Shenley Academy

The very best schools allow students to feel safe, enjoy learning and great enrichment opportunities, and ensure that all students can achieve their full potential. Shenley Academy does just that. Ask any student and they will tell you that they love coming to school, and are excited about the future which Shenley offers them. Our motto: ‘inspire, aspire, achieve’ underpins all that we do to support our students to gain confidence, grow and succeed throughout their time with us. Our success is built upon a foundation of strong relationships between all members of our community. We all share the same goal: the very best education for our students, to give them the brightest futures.

With first rate facilities and a huge 37 acre site we enjoy both indoor and outdoor learning spaces; complemented by the calm and orderly environment which our polite and well-mannered students create, we know that Shenley Academy is a truly inspiring place in which to grow and learn.

At Shenley Academy students develop their self-confidence, are given the chance to shine, and understand that individual and collective endeavour is rewarded. All Shenley students know that hard work will lead to good examination results, and that they will demonstrate resilience, kindness, integrity, respect, self-belief and altruism in their daily and future lives.

This dictum guides all we do. We have achieved a great deal since we opened as an academy. We know that hard work and very good examination results are essential, but life at Shenley Academy is also about having the chance to shine, make a contribution to our community, broaden horizons through offering experiences and opportunities outside the classroom and cultivating the values of respect, resilience, altruism, kindness, integrity and self-belief.

We support this growth through our broad and balanced curriculum offer and our character education programme known as Shenley Horizons. Through Shenley Horizons we develop students’ resilience, kindness, integrity, respect, self-belief and altruism. Students learn and develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need for the future across a broad range of subjects. Lessons are designed to inspire and engage students, whilst at the same time ensuring that they are fully prepared to be successful in achieving the qualifications they need for the future.

We have the highest aspirations for all our students and they are constantly challenged to achieve their best. Lessons are typified by students actively learning, through individual, paired and group work tasks, but also through direct instruction and demonstration from teachers. As well as supporting students’ academic progress, the all-round experience at the academy develops the character and personal qualities needed for life. Lessons aim to instil a lifelong interest and appreciation of areas such as sport and the arts, whilst our Shenley Horizons character programme supports the development of our six virtues; Respect, resilience, self-belief, altruism, integrity and kindness.

Students who are identified as being more able are routinely provided with additional “stretch and challenge” during lessons and as part of our enrichment programme. They are set aspirational targets and are supported in achieving excellence through differentiated teaching, activities and resources. In year 10, a group of students is currently taking part in TalentEd, which combines qualified teachers and small groups, in after school sessions, to raise aspiration and improve academic attainment.

The Inclusion team work closely with all staff to ensure students with complex/ additional needs are well catered for. Staff are kept informed of all students’ needs and the best strategies to support students effectively. Some students with Literacy and/ or Numeracy needs are withdrawn from lessons and are supported through targeted intervention. These are small group sessions where students can access the additional support they may need. All students’ progress is carefully monitored to ensure every student reaches their full potential.