Why do we need a new school?
Analysis of local population growth clearly shows that there will be a need for significant numbers of new secondary school places in the Harpenden area in the next few years; more than can be provided by simply expanding the existing schools.
Having been approached by the Local Authority for our support, The Harpenden Secondary Schools Trust has agreed to propose this new school to ensure consistent quality of provision across the area.
Our Aims
We aim to provide the highest quality teaching and learning to meet the needs and expectations of the Harpenden Community.
We will achieve this through sharing the expertise and outstanding practice at Roundwood Park School, St George’s School and Sir John Lawes School and by building on the public confidence they have gained through generations of student achievement.
In time, the Katherine Warington School will offer a sixth form which will enable students starting in 2018 to have the opportunity to progress their education all the way through to academic post-16 learning and beyond. The school will be part of the highly successful consortium at post-16 level between the three existing schools which will enable the students to access an even wider range of opportunities.
The Katherine Warington School will be a modern school with traditional core values. We will have an innovative approach to the curriculum firmly grounded within a framework of established success and proven achievement.
We will be the first new secondary school for Harpenden for more than fifty years. This significant investment is being made to secure a high-quality education for your child, and the generations of local children to come. We will be a purpose-built school utilising the latest technology to enhance the learning experience within a high-quality and inspirational environment.
The school intends to be a member of the Alban Teaching School Alliance, an alliance of 12 local secondary schools working together to improve staff recruitment and development, from the outset. We will recruit and develop the best staff to build an excellent teaching team for your child, dedicated to ensuring every student realises their potential, no matter what their starting point.
We are determined to achieve our aim of ensuring that all students of the Katherine Warington School cultivate a passion for learning and make outstanding progress.
Parents & Wider Community
The three existing schools have outstanding links with parents, carers and the local community.
Learning from this good practice we will facilitate a continual and positive programme of engagement with all stakeholders from the school’s inception, giving you the opportunity to help shape your child’s education. We know that a successful school builds partnerships and trust with families and carers, and the school will work continually with all families and members of the community to ensure all students achieve the best they possibly can. We will have high expectations of the support and commitment of families to the ethos and values of the school.
Leadership and Teaching
We will benefit from the excellence and expertise in leadership and management already firmly established in the existing three Harpenden secondary schools.
We will appoint a Headteacher with a proven track record of excellence in leading school success, and with the drive and innovation to develop our new school.
Equally important will be the recruitment of suitably qualified high-calibre teaching and support staff who share the highest aspirations for your child. We will ensure that we recruit the best teachers to become the leaders of learning in our exciting new learning community. Our school will be designed to provide an exciting, dynamic, and inspiring environment that will utilise the latest technology to drive teaching and learning. The school environment will foster a collaborative and caring community of learners, who are proud of their school, and know the pride their school has in them.
