Launceston College makes 10 pledges after hearing from parents

Parents at Launceston College were asked what they thought of their children’s school. Now the school has written down, point by point, what it plans to do about it.

Launceston College has set out 10 commitments for the new academic year, following feedback from parents through focus groups and a recent survey.

The commitments cover five areas that parents picked out: leadership and communication, discipline and wellbeing, inclusivity, teacher autonomy and the college’s links with its community.

A new head of school

The plans come from new head of school Linda Blackburn, who has worked at Launceston for the past three years as vice principal. She said the commitments were about listening to feedback and turning it into practical action.

More face time for parents

Parents will get more opportunities to attend face-to-face events, and a member of the senior leadership team will be assigned to each year group.

Regular parent focus groups are planned too, along with ‘You Said, We Did’ updates so families can see what has changed as a result of their feedback.

Behaviour, tutor time and wellbeing

The college is reviewing its Consequences System to make sure it is fair and supports student wellbeing.

Changes to morning greetings and tutor time will also give tutors more dedicated one-to-one time with students.

📷Students celebrate the opening of The Pavilion at Launceston College

New spaces, starting with The Pavilion

Improving student spaces is another priority, with upgrades planned for indoor and outdoor social and break-time areas.

The first of those is already open. The school has opened The Pavilion, a new sheltered outdoor space for Year 11 students.

SEND support and more freedom for staff

The college is reviewing its Inclusion Base for students with SEND, with a focus on making sure each student receives the right individual support.

Staff will also be given greater autonomy over areas including lesson formats and classroom management.

A bigger say for students

A new student leadership team, drawn from across several year groups, will be set up to give students a greater voice in shaping school life.

The college also plans to find more ways to celebrate student achievements.

What Ofsted says

Launceston College is rated Good by Ofsted for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

Inspectors noted that “all pupils, including those with SEND, follow a broad and ambitious curriculum” and that sixth form students “study for qualifications that are well matched to their future aspirations.” They added that pupils attending the specially resourced provision “follow a curriculum that meets their needs and capabilities.”

“This is not about making promises for the sake of it”

Linda Blackburn said: “We have listened carefully to what parents told us, and we are clear about the areas where we need to do more. These 10 commitments give us a clear focus for the year ahead and, importantly, give our students, staff and parents a clear view of what we are working to improve.

“We want to build strong relationships with our families and wider community, and that means being open to feedback, acting on it and keeping people informed about the progress we make.

“We know that building a strong school community takes time, and this is not about making promises for the sake of it. It is about being clear about what we are going to do and then showing that we have done it.

“We will continue to listen to our students, staff and parents as this work develops, and we look forward to sharing progress on each of these commitments over the coming year.”

📷Head of School Linda Blackburn with students at the opening of The Pavilion