We were very glad to be designated as a National Teaching School in 2016 as it recognizes the effort that the school team puts into making lessons enjoyable and effective for our young people. Equally, the visit of OFSTED in October 2014 which judged Dunraven as ‘outstanding in every category was an important public marker of our ongoing journey to achieve ‘Excellence for All’.Our next challenge is to ensure that Dunraven maintains these high standards as we aim to become an ‘astounding’ school, working with others as we deliver excellence from Reception through to Year 13.
Dunraven is a 4-18, All Through School. The primary phase will develop year by year until our Year 6 begin in 2019. This structure offers our children - and their families - a unique educational opportunity as well as the chance for the school to create an exciting and enriched learning experience for all its students.
We believe in the importance of a well-rounded education as a central part of the development of that well-rounded person. An education that is inclusive and provides all our students with an equal chance of becoming successful. To achieve this, our curriculum is broad and balanced: our young people will have access to an education that responds to their needs and recognizes their interests. We want all our learners to make excellent progress and gain strong outcomes as a result of their studies.
Dunraven aims to provide ‘excellence for all. Our long-term academic success with the secondary and Sixth Form phases, together with our outstanding care and guidance for young people, provide a strong platform on which to build the primary phase. The staff team is relentless in their pursuit of excellent outcomes for students across a broad and balanced curriculum, and supporting them to the next steps on their journey, whether that’s a sixth form place, an apprenticeship, or a university place at some of the world’s leading institutions.
All staff and students work to provide the best environment for learning. We focus on training teachers to deliver outstanding lessons, developing our feedback to support students’ progression, and providing a wide range of experiences for students to enhance their understanding in and out of the classroom. We want to ensure we cater to the education of the whole child. We, therefore, provide a range of opportunities to students to make a positive contribution to their school through activities such as Student Leadership, the House System, and our work on developing character.
We understand that everyone will face challenges at some point in our lives and we, therefore, work hard with our young people to become resilient in overcoming any obstacles to their learning. We have a wide-ranging Inclusion team comprising SEND professionals and a Student Engagement team to support young people in meeting any challenge they might face during their school career.
We work hard at Dunraven to ensure that our organization makes the school experience as smooth as possible for students and families. We focus on delivering clear systems and processes for students and good communication for families so that the Dunraven Community works collaboratively for the best possible education of our young people.
