Prospectus 2019-20

01 Welcome from the Headteacher It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to are able to access unique experiences and secure Hillview School for Girls; a highly successful non-selective girls’ school with a thriving mixed their future progression within this challenging Sixth Form in the heart of Tonbridge. field. All students benefit from the confidence, At Hillview we believe in the Pure Potential of every child to be the very best that they can be. As creativity and resilience that the performing arts an educational provider we offer quality teaching, a focussed learning environment and strong pastoral instil and use these essential transferable support to enable every child in being successful in their studies and in their lives. Our role is not just skills to secure success across their to ensure that our students achieve good grades but on the well-being of the child and ensuring that studies, within their interests our students are able to move onto their desired careers pathways. We believe very passionately and in preparation for the about the care that we offer our students and are widely recognised for this support and care; with world of work. “Hillview offers the our PDL lessons offering a unique and specialist Hillview School for complete package; programme of study, in preparation for growing up and moving out into the world beyond education. Girls is recognised as “Hillview helps us to lead safe lives” one of the top excellent academic and A Hillview student is confident, aspirational, performing non- teaching facilities resilient and determined. Our dedicated, selective schools in passionate staffing body supports each individuals’ Kent and is the combined with brilliant personal development, from their first steps through the school gates to when they leave at the highest achieving pastoral care.” end of their Sixth Form studies. Students develop non-selective girls’ life-long skills throughout their time at Hillview, whether this be through the specialised mentor school in Kent. J Harman, Parent system, within their education or through the Students learn within a extensive opportunities available to every child. A school experience is more than just the classroom focussed, engaging and learning, therefore we encourage our students to take an active part in the wider school life environment, which combines through engagement in clubs, trips, competitions and fundraising for local, national and international the right mix of knowledge, skills and charities. Our high-flying performing arts specialism techniques, enabling our students to flourish as achieves exceptional standards within both the performance and production arts. With direct links independent learners. We do place high into industry and higher education, our students expectations on our students in their learning and attitudes to work and each other. Our behaviour system actively supports the students to develop the key skills that employers desire and enable them to achieve highly within their exam courses. Each child’s needs are addressed through the personalised approach our school takes to support the individual, resulting in happy, successful students. I look forward to welcoming you to our vibrant, exciting school and developing our future working partnership to support your child in the next stage of their education. Hilary Burkett Headteacher www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

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03 Inspiring a passion for achievement As one of the top-performing non-selective schools in Kent, we have high expectations of all our students. Progress and attainment are consistently high and we have a long-standing track record of success. Our dedicated, passionate teachers We support the development of inspire students through creative, independent young women who are fun and well-crafted lessons that curious about the world around them, contain the right levels of challenge confident to take risks and push and support. boundaries in a way that will equip This ensures that students can them for the challenges of the modern develop a rich portfolio of skills, world within and beyond education. knowledge and confidence to help The vast majority of our students stay them achieve their personal best. at Hillview for their post-16 education We believe in the Pure Potential of where they study and are successful in every child and actively a broad range of courses develop the skills of the suited to their varied individuals to unlock interests. their potential for A high level of the future. High levels academic Our students’ of expectation success ensure that many go futures are limitless and and aspiration on to study at we encourage Russell Group them to reach Ofsted 2018 universities. for the stars. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

04 There’s a good balance of care for students, discipline and an ethos of nurtured academia. Year 7 Parent www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

05 Hillview is a happy, purposeful environment where students can feel confident and secure. At the heart of our success is the care we offer our students. We understand that the transition to secondary school can seem daunting, so we have a structured transition programme and work closely with our local primary schools and parents to ensure that students who join us in Year 7 feel at home and settle into the school quickly. Achievements are recognised and praised regularly and we have a strong rewards culture, which enhances learning and performance throughout the school. Behaviour is excellent and we have very high expectations with regard to discipline and respect for others. Personal Development Learning (PDL) lessons are an important part of the curriculum and help build decision- making skills, self-assurance and self-discipline. Taught by specialist teachers, these lessons include personal, social, health and economic studies. We are proud of our pastoral support and student welfare provision at Hillview. Students’ mentors are usually the first point of contact, but our wider pastoral team and highly experienced teachers, dedicated SENDCO and support staff are all on hand to ensure that they are supported, both academically and psychologically. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

06 This is a caring, supportive school. Students enjoy coming to school. The respectful and harmonious ethos permeates the school community. OFSTED 2013 ‘I have been very impressed with the time and attention given to the transition process, which has been extremely helpful in enabling my daughter to settle quickly’. Year 7 Parent www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

07 Nurturing imagination and innovation With specialist Performing Arts status, Hillview School for Girls is a recognised leader in Performing Arts provision and holds the prestigious Artsmark Platinum Award from Arts Council England. Our subject experts have a proven track record of delivering imaginative, engaging lessons, as well as producing a wide range of annual shows, musicals, concerts and exhibitions, to professional standards. At Hillview, we actively look for opportunities to engage with a range of practitioners within the Performing Arts industry, offering students unique experiences and qualifications to expand their knowledge, confidence and passion. Our extensive range of extra-curricular activities and clubs, supports working across the full age range in the school and develops students’ skills and nurtures their talent. Drama Drama allows students the freedom to explore issues and themes in a safe environment, while harnessing performance skills which are transferable, assisting students with presentations, speaking, listening, and social interaction. Drama is the platform from which students can raise their self-esteem and confidence, while empathising with characters’ situations and predicaments. It allows young people to become secure, thoughtful and compassionate and to adapt and thrive in any environment. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

Dance 08 Students at Hillview thrive and flourish Music academically and socially because of the well-rounded education we offer in Music develops self-expression, which Dance plays a vital role. Dance teamwork skills and a capacity to lessons excite and challenge students understand and express ideas and as well as enabling them to develop feelings. It also enables students to essential skills for the workplace and develop an awareness of other beyond. Dance can awaken a zest for cultures and traditions. The teaching learning which often translates of the key areas of musicianship such through to many other subjects and as composing, performing, listening strongly contributes to mental and and appraising supports the physical well-being. development of the whole student. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

09 Wide-ranging and stimulating curriculum Every student at Hillview has the opportunity to gain a high-quality education through the provision of a rich and exciting range of subjects. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

It’s good to be part of a forward-thinking school that is focused on producing confident, well-educated girls ready to face an ever- changing future. Our diverse curriculum Personalised support and guidance is allows students of all given when students are choosing from Caroline Ross, abilities to develop their the broad range of GCSE options we Year 7 Parent competencies in accordance offer. with their interests and emerging We value the breadth that the EBACC ambitions. offers. However, we also value the As well as studying the core subjects student’s right to study courses that are of English, Mathematics and Science, appropriate for them, their skills and students joining Hillview at KS3 will their career aspirations. We, therefore, learn French, Spanish, as well as offer our students one of the broadest History, Geography, P.E., Dance, Drama, choices of GCSE options seen in schools Art, Textiles, Personal Development locally. With a detailed knowledge of our Learning and Food Technology. students, our teachers monitor Careers provision is also integrated attainment regularly and provide into the curriculum and students are individual feedback and guidance to given the opportunities to explore ensure that no one is left behind. varying careers and access unique We ensure that all students receive opportunities to engage with and the right level of support and challenge learn from different speakers and for their needs. specialists from across the breadth of Our aim is to create curious and the working world. Students receive active learners who will go on to one-to-one advice from our specialist become well-rounded citizens, able to Careers Advisor. flourish in today’s increasingly We appreciate that every student is knowledge-based, interconnected unique, so we allow our students to world. We achieve this through our personalise their curriculum in Year 9 approaches to teaching, learning and through our accelerated curriculum, behaviour, but also through extra- which supports breadth but encourages curricular activities and trips, our personalisation, preparing students for attitude to pastoral care, student choosing their GCSE options. leadership and our whole-school ethos. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

I1n1 dividuality Celebrating ourunique qualities Leadership and responsibility Students are actively involved in helping to shape the school. Through the Student Council, students are able to represent their peers on the key issues that affect them, whilst others might apply to become school ambassadors or subject ambassadors. In the Sixth Form, we also offer the opportunity for students to stand for Head Boy and Head Girl, to become a Prefect or a member of the Student Leadership Team. Community work Through learning communities, students are responsible for organising a variety of fundraising initiatives throughout the year. These range from bring-and-buy sales to Leadership donations and enterprise projects & Responsibility that involve the local community. We also have a long-standing connection with the village of Kabubbu in Uganda and have raised funds Extra- Community for the Quicken Trust charity to enable Curricular Work Hillview students and staff to visit and support the cause several times over the past five years. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

12 It is always a great pleasure to visit the school and I always come away feeling invigorated after seeing so much enthusiasm and drive within your young charges. Former Year 11 Parent Extra-curricular With over 80 extra-curricular clubs, competing against professional trips skiing, Naples and Venice. there is something to spark every cheer teams. We also have a wide A range of outside speakers and interest. Our cheerleading team is range of sports clubs – from gymnastics workshops are organised each term too. particularly popular and recently won to handball, netball and hockey. Hillview have continued to work in all categories in the School National Other clubs range from Langauges to internationally with the Erasmus Plus, Championships. Fashion, to Film, Duke of Edinburgh, Art which enables six European schools Another trip was to Disneyland, and Philosophy and, of course, these to collaborate and become involved in Paris where our ‘Hillstars’ took second are complemented by a range of trips cultural exchanges and the sharing of and third place in their categories and visits each term; including recent best practice. www.hillview.kent.sch.uk

0113 Welcome from the Headteacher It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to are able to access unique experiences and secure Hillview School for Girls; a highly successful their future progression within this challenging non-selective girls’ school with a thriving mixed field. All students benefit from the confidence, Sixth Form in the heart of Tonbridge. creativity and resilience that the performing arts At Hillview we believe in the Pure Potential of instil and use these essential transferable skills every child to be the very best that they can be. As to secure success across their an educational provider we offer quality teaching, a studies, within their interests focussed learning environment and strong pastoral and in preparation for the support to enable every child in being successful in world of work. “Hillview offers the their studies and in their lives. Our role is not just Hillview School for complete package; to ensure that our students achieve good grades Girls is recognised as but on the well-being of the child and ensuring that one of the top excellent academic and our students are able to move onto their desired performing non- teaching facilities careers pathways. We believe very passionately selective schools in combined with brilliant about the care that we offer our students and are Kent and is the pastoral care.” widely recognised for this support and care; with highest achieving non-selective girls’ Building aour PDL lessons offering a unique and specialist programme of study, in preparation for growing up and moving out into the world beyond education. “Hillview helps us to lead safe lives” supportiveA Hillview student is confident, aspirational, school in Kent. J Harman, Parent Students learn within a focussed, engaging environment, which combines the right mix of knowledge, skills and independence, work ethic and techniques, enabling our students to flourish as employability. independent learners. We do placeWhieghhave developed a very resilient and determined. Our dedicated, passionate staffing body supports each individuals’ environmentpersonal development, from their first steps through the school gates to when they leave at the expectations on our students in tshuecircleesasrfnuinl gpeaenrdmentoring system, so end of their Sixth Form studies. Students develop attitudes to work and each other.tOhautrtbheehraeviisoureral trust between life-lWonegasrkeillasnthinroculugshivoeutscthheoior lt.imEveeartyHillvieLwea, der ofsyCsotemmmaucntiitvyelaynsdupmpeoerttss the studsetnutdsetnotsdeavnedloaplso between students whinedthiveirdtuhailscboeutnhtrsoautghHtilhlveiespwe,csioaliisteids menwtoerekly fothr easkseeymsbkillyls. that employers desiraenadnsdtaefnf.able syismtepmo,rwtaintht itnhtahteeirveedryuocnateiofneeolrs tihnrtoeuggrahl the Withintohuermketoy ascthagieevevehritgihcalyl within theirWexeamwocorkurinseps.artnership with parents exttoentshievewoidpeprorHtuilnlvitieiews acvoamilambulenittoy:evaery chmilde.nAtorinEgascyhsctehmildt’shneereediss aarseeandsdereosfsed athnrdouegnhcotuherage them to be involved scphaorotl oefxpsoermieentcheinisgmbiogr.e than just the classmrouotmual repsepresoctnaalnisdedcaarpep. rOouacrhkeoyur schoowl tiatkhetshteoschool. and Oleuarrntihnrge,ethceormefmoruenwiteieesn; cAouusrtaegne, our stusdtaegnetsverstiucpapl osrytsttheeminsduipvpidouratsl,:resulting in hRaepgpuyl,ar communications include toHtaekpebaunrnacatnivdeWpaersttwinotohed wfoidrmertshcehool life KS3: Tshueccdeesvsefluolpsmtuednetntosf. the parent consultation evenings, a weekly thbroausgishoefnoguargekmeyensttaigneclmubesn,ttorrips, competitiinodnespendenI tlosoukcfcoerswsfaurdl atnodwhealcpopmy ing yonuetwo soluertter, reports, contact with your angdrofuunpdinragissianngdfoarlslooclaeln, ndaatiocnoaml paentditiinvteernaletiaornnaelr. vibrant, exciting school and develdoapuingghtoeurr’s mentor and other cheadrigtieest.o the sporting and rewards KS4: Tfhuetubraelawnocrekionfgspuaprptnoerrtsahnipdto supinpfoorrtmyoautiron events. Oacutirvhitigiehs-ftlhyiantgwpeerpfoarrtmicinipgaatertsinspecialismchallengechinildprinepthareinngexftorsttahgee of their educOatuiorna.ctive, friendly Parent Teacher acthhierovuesgheoxcuetptthioenyaelasrt.andards within both tchheallenge of GCSEs. Association holds regular meetings, perfEoarmchanocfethanesdepgroroduupctsioisnlaerdtsb.yWaith direct liKnSks5: THheiglarorwythBinutorakdeutltthood, which all parents are invited to join. into industry and higher education, our students Headteacher wwwwww.h.hillivlliveieww.k.ekennt.ts.cschh.u.ukk

14 The sense of community, mutual support and nurture within the school is obvious and a real credit to the staff. Year 11 Parent

Hillview School for Girls Brionne Gardens Tonbridge Kent TN9 2HE SAT NAV Postcode: TN9 2DQ T: 01732 352793 E: [email protected] www.hillview.kent.sch.uk  @HillviewSchool  @HillviewSchool