About the College

Committed to life long learning and excellence
“Learning for Life – seize the opportunity"

The College serves a traditional catchment area extending to Herstmonceux, Boreham Street, Windmill Hill, Hellingly and The Dicker as well as Hailsham itself. In recent years students from other areas have joined the College. We usually admit all students who apply to the College. There are currently no entry tests or exclusions. The intake year is divided into setted teaching groups. The College mainly caters for students aged 11-18 but as a Community College we also welcome mature students to attend daily timetabled classes as well as adult learning classes.

Four strategic themes guide our work towards achieving the vision.

Achievement and Standards

To meet and exceed national standards, assessment for learning will drive teachers’ planning and learners’ short to long term targets. The language of progress and high achievement will be a universal one that is shared and understood by the college community.

To ensure that learning and teaching is graded at Ofsted good or better.
To attain A* PANDA grades for achievement relative to similar schools.
To monitor student progress and intervene when insufficient progress is being made.
To identify barriers to progress and ensure that area action plans address specific weaknesses.
To ensure lesson plans reflect the principles of Assessment for Learning.
To enable students to articulate their targets and the strategies they are using to meet or exceed them.
To ensure that student achievement data drives the subject area activity and feeds into the professional development programme.

Learning Culture

The college will be a provider of high quality and diverse experiences whilst recognising and celebrating all success. All learners are empowered to actively engage in and value positive personal development. The learning culture will foster high aspirations for all.

To provide and deliver an inclusive and dynamic curriculum facilitating individual learning programmes, pathways and routes for progression.
To determine a strategic plan for development of high quality ICT facilities and resources to be used as learning tools in all curriculum areas.
To actively promote and empower independent learning.
To create an environment that will encourage and develop innovation, creative thinking, risk taking and personal development.
To incorporate and maximise the impact of KS3 strategy on curriculum provision and delivery.
To provide opportunities for identifying and sharing good practice.
To recognise and celebrate success.
To consider the learning environment and its impact on the learning culture.
To address the key features of Every Child Matters and Personalised Learning.

Review and Reflection

The outcomes of self-review, at all levels, lead to celebration of strengths and drive improvement. This process will build capacity and impact on learning throughout the college. The voice of all will be heard and valued. A variety of data will be used to track, inform and drive achievement.

To evaluate individual target setting at KS3, KS4 and Post 16
2. To ensure reflection of student voice.
To recognise, share and utilise individual staff strengths for the support of learning and teaching.
To ensure professional development opportunities make a difference to learning
To establish a moderated self review process in subject areas.
To evaluate the establishment of the Full Service Extended School programme.
To evaluate the establishment of the Healthy Schools initiative.
To evaluate the effectiveness of Specialist Status.
To establish regular scrutiny of student work and lesson planning.

Partnership and Community

The college, through its partnerships and specialisms, is a focal point for learning. It provides a full range of services that meet local need promoting lifelong learning opportunities which support the healthy lifestyles and development of the community.

To establish effective methods of communication with all stakeholders.
To maintain specialist Sports College status.
To maintain a second specialism in Business and Enterprise.
To be a focal point for activities, training and professional development for partner groups.
To provide a dedicated Vocational Courses and Community Learning Centre.
To develop in partnership with other service providers a Full Service Extended College.
To achieve healthy college status.

The college believes in high standards, respect for others, hard work, self discipline and active involvement in the life of the community. Our successes have been recognised by national awards and considerable parental support. In addition our exam results continue to improve with some outstanding performances in the recent ‘A’ level and GCSE examinations. In 2002 the College gained a School Achievement Award from the DfES in recognition of the ‘added value’ achieved at GCSE. Moreover, in the Specialists Schools Trust league tables in 2003, Hailsham Community College was ranked 65th out of 656 specialist colleges nationally in relation to the ‘added value’ achieved in our GCSE performance. In 2003 the College was awarded the prestigious Sportsmark Gold for its work in PE and within the wider community and in May 2003 we also gained the Investors in People standard, in recognition of our systems for training and supporting staff to meet our ultimate goal of achieving excellence for all our students. In September 2004 we began offering ‘extended services’ in our capacity as the LEA pilot ‘Full Service Extended’ school. In March 2005 we achieved the ‘Healthy Schools’ silver standard award in recognition of some of those services as well as the work that we do to encourage healthy eating and lifestyles.

The abilities of Hailsham students are wide ranging and as a college that serves the Hailsham community we welcome all Hailsham youngsters. In April 2005 we underwent an ‘Ofsted’ inspection and were delighted with the outcomes. The overall judgement was that we are a ‘good’ and ‘improving’ school but many aspects of our work were described as ‘outstanding’.

Teaching and support staff members of the college are committed and enthusiastic as are our governing body representatives. Many are Hailsham residents themselves and their own children attend the College. The Governing Body works closely with the staff and senior staff and the teamwork that results provides for a dedicated community of professionals and para-professionals, each of us committed to self-review and maximising the life chances of the young people in our care.

To view the latest ofsted report click here