School Awards & Achievements

AWARDS FOR THE SCHOOL

Inclusion Mark

Branksome Heath is very proud to have gained the Poole Inclusion Mark. We are one of the first schools in Poole to achieve this award.

In order to gain the award the school had to show inclusive practises in pupil progress, pupils' attitudes, values and personal development, leadership and management, staffing, the learning environment, teaching and learning, resources and ICT, communication with parents and carers, governors, external partners, the Local Authority and the community.

The award reflects the hard work by the pupils, parents, staff and all the community involved with the school.

We would like to thank you all for your support.

Sports Mark

We have been very proud to have achieved the Sports Mark in the past and we are delighted to have achieved the Active Mark upgrade for 2009/10. This is recognition of the efforts made by so many staff and children to increase physical activity and promote healthy lifestyles. We have also been accepted as part of the Olympics 2012 "Get Set" network.

Healthy Schools Plus

Thanks to the efforts of the whole school community, we have been successful, as part of a Pilot Scheme in achieving the status of Healthy Schools Plus. Building on the good work when we achieved Healthy Schools status, we have targetted key areas for improvement, particularly the number of children having increased numbers of the '5 a day' foods at lunch. The grant received helped towards the installation of our 'Fit Trail' and 'Feet off Ground' challenge which every child has had the opportunity to use and which have become a favourite part of break and lunchtime, increasing the activity levels of many children.

School Financial Audit

The school was audited in February 2011. The auditors opinion was:-

"In our opinion, the systems in use in the sc hool currently adequately safeguard the school and the Authority against identified risks".

Bike It Bronze!

The school has been working with Jason Falconer to promote children cycling to school with a range of activities during the year, including assemblies, lunch time challenges and 'Doctor Bike' days!

Having achieved the Bronze award, we will work towards Silver and Gold.

International School Award

Through our curriculum, all children have the opportunity to research and link with communities away from Poole and outside Britain. Having sent our evidence, we were delighted to receive this Intermediate Award and look forward to developing further links in the future. Science Bronze Award - Our Science Co-ordinator has worked with the Local Authority Adviser to provide evidence for this national award.

Sporting Success

Our Year 7 girls football team of 2010-11 became the Dorset County Champions again. We have never had a team retain a County Trophy before .

Football

Year 6 Boys 2010-11 reached the final of the Forset County Cup but unfortunately lost.
Year 4 Boys 2010-11 reached the finals day of the Dorset County Festival coming 4th overall.

Music

Our Choir has performed both in and out of school on many occasions throughout the year with Carols in shopping centres, festive fun at our 'turning on of the lights', our Christmas Celebration in St John's Church, as well as performing on stage at The Lighthouse Theatre in Poole.

This year saw the school perform Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. The first time we have had such a large production.

Art Gallery

We have achieved another first this year when we had art work on display at our local parish church St Clements. Based upon a cross curricular theme, it was very well received and we have been asked to return again! Also, several children had their work displayed in Bournemouth University as part of a Cancer Research Project to produce a page for their annual calendar.

Writers in Print

We have seen a gradual rise in the numbers of children who have had their writing in nationally published anthologies and this year saw over 50 of our Year 5 children writing mini sagas and having them put into print.

'E Safety Day'

As part of National 'E Safety' Day, a group of children were able to distribute copies of leaflets which they had designed themselves, in a local Poole store. They were able to promote the message of staying safe when using the computer to members of the public and were noted in the local daily Echo newspaper. We have also linked with local community Police to have assemblies to raise awareness.