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| Fisher Street, TQ4 5EW Paignton 01803 557077
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| Tower House School
Tower House School is an independent non-selective, co-educational day school set in the heart of Torbay. Conveniently close to train and bus stations, the school takes pupils from Torbay and the South Hams.
Our Environment
Throughout the school a warm friendly 'family' atmosphere pervades. Self-confidence and self-esteem flourish in an environment that is supportive, intellectually challenging and rewarding. Positive social behaviours allow highly productive work and encourage full participation in all aspects of school life. We welcome hard working pupils of all abilities, knowing that our very low 'pupil to teacher ratio' maximises contact time and potential. Pupils are taught how to think for themselves, how to develop themselves and how to share their successes.
Entry Policy
The school educates children from the age of two and a half to sixteen and entry can be made at any age. Scholarships are available in the senior school for those who can offer excellence in various areas, which can support the school in its aims to achieve academic, social and community regard.
Academic Achievement
The school's reputation is sustained by our outstanding academic achievements at all levels. This can be evidenced by the consistently excellent results at National Curriculum Stages, County Selection Procedure tests and GCSE. Our value added score, places us among the best schools in the country.
Support
Pupils are helped in their day-to-day school life by each other, by pro-active tutoring, mentoring, excellent communication with home and a system of prefects. Special emphasis is placed on good citizenship, consideration and respect for others. Tolerance is an aim of our education, an aim we achieve. Pupils are safe, treated as individuals and trusted.
More than just lessons
Tower House is a small school in which everyone is involved. The bell may ring at 3.40pm but that does not mark the end of the day, instead the beginning of sport, productions, visits, clubs and community activities. Every pupil is part of the extra curricular programme. |
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Aim
Our aim at Tower House Junior School is to provide the widest possible education where self motivation and the desire to learn is essential. Academic work is encouraged throughout the school, but this is combined with the oppurtunity to develop in a small caring community and a warm family atmosphere. To this end our children leave us happy, self confident, well- mannered young people who have respect for others.
The Curriculum
We rigorously follow the National curriculum, but this is combined with the best of traditional methods. We use National tests from Year 2 to monitor the progress of our pupils in preparation for SATS and 11+ examinations. The structured timetable is based on both core and foundation subjects and they are kept under constant review. The small classes allow for the individual development of the children and enables the teachers to know their pupils and give them the help and attention they require.
Extra Curricular Activities
Participation in a variety of activities is encouraged, from an early age. Music plays a big part in the life of the Junior school and children learn to play many instruments supported by peripatetic teachers, or they can join the choir. In drama all the children are included in at least one production a year, join a drama club or have special lessons for LAMDA examinations. In addition to this, the dedicated staff provide an interesting and varied programme every term to widen their experiences, these include:-
- Dancing
- Chess
- Origami
- Art
- Theatre
- Skiing
- Gymnastics
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- Gardening
- Sewing
- Football
- Netball
- Fencing
- Board games
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Pastoral Care
Individuals are important to us and we aim to give them positive encouragement during their school life to help them develop in confidence and self esteem. The school is non denominational but firmly based on Christian principles, where discipline is firm and there are high moral standards with a care and concern for others.
Links with Parents
We strongly value links with parents who are welcome in school at anytime. There are three parent meetings a year and two written reports to assess their children's progress. In addition, Parents at Tower House support the school in many ways organising social and fund raising events. What is most important in our school is the warm family atmosphere where the children feel safe, secure and happy. |
| Within the Senior Department, we are proud of the high standards of the pupils both academically and socially. The school's reputation is first class and is sustained by the maintenance of high standards and values. Pupils are helped by our excellent communication with home, our prefect and mentoring systems and pro-active tutoring. The range of subjects on offer is wide for a small school and our GCSE courses are compatible with national requirements. Most pupils subsequently transfer to local 6th forms to study 'A' levels before going onto university.
We recognise the value of offering a wide variety of extra curricular activities. Every pupil can achieve in some area, whether it be sport, music, drama or art. Such achievement helps pupils gain confidence and produce a positive attitude towards life and they achieve not only in their results but also in their contribution to the warm and friendly atmosphere found throughout the school.
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded in the seniors. Academic awards are gained by performance in the county selection procedure or by the school's internal assessments. In addition, scholarships may be available in sport, music and drama.
Many letters are received by the school from grateful parents during the course of a year and this quote from such a letter, eloquently summarises the aims and purpose of the Senior Department;
I would like to thank you and your dedicated staff for all the help and support that has been bestowed on my daughter during her time at Tower House. I particularly want to thank you for giving her the opportunity to fulfil her potential, she has transformed from a child with low self-esteem and confidence, to a confident, successful and outgoing young lady with supportive and loyal friends. My daughter was given unconditional support and encouragement especially over the last six months when exam pressure was having a bad effect on her. She has however come out of this positively and I am very proud to have her as a daughter and as a friend, who is caring and altruistic. | |
| Overview
This year's results at GCSE were outstanding with 86% of pupils gaining 5 or more A*-C grades and a subject pass rate at the exceptionally high level of 86%. A more revealing statistic however is the recently included 'Value Added Measure', which records the progress made by students during their secondary education. Since the measure's inception, Tower House has been placed among the leading schools both locally and nationally. In addition Key Stage 3 results are excellent with well over 90% of pupils achieving the government's required standard or above in Mathematics, English and Science tests. These results are especially pleasing in the light of our non-selective entry policy.
We are pleased to inform you that the results at GCSE continue to be excellent. Tower House School is, by policy, a non-selective school and taking this into consideration the number of A*-C passes are exceptional.
The graph shows how the number of A*-C passes is on the increase at Tower House. The starting point of 65% is 12% above Torbay's best ever average figure of 53%, 2005's score was an impressive 36% above Torbay's average.
A comparison graph of Tower House School with other non-selective Torbay schools.
At Tower House the percentage for 5 higher grade passes, including English and Mathematics is 78% compared to a national figure of 44%. The overall percentage of 5 or more A*-C grades was 89%.
We are delighted with these results that lead to Tower House School being placed well within the top 25% of all schools nationally for our 'Value Added'. This is a measure that places a numerical value on the progress of pupils as they move through the Key Stages.
National Curriculum Results 2006
Key Stage 1 - % at each level
Levels |
W* |
1 |
2C |
2B |
2A |
3 |
Speaking & Listening |
0 |
8 |
77 |
15 |
Reading Comp |
8 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
77 |
Writing Spelling |
8 |
8 |
0 |
15 |
62 |
8 |
Mathematics |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
69 |
Science |
0 |
8 |
23 |
69 |
*W represents pupils who are working towards Level 1 but have not yet achieved the standards needed for Level 1.
Key Stage 2 - % at each level
Levels |
Below Level 3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
English |
0 |
0 |
44 |
56 |
Mathematics |
0 |
17 |
44 |
39 |
Science |
0 |
6 |
44 |
50 |
Year 6 2006 - % pupils passing County Selection Procedures = 78%
These results are impressive and are possible because of our learner centred philosophy, and the hard work and support of staff, pupils and parents. In addition to outstanding academic achievements, Tower House School continues to offer a full range of extra curricular activities which are also important in helping pupils to succeed at Tower House School. |
| Physical Education at Tower House School
Tower House School provides a framework for success in a variety of physical activities. Children are introduced to a wide range of sports including swimming and skiing and have the opportunity to play in teams where a team spirit of sportsmanship and courtesy is fostered. Every pupil is given the opportunity to participate and to compete in sports against other schools. Emphasis is on multi-skill development throughout all key stages. The School maintains a firm belief in upholding high standards of sportsmanship and displaying respect for others in a competitive environment.
The School site has a gymnasium and tennis courts. Extensive use is made by the school of Torbay Leisure Centre with all its facilities as a major public sports centre. For example, this allows juniors to swim every week throughout their time in school, squash to be played and use of a floodlit astro turf full size soccer pitch. There are strong links to Paignton Sports College and Churston Grammar School. Soccer, hockey, rugby, netball, basketball and gymnastics form the core of taught sports. Co-educational clubs, which enhance social skills include trampolining, soccer, dance, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, skiing, basketball and table tennis.
What pupils say about sport at Tower House:
The sport is really good in our school. We have great sporting facilities such as the trampoline. We normally go to Clennon Valley sport centre for our games. I am in most of our sports teams. We play football, rugby and lots of others. The teacher helps us to learn about different things. We always have a good time in sport and we always enjoy ourselves. |
The sports at Tower House School are a great way to get fit and to interact with other people. |
Sport is great fun especially netball. Netball is my favourite subject of sport, as I was in a netball team with my friends which I found GREAT FUN! The teachers support the team all the way through matches, whether you win or lose. | |
| Extra Curricular activities
Outdoor and adventure activities form part of the extra curricular programme and provide variety to traditional sports. The programme changes every term and some of the most popular activities include: dancing, chess, origami, board games and fencing. We endeavour to give the children the opportunity to try as many activities as possible.
Participation in a variety of activities is encouraged, from an early age. Children are introduced to a wide range of sports including canoeing, surfing and skiing and have the opportunity to play in teams where a spirit of sportsmanship and courtesy is fostered. Some of the activities on offer are: An annual surf trip to Cornwall for years 10 and 11, a biannual skiing trip for seniors, an annual activity week in June for all juniors and an annual camping and walking expedition in Dartmoor National Park.
Music plays a big part in the life of the school, where children learn to play many instruments supported by peripatetic teachers, or they can join the choir. In drama all the children are included in at least one production a year, join a drama club or have special lessons for LAMDA examinations.
In addition to this the dedicated staff provide an interesting and varied programme. |
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