Science Teacher

Pastoral Support

The pastoral structure consists of four Houses, each with a Head of House.  Within each House there are six tutors who register pupils in mixed age groups of Year 7-Year 10 students.  The Year 11 students work in subject specific tutor groups.  This pastoral structure creates a family atmosphere, with each student knowing a number of students from other year groups.  It also offers a number of other benefits, including the opportunity for pupils in Year 10 to be given considerable responsibilities within their tutor group.

The tutor is at the heart of the pastoral system and is the person who monitors the progress of their pupils, and who deals with everyday matters.  Tutors also deliver one SMSC lesson, one literacy lesson and one numeracy lesson to their group each week.

Curriculum Organisation

On joining Marshland High School, pupils are divided into six teaching groups.  The Governors operate a policy in Key Stages 3 and 4 whereby the overall teacher:pupil ratio in any year group is around 1:27.  Thus, an intake of 162 pupils is given six teaching groups.  This policy ensures that teaching groups are not too large.

Heads of Department divide pupils into sets, these are either set by ability or mixed ability.  Where set by ability, larger sets of more able pupils may number up to 30, and smaller sets for less able pupils can contain as few as 22/23 pupils. This pattern continues throughout Years 8-11.

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum is constantly expanding to meet the individual needs of students.  This comprises the core subjects of English (2 GCSEs), Mathematics, Science (double & triple), together with four optional choices from Resistant Materials, Graphics, Food, Technology, French, German, Art, Drama, Music, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Catering, Business Studies, Computer Science, Child Development, Health and Social Care and PE.  We run some other non-GCSE vocational courses including Work Related Learning, ASDAN and Duke of Edinburgh Award and practical learning opportunities delivered in conjunction with the College of West Anglia.

The curriculum is delivered via three 100 minute lessons per day over a two week timetable.

Resources

The school enjoys the following specialist indoor facilities:

• 20 General Purpose Classrooms
• 6 modern Science Laboratories
• 8 Technology Bases 
• 4 Networked Computer Suites and 3 smaller “computer clusters”
• 1 Music Base and associated practice rooms
• 1 Drama Studio
• 1 School Hall and Dining Area
• 1 Sports Hall
• 1 Gymnasium
• 1 Heated Indoor Swimming Pool
• 1 Library/Resources Centre
• 1 Special Needs Base
• 1 Learning Suite

In addition to providing four computer suites which are supported by two full-time technicians, we have created departmental ICT facilities around the school.  There is also an ICT-dedicated area in the Library/Resources Centre.  All of our classrooms have interactive whiteboards and all teaching staff have computers, either laptops or classroom based PCs.  We also have one set of student laptop computers, which are used in Maths/English.

The area we serve

The school is situated in a rural setting, two miles north of Wisbech, and nine miles south west of King’s Lynn.  It draws pupils from a 40 square mile area stretching into north east Cambridgeshire.

The region has a strong horticultural base, but there has also been an increase in the number of small industrial units.  Self-employment is a marked feature of the area.

There has been a consistent pattern of migration towards East Anglia during the last two decades, though it is still classified as an area of ‘sparse population’.  Currently, about 20% of our pupils live in Wisbech, which is classified as a market town.  The remainder come from small villages, mostly within about six miles of the school.  Distances are such that over 60% of the pupils are provided with transport to and from school.  This does not appear to inhibit extra curricular activities greatly as most parents are supportive and recognise that in this area the car is essential to many aspects of family life, including education.

King’s Lynn and Wisbech are the nearest service centres with small theatres, Colleges of Further Education, major high street stores, museums and shopping centres.  The larger centres of Cambridge, Peterborough and Norwich are within an hour’s drive. 

In addition, the Norfolk coast and Sandringham are within easy driving distance.

West Norfolk, and especially the immediate local area, now has a very attractive pattern of house prices.