ABOUT US

BRGS is a very popular, selective, 11-18 Foundation school with a large Sixth Form. The school is situated on a hillside overlooking the Rossendale Valley in the village of Waterfoot, between Rawtenstall and Bacup.

The school aims to bring about the total development of all students, thus enabling them to grow into balanced and responsible adults.

We try to make the school a place where students can discover and develop their talents, interests and abilities to the full. They discover and adjust to their own limitations.

At BRGS students also learn to understand and respect the ideas and attitudes of others in order that all may live and work together in harmony.

Admission to the sixth form is by interview with the Director of Sixth Form. A place is available to all BRGS students who we feel can benefit from the courses offered and who achieve at least five GCSEs.

At the end of Year 11, some 95% of our pupils stay on for a further two years in the Sixth Form where they are joined by many students from other local schools at this stage. In the lower sixth, students choose to study four subjects at ‘AS’ level, completing three modular examinations in each subject during the year, in addition all students study Critical Thinking ‘AS’ level. Most students then continue with three of these subjects at ‘A2’ level in their upper sixth year. General Studies is available to all students in the upper sixth.

The sixth form represents a major step in a student’s development. A process of social and academic adjustment occurs as students are encouraged to read more widely, think more deeply and develop the skills of intellectual enquiry. Consequently, they mature very rapidly at this stage. Personalities develop and self-confidence grows. Sixth formers have the opportunity to become form prefects and to help look after junior forms during registration periods. It is our aim at BRGS to present a broad and balanced curriculum that will enable students to achieve their career ambitions. Staff, led by the Director of Sixth Form, Mr Elkington, take great care to advise and consult with parents and students on the academic options available.

The curriculum for students Years 7 to 9 (Key Stage 3) is broad and balanced, covering the traditional range of subjects with an emphasis on ICT, with all pupils taking that GCSE short course examination at the end of Year 9. In Years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4) pupils study double English, double award Science, Maths, one humanity, one modern foreign language, one technology and one from many subjects, all to full GCSE level. They also take the GCSE in RE and can opt to study Latin. The underlying philosophy of the BRGS curriculum is that pupils study a wide range of subjects before specialising in the Sixth Form.

Instrumental music tuition: Lessons are available to interested students, and parents should contact the Head of Music for further details.

Clubs, Societies and School Teams: There are many activities organised by school staff which take place either during lunchtime or out of school hours. These include school team sports, orienteering, musical groups, chess, subject clubs and Christian Union. A supervised ICT club runs every day before school from 8.00 a.m., at lunchtime and after school to 5.00 p.m.

Out and About: Surrounded by beautiful countryside, BRGS is ideally situated to encourage both an appreciation of the environment and a healthy interest in outdoor pursuits. All students are offered the chance of adventure and exploration through geography field trips and the school runs a very popular and successful Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme where pupils can pursue their personal development programme through bronze, silver and gold levels. School trips, both home and abroad, feature strongly throughout all year groups and are positively encouraged.