About the School
Coppice Performing Arts School is an 11-18 age range mixed community comprehensive including a resource base for students with moderate learning difficulties.
Coppice is in the exciting construction phase of Building Schools for the Future and will be 'refurbished' with building work of £17million by Spring 2013. Our first phase new facilities become part of the school from Autumn 2011 and include a brand new Sports Hall and specialist science facilities. The next phase will see a state of the art theatre, drama and dance studios and music teaching and recording facilities, All parts of the school are benefiting from a full refurbishment, The huge investment will lead to not just a fantastic newly re-modelled school, but to the transformation of learning.
The school has shown consistent improvement in its overall examination results and in the 5+ A*-C % including English and Maths rate over the past five years. Our 2011 results were our best ever with 56% achieving 5+ A*-C including English and Maths and 88% of students achieving 5+ A*-C grades, 97% achieved 5 A*-G.
Currently 917 students (140 at Post-16) are on roll, and there are 120 members of staff (including teaching and support staff). Coppice is over-subscribed – in recent years there have been far more first preference choices for Year 7 than there are places. The atmosphere in school is tangibly friendly and relaxed but has an underlying orderly and disciplined structure; the students are therefore well behaved, cheerful and hardworking.
The school works closely with its partner primary schools with which there are strong, extensive collaborative ties. Formal collaborative links also exist at 14-19, where the school supports city-wide curricular initiatives, as well as working in partnership with other providers to offer work related learning options.
Coppice was designated as a Performing Arts school in September 2003. This has extended the range of opportunities for all students, and enhanced partnerships with local schools and community groups. The school's wide range of performance activities in dance, drama and music has impacted positively on both the local community and across the city as Coppice's reputation for high quality small, medium and large scale performance events has spread. At a local level, the school generally, and its performing arts specifically, is very much seen as a beacon of light. The support the school receives from the community it serves is considerable.
Each year the school undertakes a musical production. The 2011 production was 'Our House'. Due to its high level of success and popularity the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre have invited us to stage it at the theatre in January 2012.
In Year 7 students follow an integrated, thinking and skills-based curriculum via 'Learn to Learn through Humanities' developing our young students as independent learners. At Key Stage 3 students follow courses in English, Maths, Science, Music, Drama, Dance, PE, Art, Modern Foreign Languages, Geography, History, RE, ICT, and Technology.
At Key Stage 4 students follow a core programme of English Language/Literature, Maths, Science, PE, ICT, Social Studies and up to 4 option choices including GCSEs, BTECs and OCR Nationals.
Many Post-16 students continue their studies into Further Education. A wide range of courses are available, leading to certification at A level and BTECs Level 2 and Level 3. We work mainly in collaboration with 1 other local high school as well as participating in the city wide curriculum offer. Progression rates are very strong and NEET figures are minimal due to proactive ongoing IAG within school and with other agencies.
As part of our inclusive approach, our provision is personalised to enable students to follow both COPE and EXPLORER, which are geared to enable them to achieve a minimum five D – G grades at GCSE.
In September 2009, the school introduced Vertical Tutoring to create a sense of a 'family' atmosphere, and improve the support, care and guidance students receive about their learning. The school is divided into 4 'Houses'. Each House has 10 forms and each form consists of students from Years 7 – 13 who meet daily at Academic Tutorials. This allows students to make strong links with other year groups, promotes peer mentoring and sharing of experience. The Vertical Tutoring has proved to be extremely successful.
The OFSTED Inspection report (November 2008) shows that Coppice Performing Arts is "a good school with many outstanding features"; 'Care, guidance & support' is outstanding, as is 'Personal Development & Wellbeing', 'Curriculum & other activities', and 'Leadership & Management'; 'Teaching and Learning' are good; Students have a positive attitude towards school; They feel safe in and around the school; Student's personal development is outstanding; the school continues to improve at a good rate.