5th December
School Vision and Ethos
School Vision
'To be recognised as an outstanding school at the heart of the community; a place where great leaders and inspirational people work together to provide the broadest possible school experience and ensure that all Blenheim students achieve their full potential.'
School Ethos
Blenheim operates on a Growth Mindset where the characteristics of hard work, resilience, innovation and improvement are modelled and expected each day. Growth mindset combined with well researched teaching and learning strategies and student expectations, supported by the characteristics of the #TeamBlenheim community, ensures that Blenheim continues to maximise its potential and develops into an outstanding school.
The following are the fundamental pillars of Blenheim's Ethos;
1. Growth Mindset
“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work; brains and talent are just a starting point. This view creates a love of learning and also a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment” - Dweck, 2015. The characteristics of work ethic, resilience, innovation and improvement are central to our work.
2. #TEAMBLENHEIM
The Blenheim community is comprehensive and co-educational with its whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The British values of tolerance, mutual respect, liberty, democracy and the rule of law all inform our daily practices. All students are cared for, unique and equally different.
3. Teaching, Learning and next steps
High quality teaching and learning coupled with clear, consistent next steps advice ensures that every student is afforded the best chance of realising their academic potential, and developing into an independent learner. In addition, clear, consistent use of up to ten “typical best practices” in each lesson optimises the Blenheim learning experience.
In order for Blenheim to realise its vision, the 2025-26 academic year has the following 6 priorities.
1) Teaching & Learning
A continued focus will remain on the development of Blenheim’s primary function; Teaching & Learning. This work will be supported by Senior Teaching & Learning leads, designated Personal Professional Development opportunities, a focus on literacy, the continuing exploration of A.I. and the introduction of Steplab; a fully customisable professional development platform informed by the science of learning.
2. Attendance
Noted by Ofsted as a strength, it is imperative, for a host of reasons, that student attendance levels are maximised. Creative solutions will be explored that may challenge traditional attendance models and seek to place the individual student at the core of all attendance work.
3. Strategic Partnerships
As a Single Academy Trust, with Growth Mindset at its heart, Blenheim will develop its outward facing work through the development of even stronger stakeholder relationships providing rich and more diverse opportunities for Blenheim students and staff. The Arete Partnership and development of Blenheim’s Alumni will be central to this goal.
4. Student Leadership
This area of school life will be enhanced through the creation of a designated Senior teacher position; Head of Student Leadership. The role will co-ordinate and unite Blenheim’s Student Leadership roles so that student voice becomes rhythmical, properly informed and representative of the student body. Ofsted’s development area will be explored through this work.
5. Student Recruitment & Retention
As national and local birth rate decline continues to impact secondary school rolls, an innovative, well informed and timely multi-faceted marketing strategy will serve to maximise this important area.
6. Finance
The academy will continue to optimise income generation and manage financial risk whilst both developing and protecting the academy’s estate and infrastructure.
