With our ‘exam year’ pupils now well advanced through the summer exams series, we are very proud of the way in which they have approached the demands of the examinations. These will proceed for the next few weeks, until Friday 23rd June, and we keep all of our exam pupils in our prayers.
In the April blog, we mentioned our pupil entitlement charter! This is a set of commitments that Bishop Vaughan makes to its learners, setting out experiences and opportunities we commit to offering the pupils in our care during their time with us in the school. The Pupil Voice group collaborated on putting these commitments together, and staff throughout the school contributed similarly. The pupils reflected on the experiences that the school has offered them that they have valued and then they worked together to shape the entitlement charter to ensure that all future pupils of the school are offered the same opportunities.
Ultimately, the commitments made are intended to ensure that our pupils have access to a wide range of activities, extending their exposure to the arts and to cultural experiences, giving them opportunities to develop interests and skills that will enhance their lives long after they have left school. They are intended to build cultural capital and to develop their knowledge of the local area, of Wales more widely and of the world.
The entitlement charter currently commits to ensuring that pupils of Bishop Vaughan will, during the time from Years 7-11, have opportunities to:
Participate in Acts of Worship, including Mass, regularly at school
Learn a new language
Visit a local beach and a local castle
Learn to play a musical instrument
Attend a music concert and hear music performed live
Take part in a school production
Sing as part of a choir
Create artwork in a variety of mediums
Meet authors and read books of their choice, and have ready access every day to both borrowing and buying books in their time at the school
Be involved in charitable events
Keep fit and healthy by accessing extra-curricular sports and the school gym, as well as through participating in PE lessons
Take part in a residential trip or sports tour
Attend a workshop or masterclass in an area of interest
Try healthy foods and develop healthy lifestyles
Represent the school, whether in sports, in a team such as the debating team or as a member of a pupil group such as the School Council
Access a very wide range of clubs and societies to develop their skills and interests
Celebrate the end of their time at BVS together.
It’s likely that we will make two or three further additions to the charter before publishing the version for the new academic year in September 2023. We welcome further suggestions from pupils, parents and carers!
Mrs Pole
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