Frequently Asked Questions

In 2011, when partnership students move into Year 8, they will continue to be based at Graham School and will continue to access the resources available through timetable arrangements established in year 7. Similarly the 2011 cohort of year 7 students will be partnership students based on the Graham site.

Yes - We have already invested in Science, Maths and Business and Enterprise through our specialisms, for example the Maths department at Graham School is now housed in new state of the art accommodation with all rooms equipped with the latest technology. Similarly at Raincliffe the Business Centre has been a key feature. English has benefitted from increased investment and this will continue through the new plans. It is appropriate to balance these developments with the Arts since these provide all students with a range of opportunities to develop transferable skills e.g. communication, creativity, resilience and flexibility, which employers value in their employees. The proposals will allow us to develop a wider range of option choices and vocational routes for students which will equip them more effectively for the changes they will encounter in the world of work.

Initially it was not proposed to change the uniform for existing students, however following consultation with both students themselves and families, it was decided to adopt the Federation Uniform across Years 7-10.

For full details on all uniform changes, visit the uniform page.

Yes - the wider community will benefit by making the facilities available through our extended schools' provision. This will include primary school and other secondary schools, colleges and community organisations. The issue of transport is an important one and we will need to work in collaboration with the Borough and County Councils to improve access.

The partnership of the two schools is very much aware of the identity and heritage of both schools and will keep this at the forefront of its thinking throughout the planning process as we move forward. For example Graham School's links with the Sea Training School will be continued and Nautical Studies, which has changed over time, will continue to be an important part of the developing curriculum. We will look to build on the best qualities and traditions of both schools.

Both Graham and Raincliffe Schools have the well-being of all students at the forefront of everything they do. The recent Ofsted inspection of Graham School demonstrates this. The Governors and Staff of both schools are keenly aware of the heritage and ethos that each school brings to the partnership and will work to ensure this is impacts on the core values of the evolving partnership. The decision has been made to maximise the opportunities we have to invest in the development of the extended site for the benefit of all students. We will be consulting with all interested parties as we move towards September 2010 to ensure facilities and systems are in place to support the learning, achievement and well-being of all our students

The word 'Federation' describes a formal partnership where two schools have one governing body and one Executive Headteacher but with separate budgets. Federation enables Graham and Raincliffe Schools to develop a partnership for the benefit of all students without the complications a direct merger might cause.

We currently report to parents on student progress at least five times a year we do this through an annual long report and four progress interviews which tutors hold with individual students. Information from these interviews is communicated to parents through a short report. We are working to meet the Government target of real time On-line reporting in 2010. Our systems are being established and a focus group of parents will evaluate these in the next few months.

Whether students preference Raincliffe or Graham school will make no practical difference to their experience. They will all be based at Graham School and will be treated as one single year group. In order to better provide for their care and wellbeing they are likely to be organised into smaller groups (houses) made up of form groups. These form groups are likely to have a mixture of students who preferenced either school. There is no intention to refer to the original preference in any day to day matters that concern the students - they are all partnership students and this gives them their identity. Please see an earlier question for further details of how we envisage things will develop beyond 2010.

Graham and Raincliffe already have established links with our primary colleagues and we intend to build on them. We will develop existing liaison particularly with transition and through subject links and support. It is important to the success of the Federation that our work with primary schools is strengthened and that they are able to access and make use of the full range of Federation resources and facilities as they become available.