museum and sightseeing around the Arc de Triomphe. They also took their learning beyond the classroom by chatting with native speakers
while ordering food, shopping and asking directions. Year 8 Rishai said: “You don’t realise just how much you improve your languages skills when you talk to people in their home country. “Everything we did was incredible – going up the Eiffel Tower and seeing the Mona Lisa. My favourite part was when I could order my food completely in French.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
PUPILS brightened up our outdoor spaces during a graffiti and stencil workshop run by a professional artist in July.
Top Tweet YEAR 10 Geography students accessed the impact of tourism on the environment during a field trip to Windsor.
Green Flag award delight for school’s eco warriors MEMBERS of our Eco Council were celebrating this term after their hard work in making the school a more environmentally friendly place paid off. Villiers High School has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag award thanks to two years of eco projects run by a team of campaigning students. The project has resulted in sustainability linked to the curriculum, reduction of waste, monitoring programme and electricity consumption. They have also shared good practice updating the school on their progress in assemblies and designing and displaying posters around the school. Among their many successful campaigns was convincing the school canteen to swap its plastic cups for paper to improve recycling. The committee, which is made up of two elected representatives from each year group, meets once a week to promote green policy in the school. Sessions are led by Ms Murphy. Other activities this term included two eco days themed on energy and healthy eating, which featured a whole school picnic and teaching classes outside. Committee member Mian said: “It has been
a very long road but we are all so proud of ourselves and our school to have been given the Green Flag award. What we have learned is that you do not get very far without cooperation from other students and teachers, so we have all been working together. “The eco days were really fun. The whole school got involved and everyone had a good time making our school eco-friendlier.” Headteacher Ms Sharma said: “The Green
Flag award is particularly special because it was achieved through the hard work and commitment of our students. “We feel that now, more than ever, we need to be educating our pupils about our changing planet and the importance of how we need to work together to meet the challenges. “Spending time together as a whole school having a picnic in our wonderful grounds was an incredible special occasion and is part of what makes Villiers such a special place.”
Philosopher’s lecture gives students food for thought STUDENTS took their critical thinking to a new level after getting a rare opportunity to hear from world renowned philosopher Peter Singer. Our Sixth Form students say it has changed the way they think on a number of different issues after listening to a lecture at Brentside High School. Mr Singer, who is the Bioethics professor at Princeton University in the US, discussed the philosophy underpinning global issues such as
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animal testing. The professor usually charges thousands of pounds to speak at public events but is sharing his expertise for free with teenagers on international tour of schools. Year 12 student Aaliah said: “Hearing from someone like that makes you re-evaluate completely how you think and look at the world. It changes perceptions. “It was not just the things he discussed, though those were interesting, it was the way
he approached thinking that really stayed with me.” Year 12 Krinesh added: “You do not think really about animal testing as one of the big global issues but the way he explained it and how it fits into wider issues was mindboggling. It has opened my eyes to different things and different ways of thinking. He told us he donates money to animal testing charities instead of taking a fee, which I thought was amazing.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
THE Mayor of Ealing was guest of honour as the school celebrated diversity with poems, dance and dramatic performances at a Multi-Cultural Evening. The evening featured poetry, dance and fashion shows inspired by the many languages spoken at Villiers, including Somali, Arabic and Punjabi. Mayor Tejinder Singh Dhami said: “The multi-cultural evening was both entertaining and educational. Please convey my appreciation to all the pupils. “It was also very encouraging to see the large number of parents attending to support the work of the children.” It was also attended by MP for Southall Virendra Sharma and the Guest of Honour was Roy Blatchford OBE.
Mayor watches diversity celebration
Workshop visit helps to give Oxford motivation TALENTED students got a taste of life at one of the world’s best universities during a visit to St John’s College, Oxford. Year 8 pupils took part in a university-style lecture, an Anthropology workshop and talked to current students and professors. Year 9 Maryam said: “This trip really changed my mind about this type of university. When you think of somewhere like Oxford you expect it to be a certain way. “But there was a lot of diversity there and lots of people from a similar background as me who were at this amazing university.” Fellow Year 9 Saran Kirupakaran said: “Even though we are a long way off university this was a really good chance for us to understand what life would be like there. “It is a really hard place to get into but if you do not believe you have a chance then there is no point of even applying. This trip gave me the confidence and made me motivated.” Meanwhile, Year 9 pupils heard from current undergraduates at Cambridge University when they visited the school in June. Year 9 Ayeesha said: “It was a really interesting experience because you were talking to people who had gone through the processes of applying. “They are the best people to give advice because we will be one day going through that same process trying to get in. It really helped to raise my aspirations.” There was also a Year 7 trip to the Centre for Mathematical Sciences based at Cambridge University.
Pupils given insight into construction Page 6
Students delve into books STUDENTS were tasked with reading as many books as they could in six weeks as part of the Readathon Challenge. Students celebrated their love of literature by taking every opportunity they could to settle down with a book in May and June. Year 8 pupil Mahtumigga said: “I love to
YEAR 9 students got an insight into the construction industry by learning bricklaying, plumbing and plastering. They got tips on different career paths from a range of different employers as part of the Waterside Project, which will see hundreds of new homes built in Southall. Student Balraj said: “I had not thought about
read so it wasn’t difficult to read this many books. But the challenge made me think more about what I was reading.” Fellow Year 8 Amadou said: “I enjoyed taking part in the Readathon Challenge because it was a chance to discover new books and talk about them with people.”
the construction industry before as a career but the sessions were really enjoyable.” Fellow pupil Pranshu added: “There are going to be lots of career opportunities in Southall. “We are getting first-hand experience, which means we will be in a good position after we finish our education.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
Careers events prepare students for life ahead STUDENTS got top tips on from experts from a wide range of different professions at our third annual Careers Conference. They learned about possible job options, chatting to industry insiders from sectors including finance, engineering, policing, medicine and construction. They also received pathways advice from the country’s top universities including King’s College, University College London and St Mary’s. As part of the programme to prepare students for life beyond Villiers, Year 10 students spent a fortnight on a work experience placement. Earlier in the term they learned about first impressions, customer service and interview techniques at a skills for life workshop. Year 10 Malaviha spent her two weeks with Capital Business Links. She said: “As a school pupil you have no idea what it is like going to work every day. If I am honest, I never really thought about it. “The work experience placement was really excellent because I got to spend time learning about accountancy, which is the career I am interested. All students learned a lot.”
OUR Year 9 students created chalk-drawn diagrams of coastal landforms in Geography class.
OAKLANDS Primary pupils baked cakes, made bookmarks and took part in action-packed Science experiments when we hosted an Exploring High School day.
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Villiers students found out what it was like at the other end of the classroom when they turned teachers for the day. Year 7 students showed great maturity when running a series of Maths workshops for Year 3 and 4 pupils from North Primary. They held six tailored sessions focusing on different Maths strands, including shapes and times tables as part
of a partnership programme with local primaries. Student Khushi said: “It has certainly given me a new respect for my teachers because it is quite hard standing up in front of a classroom and teaching. “I really enjoyed it. It was really fulfilling to see the children react to what I had taught them and answer their questions. I felt like a proper teacher.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019
Debutant Crislee leads way in athletics success SPORTY Villiers pupils are celebrating their phenomenal success at the Ealing borough athletics championships. Year 7 pupil Crislee surprised even himself when triumphing in the 100m sprint, despite never racing before in his life. The speedy student won the first-round race with ease but still felt himself an underdog going in the final. But a stunning time of under 14 seconds saw him clinch gold. He was joined in the winners’ circle by shot put star Maleia, whose throw of nearly seven metres blew away the competition. The Year 8 student trumped her own personal best to retain the gold medal in the event, having also won last year. Year 8 Viren completed a hat-trick of victories for the school when landing the top prize in the javelin. Crislee said: “It is strange when you say I am the fastest person of my age group in Ealing as this was my first-ever race. “Going into the competition I thought I would just give it my best try, I had no thought that I was actually going to win. I surprised myself with how well I did.” Maleia said: “I have never really taken the shot put seriously even though I won it last year. Maybe it is a sign I should start to practice more because I am obviously quite good. “I am really proud to have won the gold not just for myself but also to represent my school and bring the medal back to Villiers.”
Cheers: The triumphant Year 8 cricketers celebrate winning the borough title
Super cricketers claim title after a memorable season OUR Year 8 cricket team has been crowned the borough’s finest after an superb unbeaten run which saw them
Sports leaders play their part OUR sports leaders represented the school with distinction as they help to organise a sports day at a local primary school. Villiers Sixth Formers tutored, officiated and organised an athletics competition for Year 5 and 6 pupils Hambrough Primary School. Activities included the 100m sprint, long jump and javelin, with pupils pushing themselves to gain the most points for their team. Year 13 student Seyed said: “It’s a good way of improving our communications skills and teaching us to be patient because you are put in charge of children quite a bit younger.” Year 12 Akshay added: “We had a great time getting everything together and organising the day. I really enjoy working with children and coaching and helping them.”
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clinch the Ealing Championship. The all-conquering team won five consecutive matches this year, including a stunning 59-run victory in the final against Greenford. Year 8 pupil Muhammad said: “This
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was a really brilliant season for the Villiers cricket team. “We worked really hard on our game and it paid off. “Winning the borough championships without losing a game is a great achievement. “The best thing about winning was that we are all really good friends and winning it together was really special. “We will be back next year to defend our title.”
Villiers High School newsletter n Summer 2019