Priory is a leading school in East Sussex with Arts, Language and Science College status, rated "Outstanding" by OFSTED. We are an 11-16 mixed comprehensive school situated in the County Town of Lewes, with approximately 1150 students on roll. The school aims to reflect the uniqueness of Lewes, historically and socially. Given our strong association with the author of natural justice, Tom Paine, it is our vision to build upon the concepts of freedom, democracy and justice. You can see our awards here and read our full Vision and Mission Statement here.
Mr A. Smith
Headteacher
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Headlines
The latest edition of the Headteacher's Newsletter has been published - please click under Newsletters on the lower left.
The Year 11 Revision Session programme is now available here
The minutes from the February Parents' Forum are available here.
Details of this year's Activities Week now available below...
Banned Items
In the interests of the health and safety of students, staff, other members of the school community and visitors to the school, we ask parents and students to ensure that any inappropriate and dangerous items, or any inappropriate and harmful substances, are not brought in to school. In the majority of cases the application of common sense will easily determine what should not be brought in to school. If you are a parent or carer please refer to the Banned Items List. Please note in particular that students will be excluded for bringing in and/or setting off fireworks.
Town of Runners Project
We are delighted to have established a link with local film maker Jerry Rothwell, whose latest project is called “Town of Runners”, a feature documentary about young runners from Bekoji – an Ethiopian highland town which has produced some of the world’s greatest distance runners. In the next few weeks, we are running some assemblies and are hoping to organise an Athletics coaching session with Coach Sentayehu from Bekoji. We are also looking to develop the relationship with the town of Bekoji in order to support our Link Ethiopia project. The link will take you to the trailer of the film and full details can be found at www.townofrunners.com. Priory has a link on the website which can be found at www.townofrunners.com/run-with-us/Schools_Projects/Lewes_Priory.
You may also be interested in Lewes Athletics club's David Bradford, who is training in Ethiopia at the moment, in the town where the film is set. His blog is here: www.dbfreelance.co.uk/blog/
The public sector equality duty (PSED)
Equality objectives The Equality Act 2010 replaced the existing three duties (race, disability, and gender) with a single public sector equality duty (PSED) that covers all seven characteristics. This combined equality duty came into effect in April 2011. It has three main elements. In carrying out their functions, public bodies are required to have due regard to the need to: • Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the Act • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it • Foster good relations across all characteristics – between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it By 6 April 2012 public bodies, including schools, are required to publish at least one equality objective, and these should be updated annually.
Priory School Objectives Priory School Development Plan contains a number of equality objectives which we have been working towards since June 2011. These include: Objective 1.1 Increase the percentage of students achieving 5+ A*-C inc ENMA to 73% by Aug 2012 Objective 1.6 To develop and implement strategies to enhance the learning of b and c band learners Objective 4.1 To enhance the direct and indirect teaching of equality and diversity 4.1a Revise the Equalities policy 4.1b Deliver Black History Month activities within Humanities in partnership with Diversity Lewes 4.1c Ensure a minimum 3 assemblies address equalities issues
We will refine objective 1.1 to include a closer focus on: To narrow the gaps in English and Maths GCSE at Year 11 between those students in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) and those not in receipt of FSM.
Throughout this year we have been focusing on this objective and will be able to report the impact of our approaches next year.
21st Century Teenager
Our current year 10 were recently set a challenge in one of their English Controlled Conditions essays for GCSE. The English Learning Area were so impressed that we thought a number of them deserved to be published! “21st century Teenager: A collection of articles by year 10 students celebrating the diversity of teenage experience in the UK today - and exploding some myths along the way!”
This year, 5 Year 8 students at Priory are participating in this nationwide project to experience first hand how news is made and the time constraints that journalists undergo. We will feature as a link from the BBC School Report website and on the 15th of March our pupils will be making the news and covering the following news stories, as well as last-minute additions:
* Drusilla’s (breeding programmes and animal welfare) * Diversity Lewes part 1 Interview with Mamta Patel * Diversity Lewes part 2 Lewes vox pop * Wildlife Lewes * Starfish - saving youth group
Please check this site regularly for updates, and do have a look at our stories. We welcome any feedback, and would urge you to email your ideas to
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Students at Priory School Lewes have been encouraged to take a step to a fairer world by celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight. Through chapels and tutor activities they have been looking at the difference Fairtrade makes to the lives and communities of farmers and workers in the developing world. Students have been considering the part they can play in checking the labels of the products they buy to ensure they are making a choice for a fairer world and in so doing help others.
Our thanks to The Co op, Percol, Sainsburys, Tescos and The Body Shop who kindly supported us by donating Fairtrade products which we raffled at the school musical ‘We Will Rock You’ . This not only promoted Fairtrade products but raised £150. This money will go towards the fundraising Priory is doing for our link school Udee in Ethiopia.
Thanks to all who took a step for Fairtrade and keep on taking steps for Fairtrade throughout the coming year
Our current year 10 were recently set a challenge in one of their English Controlled Conditions essays for GCSE. The English Learning Area were so impressed that we thought a number of them deserved to be published!
This year, 5 Year 8 students at Priory are participating in this nationwide project to experience first hand how news is made and the time constraints that journalists undergo. We will feature as a link from the BBC School Report website and on the 15th of March our pupils will be making the news and covering the following news stories, as well as last-minute additions:
Students at Priory School Lewes have been encouraged to take a step to a fairer world by celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight.
