Headteacher’s Welcome

Welcome to the Barclay School’s website

It’s my privilege to lead the Barclay School on its journey back to good.

The school’s main aim is to develop our students’ potential to the full and to help them grow into successful, caring and respectful young people. In order to achieve this, Barclay provides a safe, supportive environment within which student’s academic, cultural and emotional needs are met. The school motto – “believe, achieve, exceed” – underlines the opportunities for all members of the Barclay community. There is outstanding pastoral support so that our students are able to engage with the curriculum, make progress and enjoy what the school has to offer.

We are ambitious and set ourselves challenging objectives. This is an exciting time for Barclay as we are improving the quality of teaching and learning. Our dedicated and hardworking staff team have a real commitment to ensuring that students have the opportunity to make progress and enjoy success.

This September’s Ofsted monitoring visit found that our plans for school improvement are ‘crystal clear’ and that the new team has ‘won hearts and minds’ of staff and pupils on the journey back to good. After this forensic scrutiny, the inspectors were impressed with what the school has done so far to improve learning and progress, enhance behaviour and put in place the structures to rapidly improve the school.

We set high expectations and, as a result, our students are smart, well behaved and respectful. They have many opportunities for enrichment, both in school and through a range of educational visits, to enhance the learning in the classroom.

I hope that you find this website helpful and invite you to visit the school so you can see us in action. We look forward to meeting you.

Mark Allchorn, Headteacher

GCSE Results Update

The Barclay  School is celebrating its best GCSE results for 4 years. Students performed strongly at a time of significant change in the exam system and downward pressure on results. Overall, 53% of students achieved grades A* to C (9 to 4) including English and Maths. 65 % achieved grades 9 to 4 (the old A* to C) in English Language or Literature and 64% grades 9 to 4 in Mathematics. These good results were reflected across the subject range, with particular highlights in  Biology 98% A*-C

Chemistry and Physics 91% A*-C, Religious Education  87% A*-C 43% A*/A, Physical Education 86% A*-C and Geography 31% A*/A.

Overall, students achieved 199 A/A* (or equivalent) grades. Individual students achieved exceptionally well, and in addition to full sets of  As,  William Clarke achieved 5 A*s and a 9,  Joe Newton and Gage Deitsch 3 A*s, Sarangy Sathyan and Alex Haskins 2 A*s.  Fourteen students achieved at least 3 grade As. Four students achieved the top grade 9 in English and two in Maths.

Headteacher Mark Allchorn said:

“These exciting results reflect the hard work and determination of our students and teachers. We knew this year of new exam courses and grading systems would be challenging, but I am delighted that Barclay students have bucked the trend and produced such fine results. The School looks forward to welcoming many back to our Sixth Form.”