Your child will join a college upon entering the Academy and will remain within that college throughout years 7-10 at the Academy. In Year 11 and Sixth Form students are allocated to a year group-specific college. All aspects of support for academic progress and pastoral care will take place within the college.

The college your child is allocated will not imply that he/she has a particular aptitude or interest as all students have access to the same curriculum provision, choices and facilities irrespective of the college they join. Tutor groups from Year 7 to 10 are grouped vertically, with 3-4 students from each year group allocated to each. This `family grouping’ will provide your child with the opportunity to learn about leadership, responsibility and to take an active role in supporting and encouraging other students. It will also provide your child with a much broader knowledge and understanding of all aspects of Academy life.

The tutor acts as champion and mentor, offering encouragement and support. This promotes students’ confidence and helps forge a well-rounded and successful individual. We welcome close parental involvement and participation; and consider the on-going dialogue between a tutor, pupil and parents of great importance.

There are five colleges and each college is led by a College Leader. The colleges are: Bronte (Y11 only), Hawking, Newton, Pankhurst and Tull. Students in the Sixth Form make up their own college.

Student Services

Student services provide a full range of administrative support to colleges and curriculum areas as well as a point of contact for parents and students.

College Leaders along with our SEND and Safeguarding teams review the progress of students who are identified as requiring additional support to progress their learning. Their role is to offer support and guidance to staff, students and families regarding various issues affecting a student’s progress. We also have an Educational Psychologist who supports staff by providing advice in educational assessment and management of students, which may include diagnostic testing.

Students requiring additional emotional support have access to their College Learning Mentor. The mentors meet with students to discuss any worries or concerns they may have and work closely with the safeguarding team to refer students for appropriate support where needed.

We are also a ‘Thrive’ school and offer additional Thrive sessions with fully qualified staff. The Thrive approach is a dynamic and developmental and trauma/sensitive way of meeting the emotional and social needs of children.

We work with a range of external agencies including SOLAR, Forward Thinking Birmingham, the local NHS Mental Health Support Team, Young Carers, Aquarius and other agencies as appropriate.

More information is available on the Safeguarding and College pages of the website.