Coppice Performing Arts School

Coppice Performing Arts School is an 11-18 age range mixed community comprehensive including a resource base for students with moderate learning difficulties. It is situated in a socially diverse catchment area on the North East of Wolverhampton. There are extensive playing fields, a Drama theatre and Dance studio. The school has initiated and managed a number of funded extended school programmes within the local community. The recent installation of an all-weather synthetic surface flood-lit sports pitch and synthetic cricket wicket has greatly enhanced the facilities.

Currently 916 students (133 at Post-16) are on roll, and there are 127 members of staff (including teaching and support staff). Coppice is over-subscribed – in recent years there have been far more first preference choices for Year 7 than there are places. The atmosphere in school is tangibly friendly and relaxed but has an underlying orderly and disciplined structure; the students are therefore well behaved, cheerful and hardworking.

The school works closely with its partner primary schools with which there are strong, extensive collaborative ties. Formal collaborative links also exist at 14-19, where the school supports city-wide curricular initiatives, such as the Diplomas, as well as working in partnership with other providers to offer work related learning options. In other ways the school looks outside to develop and extend curriculum opportunities and to provide choice and diversity for all its students.

Coppice was designated as a Performing Arts school in September 2003. This has extended the range of opportunities for all students, and enhanced partnerships with local schools and community groups. The school’s wide range of performance activities in dance, drama and music has impacted positively on both the local community and across the city as Coppice’s reputation for high quality small, medium and large scale performance events has spread. At a local level, the school generally, and its performing arts specifically, is very much seen as a beacon of light. The support the school receives from the community it serves is considerable.

Each year the school undertakes a musical production. In 2009 it was ‘Fame’ which received many letters of praise and support. The 2010 production was 'Footloose' with 'Our House' chosen for 2011.

In Years 7 & 8, students follow an integrated, skills-based curriculum with subjects taught thematically 1½ days a week in Year 7 and 4 lessons a week in Year 8.

At Key Stage 3 students follow courses in English, Maths, balanced Science, Music, Drama, Dance, PE, Art, Modern Foreign Languages, Geography, History, RE, ICT, and Technology.

At Key Stage 4 students follow a core programme of English Language/Literature, Maths, Science, ICT, PE, RE & Citizenship (Year 11), Social Sciences (Year 10) and options from Performing Arts, Technology, History, Geography, Btecs and Work Related courses. Students may also opt for a Diploma course.

Many Post-16 students continue their studies into Further Education. A wide range of courses are available, leading to certification at A level and Btecs Level 2 and Level 3. We work mainly in collaboration with 2 other local high schools and work-related providers to offer a wide choice of post-16 options.

The school has shown consistent improvement in its overall examination results and in the 5+ A-C % rate over the past five years. Our 2009 results were fantastic with 83% of students achieving 5+ A*-C grades, and 99% achieving 5 A* - G. These far exceeded the Local Authority average.

As part of the school's inclusive approach, the less able students follow both COPE and EXPLORER, which are geared to enable them to achieve a minimum five D – G grades at GCSE.

In September 2009, the school introduced Vertical Tutoring to create a sense of a ‘family’ atmosphere, and improve the support, care and guidance students receive about their learning. The school is divided into 4 ‘Houses’: Moseley, Wightwick, Bantock and Chillington. Each House has 12 forms and each form consists of students from Years 7 – 13 who meet daily at Academic Tutorials. This allows students to make strong links with other year groups, promotes peer mentoring and sharing of experience. The Vertical Tutoring has already proved to be extremely successful.

The school has the Artsmark Gold award and Investors in People standard. Coppice is also involved in the successful Sport in the Community programme, with a coordinator placed in school 2 days a week.

The schools runs a cashless catering system which uses biometric technology.

The OFSTED Inspection report (November 2008) described Coppice Performing Arts as ‘a good school with many outstanding features’; Care, guidance & support is outstanding, as is Personal Development & Wellbeing, Curriculum & other activities, and Leadership & Management; Teaching and Learning are good; Students have a positive attitude towards school; They feel safe in and around the school; Student’s personal development is outstanding; the school continues to improve at a good rate.

The school has sought ways to increase the ways in which both students and parents might contribute to the running of the school. Regular and wide-ranging surveys are commissioned, such as voice of the student, parent and community. Feedback is used to inform future planning. Students also have access to the decision-making process through the School Council. Governors are also invited to take on the role of link governor for a number of curriculum areas, and then write reports about their experiences which are presented to the governing body. Parents also work in a voluntary capacity in school to support students’ learning, whilst others have taken up paid posts as lunchtime supervisors, teaching assistants, clerical staff, exam invigilators and catering staff.

The school's sixth form works in collaboration with Wednesfield High School, in which a number of subjects are shared between the two schools.