THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Tretherras is proud to offer an exceptionally broad curriculum, individually tailored to each student’s needs. The quality of the learning experience is paramount, and at KS3 great emphasis is placed in all subjects on acquiring the essential learning skills, named “THE TRETHERRAS WAY.”

At KS4 and 5, the curriculum becomes progressively more complex and knowledge based. Learners are consistently challenged to identify relevant knowledge, and develop their autonomy in order to apply it to solve new problems. An extensive curriculum choice offers learners personalised pathways and flightpaths, to prepare them as active 21st century citizens, ready for the constantly changing, technological world in which they will live and work. Accreditation of learning takes place as soon as learners are ready, through early examination entries, or longer programmes of study. Learning is made more powerful and relevant through a specialist Outdoor Education offer, comprising: adventure trips, challenging survival activities, creative use of the environment, local workplaces, and our local, national and global communities.

Whilst we believe in an all round education for the “whole child” and celebrate many forms of achievement, we are proud of our track record of success in public examinations. At KS4 and KS5, results have consistently improved over the years, and we regularly achieve well above national averages. We are justly proud of those who go on to do well in Higher Education. Our purpose built Sixth Form Centre provides essential private study facilities for our Sixth Form who play a major part in being involved in our School, and who have a tremendous range of enrichment opportunities open to them. They receive a very high level of individual support and display great loyalty to Tretherras.

Fortunately, we occupy a spacious and well equipped site. The opening of our floodlit all-weather sports pitch further enhanced facilities for the School and the community. There is a nursery on the School site for children aged six months to five years. We have a purpose built Drama block and we also utilise the excellent facilities of the nearby Newquay Sports Centre: NT Sport is important to us and has an excellent reputation locally and nationally. Many of our students are local, national and even international champions. A new Sixth Form Centre opened in September 2007. At present, we have ambitious plans to rebuild and refurbish the whole school.

We pride ourselves on our approaches to Student Inclusion: our Special Needs Department is highly regarded by parents and our approach to engaging students with a wide range of needs was especially highlighted in our Inspection. The wide range of extra-curricular activities provides important educational experience not catered for by the National Curriculum, and an atmosphere in which teachers and students can relate in different ways. We believe it encourages a commitment, which has a positive effect on the work of both students and teachers in the classroom. The School pays for late buses 4 days a week and refreshments to enable all students to participate equally in extra-curricular activities.

This is an exciting time for Tretherras. On April 1st we converted to an Academy in order to take advantage of the additional funding and freedoms on offer. We have ambitious plans for the site and our recent OFSTED Inspection judged us to be ‘Outstanding’ in 16 aspects, with no grade less than a 2. The Inspection Team was very complimentary about our School. “Morale within the School is very high and students and staff greatly enjoy coming to school [OFSTED 2010].” It is now our task to move “Beyond Outstanding” to become the best we can be for the young people and community of Newquay Tretherras.