to teach and inspire; to reach and transform. every student. every year.
to teach and inspire; to reach and transform. every student. every year. www.brannel.com 01 welcome brannel is a thriving, caring school with huge expectations. we offer high levels of academic study combined with a broad range of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunity. our teachers are passionate about their subjects, generating enthusiasm and enquiry in young minds. we aim to nurture in our students a joy in learning that will last a lifetime. our £17m school building opened in 2011. it is one of only a handful of schools in cornwall to be completely redesigned and rebuilt as part of the building schools for the future agenda. our aim is to use our inspirational building and modern teaching and learning facilities to provide a 21st century, world class education for our students. at brannel we understand that education is about so much more than an excellent set of exam results, as important as these are. brannel is a place characterised by constructive, open and trusting relationships. relationships amongst pupils within and across year groups are warm and friendly. our talented and dedicated teachers know each student as an individual and accompany them on each leg of their journey. at brannel we nurture confident, tolerant and enthusiastic young people who enjoy working with others and are ready to influence the world. brannel students leave school with the best gift a young man or woman can have – confidence in being just who they are. “the ‘brannel family atmosphere’ is unique about our school. when you become part of this you are supported and challenged in equal measure. you are inspired to aspire to be the best you can possibly be.” ‐ teacher
02 investigate: science • mathematics • ict www.brannel.com investigate: to examine, study, or inquire into systematically brannel’s science, mathematics and ict departments are housed in our investigate wing science is about asking ‘what would happen if…?’ it sparks curiosity and encourages young people to consider the world around us and how it works. science is also much more than a body of knowledge. it is a way of thinking. we understand that higher student achievement requires excellent teachers who are trained in teaching strategies that promote active, inquiry-based learning. an understanding of curriculum content is not enough; our teachers encourage students to be curious, to trust reason, logic and their common sense. we all use maths - in the supermarket, designing a diy project, planning a holiday. however, mathematics involves more than computation and arithmetic. it is a science and an art; a study of pattern and structure, characterised by order and internalconsistency.mathematicscanbeusedtomodeland solve problems arising from the physical world - an abstract mathematical problem, for example, laid the foundations for the advent of the modern computer. we aim to enrich our students’ experience of mathematics and stretch the most able through depth rather than by accelerating them. ourictdepartmentisfocusedondigitalliteracy,whichisthe abilitytolocate,organise,evaluate,andanalyseinformation using digital technology. our students gain a knowledge of current high-technology, and an understanding of how it can be used to support research and investigative skills. investigate ‘supposing is good, but finding out is better.’ - mark twain
03 “brannel students are excited to come to class to investigate problems, to find solutions. our students want to do well. they take pride in their work and see the applications of their studies all around them.” – teacher
express: english • drama • music www.brannel.com 04 express: to convey a thought or feeling in words or by gestures and conduct brannel’s english, drama and music departments are housed in our express wing the teaching of english is at the very heart of what we do. through its study we encourage students to communicate effectively and with curiosity, and to enjoy reading. we study english because it is fascinating, fun and important. learning how to read, write and speak is essential to every child’s personal growth; it ensures that the leaner can access the wider curriculum and benefit from the opportunities in school and it enables the individual to take a meaningful place in society. studying drama requires emotional maturity, and gives students a deep understanding of themselves. because it involves using not only their voices and bodies, but also emotions and creativity, it is able to engender a deep sense of self-esteem. it is also a subject that requires a great deal of peer trust, and so it plays an important role in teaching communication, listening and empathy skills. music is proven to have a significant impact on learning and socialisation. studies show clear links between sustained involvement in music and theatre, and academic success. successfully learning to play a musical instrument boosts self-confidence and provides a new outlet for expression. music helps young people explore emotions, which in turn helps them better understand who they are. express ‘be yourself ‐ not your idea of what you think somebody else’s idea of yourself should be.’ ‐ henry david thoreau
05 “i love acting. for me it’s just really something i do to create another reality. i can be whoever i want and i get to express my opinions and have a sense of relief when i’m upset or angry about something. it creates the possibility that anything is possible… that is really how it is for me.” - student
create: art • design • technology www.brannel.com 06 create: to cause something to come into being; to evolve from thought or imagination brannel’s art, design and technology departments are housed in our create wing our students explore a range of creative disciplines such as product design, electronics, food technology, art, graphics, creative textiles, ceramics, sculpture and photography. students are encouraged to develop confidence, competence, imagination and creativity; to reflect critically on their own and other people’s work, judging quality, value and meaning. they learn to think and act as artists, craftspeople and designers. through exploration of techniques and processes, students are encouraged to work independently to seek and discover personal interpretation and artistic preference. our aim is to ensure that students are not only literate in words and numbers when they leave school, but also literate in the complex language of visual communication. we believe that art, design and technology helps our students to become problem solvers through practical tasks, using creativity and imagination. it is an area which enables students to make sense of appliances and processes in their environment, primarily through first-hand experience and exploration. it extends their curiosity as to how and why things work by providing opportunities to apply and develop skills of planning, designing and making. create ‘it is better to create than to learn. creating is the essence of life.’ ‐ julius caesar
07 “all three of my children have attended brannel school and they have all achieved to the best of their ability. brannel has given my children a varied learning experience. their teachers have supported them to grow into responsible young adults. i could not have asked for a better learning environment.” – parent
discover: humanities • modern foreign languages www.brannel.com 08 discover: to gain sight or knowledge of something previously unseen or unknown brannel’s humanities and languages departments are housed in our discover wing in our discover wing, students are exposed to the historical, philosophical, cultural and technical through a study of history, geography, religious and philosophical studies, media studies, french and spanish. our curriculum enhancement programme offerscitizenship,personal,social,healthandeconomiceducation. why do we believe that a study of the humanities is essential? we live in a world increasingly dominated by science; science offers us facts, answers, truth and certainty. however, it is precisely because science is so powerful that we need the humanities. the humanities present us with uncertainty, doubt and scepticism; they are less about answers and more about questions. what is truth? how do we know something is true? or rather, why do we believe certain things are true and other things are not? how do we decide whether something is wrong or right to do, for us personally or for society as a whole? if science in the 21st century has replaced religion as our main source of answers to these questions; the humanities keep us from being trapped by our own desire for certainty. our students are encouraged to question the nature of reality: about what we are; about the purpose of life; about what we can be and should be. discover ‘the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.’ – socrates
09 learning a modern foreign language enables our students to gain an appreciation for different cultures and prepares them for the challenges of work in a global community. we work with our partner schools in france and spain - ies la senda in madrid, spain and lycée françois villon in beaugency, france – to offer first-hand practical language learning experiences.
believe: physical education • sports www.brannel.com 10 believe: to have confidence in the truth of something, especially without proof brannel’s physical education department is based in our purpose‐built pe hub we believe that sport can have a transformative effect on young people and that every student deserves the opportunity to have their sporting passion nurtured. a recent ofsted report (competitive sport in schools) finds that ‘academic achievement and quality of leadership are generallyhigherinschoolswherecompetitivesportisthriving’. at brannel, our commitment to sporting excellence reflects our culture of high expectations and achievement across the school as a whole. our success is underpinned by investment in excellent facilities and effective coaching staff. our pe staff lead by example - they focus on motivating and coaching students to develop sporting skills, to make and apply decisions, to develop physical and mental resilience and leadership qualities, and to make informed choices about healthy and active lifestyles. it is well recognised that if you want to raise truly well-balanced youngpeople,physicaleducationneedstobeapartoftheirdaily lives. our aim is to provide the opportunity for our students to developintowell-rounded,resilientindividualswhoarewillingto gotheextramileinordertoreachtheirfullpotential.webelieve that gold medals are not really made of gold; they are made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts! believe ‘to be a champ you have to believe in yourself when no one else will.’ ‐ sugar ray robinson
11 “he is a role model to people of all ages and abilities and has shown us that with effort, commitment, and the support of family, dreams can - and do - come true.” - student in 2011, jonathan fox, paralympic gold medallist and ex-brannel student, returned to open our sports hub named in his honour.
imagine: learning support • area resource base www.brannel.com 12 imagine: to form a picture or idea in your mind of something that is not real or present brannel’s imagine wing is a nurturing environment for our students who have special needs our imagine wing is a purpose-built, well-resourced and colourful space. it houses our mainstream learning support classroom for children who have special educational needs, and our area resource base (arb) which caters for up to 12 students with complex and multiple learning needs or disabilities. the arb is fully wheelchair accessible and comprises two large teaching classroom spaces, a life skills kitchen and eating area, a therapy room and a sensory room. the classrooms open onto an enclosed outside play area with a sensory garden and raised planting beds for gardening. our arb curriculum is designed to stimulate a love for learning and a passion for ‘finding out’. we offer a broad and balanced curriculum that is tailored to meet the needs of individual students. mainstream curriculum opportunities are offered for those who are able to access particular academic areas or who are ready to experience mainstream environments. all our students are encouraged to join in the social life of the school. within the arb we encourage our students to be as independent as possible whilst providing a safe, secure environment where each young person can feel confident to explore and develop their learning – and have fun! imagine ‘imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.’ ‐ carl sagan
13 “we are extremely impressed with brannel and their sensitivity to our son’s individual difficulties. his new-found enjoyment of school is certainly down to the team’s awareness of his needs.” - parents
enrich: extra-curricular • community engagement www.brannel.com 14 enrich: to improve or enhance the quality or value of; to make more meaningful or more rewarding brannel is a community and not just a place in which learning occurs in order to reach their full potential, young people need to have a positive approach to learning and school. engaging positively in the full extra-curricular life of our school enables every one of our students to enjoy school, broaden their knowledge and build self-belief, be happy - and do well. our extensive extra-curricular offer includes opportunities to play sport, engage with the performing arts, develop business & enterprise skills, and make creative use of ict. we are proud of our tradition of offering students a full programme of visits and field trips. these include spanish and french exchanges, skitripsandinvolvementintheistainternationalyouththeatre festivals programme. we work hard at developing strong and positive relationships with our local community. we are proud to open our facilities to local clubs, groups and individuals for sport-specific clubs, recreational use and family learning at all levels. our annual summer and christmas fairs, and programmes such as our market garden allotment and food for life initiatives, bring members of the school and local community together to work in partnership towards shared goals. above all, we believe that our school is a community and not just a place in which education occurs. we instil in our students a sense of place and belonging, a common vision and an understanding and appreciation of others. enrich ‘the more you are blessed with experience, the more you are enriched in your craft.’ – aishwarya rai bachchan
15 ‘brannel has what it takes to turn your child into a young adult ready for anything. brannel staff are motivated, approachable and gain respect from each student right from the start; they offer all the inspiration needed for each child to achieve their goal. my son has gained an internship with a world‐leading industrial minerals company which is sponsoring his further studies to degree level. without brannel’s help and recognition of his potential, he would never have had this fantastic opportunity.’ ‐ parent
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brannel school rectory road st.austell pl26 7rn telephone: 01726 822485 email: enquiries@brannel.com www.brannel.com prospectus designed by the mustard agency www.themustardagency.com brannel school was entirely rebuilt in 2011; the award winning design is by hlm architects, hlm interior design and hlm landscape www.hlmarchitects.com brannel telephone: 01726822485 email: enquiries@brannel.com www.brannel.com