We are delighted to be becoming co-ed from January 2024 in Reception through to Year 3, as well as in our popular Little Acorns Pre-School for children from the age of 3. Girls will then continue to progress through the school in future years.
The Solefield system works.
Although largely non-selective, we feed some of the best grammar and independent schools in the country and enjoy a 95% pass at 11+, with over 70% of these accepted to the local super-selective grammars. Our tailored lessons and small class sizes mean that we can give individualised activities, feedback and targets, working very closely with pupils and parents. Staff are hardworking, dedicated and experts in their field.
We work in partnership with parents.
Breakfast Club, After School Care and our fun, small holiday camps run by Solefield staff mean that parents can trust their children are looked after well while they are at work. We are transparent, honest and supportive in giving feedback regarding progress and future schools. Our regular anonymous surveys at Solefield for parents, pupils and staff enable us to improve areas of school-life and act on constructive feedback. As well as commenting on the excellent communication from the school, parents in all years consistently report that their sons are engaged in the classroom, have a love of learning and are encouraged to aim high. 100% of parents. Without exception.
Education professionals will know the name Professor John Hattie and his work on pupil engagement and learning. March 2023 saw the release of his new work, ‘Visible Learning: The Sequel’.
The latest research carried out by John Hattie is based on 2,100 meta-analyses over 40 years, drawing from more than 130,000 studies and involving more than 400 million students worldwide. The culmination of his work suggests that engaging teaching is the main factor to impact student learning.
Professor Hattie said schools must look to “changing the culture of education so that teachers are excited about teaching, and students are excited and engaged in learning”.
He says, “Every child can learn, can grow, and can be taught to love learning. The most important thing a teacher can do is to have high expectations for all students and to see differences as opportunities to learn in different ways, and to teach students to welcome the challenge to aim high".
Developing a love of learning.
Developing this love of learning along with the ambition to aim high and to make mistakes safely are key at Solefield. As a Thinking School, all members of the Solefield community share a common commitment to giving regular, careful thought to everything that takes place. This involves learning how to think reflectively, critically and creatively. Pupils, across a wide range of abilities, demonstrate independent and co-operative learning skills, high levels of achievement, and enjoyment of learning.
Benefits are also shown in the ways in which all pupils and teachers show consideration for each other and in the positive psychological wellbeing of both students and staff.
Lessons are varied, exciting, differentiated and adapted to individual strengths. Pupils in small classes of under 16 pupils enjoy VR headsets, practical experiments, a STEM curriculum and computing, French, Music, Drama and Art lessons with subject specialists from their very first few weeks with us. Sport, excellent food, lots of extra clubs, a beautiful library space and passion for reading, judo and chess lessons within the timetable and lots of love and care from staff who are academically ambitious for each child complete the picture.
Professor Hattie also acknowledges the huge impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of children and teachers and that it has highlighted the link between social and emotional wellbeing and learning.
Safeguarding mental health and wellbeing.
With our wellbeing curriculum, wellbeing dogs, bespoke emotional health lessons and strong pastoral care, we are one of the few schools in the country to hold the National Wellbeing Award for Schools, fulfilling rigorous, external criteria and audits to remain a leader in this important field
