The Right Secondary School 2009
Barking Abbey - A Specialist Sports and Humanities College
Head Teacher: Mark Lloyd BA (Hons)
Open Morning and Evening was on Wednesday 1 October 2008, 5pm - 8pm (Sandringham Road) and Friday 3 October 2008, 9am - 11am (Longbridge Road)
Our school motto is: Ours is a school where everyone gives and expects the best and where everyone can say I belong.
Tradition of success
We have a long history of academic, cultural and sporting success.
Success in the classroom:
- High expectation for all students
- Key Stage 3 is taught over 2 years and Key Stage 4 is taught over 3 years, to increase opportunities for success for students aged 14 and over
- GCSE results that are well above the national average - 69.34% for 5 or more A* to C grades in 2007 and 61.54% for 5 or more A* to C grades including Maths and English
- An A level success rate that has been graded 'excellent' for its value-added
- Investors in People Award since 2002. Quotes from the 2008 inspection include "The culture and ethos of the school is reflected in the very positive comments from staff" and "everyone enjoys working in Barking Abbey School"
- A specialist sports college - awarded the Sportsmark Gold for the quality of this work
- A specialist school in 2 subject areas - we are also a specialist humanities college
- Schools' Achievement Award 2 years in a row
- Centres of Excellence at post-16 for boys' football, girls' football, boys' and girls' basketball, dance, table tennis, golf and netball
- Winner of the 2008 BECTA Excellence Award for Curriculum
- Awarded Sportsmark in 2007 for Exceptional Delivery with the National School Sports Strategy
- Recognised by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust as one of the 'Most Value-added Specialist Schools'
- Awarded the status of 'High Performing Specialist School'
- Links with employers, work-based learning and flexi-learning
Success with students:
- A support and guidance structure that sees every student as an individual in their own right, and gives time for them
- Active school councils to give students a 'voice' and a sense of responsibility
- Full guidance for each student in supporting their learning, with every student having an academic mentor
- A disciplined environment where students feel comfortable, secure and valued
- A commitment to getting rid of all forms of bullying
- Our own careers advisers to give students individual support and guidance
- Our own counsellor
- A Parent Support Adviser in school
Success beyond the classroom:
- A highly successful record in PE and Sport - National Champions in Football in 1994, 2000 and 2005, plus winners and finalists in many county and district competitions across a wide range of sports
- Basketball success nationally, links with colleges in the United States
- An extensive arts programme, including dance,drama and music productions as well as art exhibitions, and a partnership with the Royal Ballet School
- Outstanding and extensive music, drama, dance and art facilities in a new centre opened in 2004
- A leisure centre with large sports hall, a gymnasium, a fitness suite, a conference room, an outdoor floodlit netball and tennis courts. All of these facilities are available for Barking Abbey students before, during and after school
- A range of visits including sports tours, skiing, outdoor pursuits in France, and journeys both in the UK and abroad, from the First World War battlefields to Disneyland Paris
- Work experience for all students in Key Stage 4
Success in the sixth form:
- A large and successful sixth form of over 550 students
- 28 A Level subjects offered, as well as BTEC Firsts and BTEC Nationals
- Excellent opportunities for work out of school and in the community
- Extensive guidance on careers and applying for university
- A personal and social education programme for sixth form students
- A personal academic mentor
- Head boy, a head girl and a prefect system to encourage students to develop a sense of responsibility
- Opportunities to help with younger students
- An outstanding record of success in progression to higher education, including Oxford and Cambridge
- 85% of students in 2007 went into higher education
Success with parents and the community:
- Meetings with senior staff in the school at the end of Year 6, to develop a true partnership
- A series of 'Parent Link' evenings to help explain our expectations, standards and work from Years 7-11
- Immediate contact with parents if there are problems (for example, with homework) by using an email system which parents can use to contact staff
- An 'open-house' policy which invites parents to come to the school if they have concerns
- Parents' evenings for each group
- A yearly presentation evening for parents and students to celebrate achievement
- Awarded the Schools' Curriculum Award 2000 in recognition of the quality of our work with the community
- A yearly Christmas lunch for senior citizens and a monthly lunch club where students help to serve the meals
- Fundraising for local charities
- International links with India, Holland, Malawi, China, Kuwait and the United States
Our beliefs
- We insist on high standards of behaviour, uniform and respect for others
- We believe that it is important to develop children's personalities to give them the independence, confidence and strength of character that will allow them to be valuable and valued members of society long after they leave school
We see education as a lifelong process and expect parents and their children to be committed to a school career at Barking Abbey until at least the age of 17 or 18. We also expect most of our students to go university or college.
We are at the forefront of teaching and technology with our involvement in the government's ICT Test Bed Project. Our students are facing a wonderful future with new technologies.
Students are able to get access to their work from home using our website, and parents can track their child's progress, this gives everyone who works and learns at the school the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge needed for success in the 21st century.
Closest public transport
Buses - 5, 62
Underground - Upney and Barking Stations
Rail - Barking Station
