What do you like about working here?

The close rapport with the staff and the relationships you can build with the students, some of the students are challenging but once you have developed the relationships with them they will work exceptionally hard for you.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

I have been supported both within the department and across the faculty by teachers with a wide range of experience. Everybody I have asked for advice from has been more than happy to help, be it popping in to do quick lesson observations, helping with planning or approaches to get the best out of certain students.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

A year 11 student I started teaching in November described how he would “definitely fail I it wasn’t for me.” The student had beaten himself up about a poor result in a mock exam and he felt that I had given him the confidence to succeed in the subject again.

What are the students like to work with?

Some students can be very challenging, there are lots of characters and personalities within each class, all of whom keep you on your toes, once you have shown how hard you are prepared to work for them they are wonderfully loyal and hard working.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I coach the year 8 football team and am taking them away to Barcelona on a football tour over Easter. I also run a Year 11 Revision class.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

The school has some challenges so you will need to be resilient but if you persevere then the results are worth it, so don’t give up.

How have you been developed professionally?

I am involved in a Teacher Development Programme where a group of teachers meet fortnightly to share good practise and develop new ideas and strategies together. Coupled with this I have worked closely with several of the more established members of staff who have popped in to do learning walks and provide advice on different strategies I can implement as well as being invited to observe professional advocates.

What do you like about working here?

The students. They are down to Earth, hardworking kids who need a gentle push in the right direction. Everyday successes are highly rewarding.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

Since recently returning from maternity leave I have been supported with a phased return and the opportunity to come in and support and get to know my classes. Opportunity to see good practise, marking guidance and intervention. There are lots of support for individual CPD and whole school if you want it.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

Set up the new KS3 science scheme of work. Stepped up to HOD when an opportunity arose. Achieving national average with core science in 2016 despite some staff shortages in science.

What are the students like to work with?

As mentioned down to earth and honest. A few can be challenging and are highly reliant on strong relationships but this is because they are very loyal and like to build up trust with teachers.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

Science club, after school revision, race for life, sports day.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

Firm but fair. Be honest and consistent. High expectations. Have a sense of humour!

How have you been developed professionally?

Whole school CPD, extra responsibilities, working with the A+Trust.

What support do you get?

CPD time and inset time.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

TDP (Teacher Development Plan), outstanding teacher programme and Future Leaders.

Tell me about your department

Science is a department of 7 science teachers, 6 of which are experienced members and 1 NQT. The department has been through a period of change but is now reaching a point of consistency. We are a hardworking department who are striving to become a buzzing site for exploration and innovation that will encourage students to further continue their passion for science beyond GCSE.

What do you like about working here?

Rayner Stephens is a lovely community to be a part of, the staff are supportive and the senior leadership team are always happy to help and give advice. Some of the students can be a challenging at times but also very rewarding.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

At Rayner Stephens I was very much supported by my department and the senior leadership team. In my first year as an NQT I had continual support in lessons and meetings about how to make my teaching practice outstanding. I have been able to regularly attend external courses, which has allowed me to meet other professionals and see different strategies that could be used in school.

This year I gained a promotion to Year 7 Learning Leader, this has allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the pastoral role and allocated me with an Assistant Headteacher that has continuously supported me, especially on how to strategically manage a team to get the best out of the students.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

I have had numerous moments whilst being at Rayner Stephens where I have been immensely proud. One of my proudest moments is completing my first assembly to Year 7. Another would be the progress I have made in lessons with my current middle set Year 10 students. This class at the beginning of the year didn’t have much confidence in maths and struggled to make the right choices, currently most of them are on track to achieve their end of year target.

What are the students like to work with?

90% of students at Rayner Stephens are hard-working and have a good attitude to learning and are a pleasure to teach. I regularly nominate students I teach for Headteacher awards which they really appreciate. There is a minority that make the wrong choices around school. With these pupils it is vital that we use the choice, chance, consequence language and make sure we are following the school’s policy. Students at Rayner Stephens find it hard to trust new members of staff and try to test boundaries to see if you stand the ‘test of time’ it is therefore vital that we have consistency with the school’s policy around the school.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

Since starting Rayner Stephens I have helped run the netball club and taken teams to fixtures. I was also part of the Barcelona sports tour last year, which the staff and students really enjoyed.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

The advice I would give to a new member of staff would be to be firm but fair and being consistent with everything you do at school, at first the students might not respond the way you want but over time you will win them over and they will see that you’re here to help.

How have you been developed professionally?

As an NQT I was developed by watching good and outstanding teachers teach. I have also been on different courses to deepen my understanding of my subject. This year I am currently on the teacher development program.

What support do you get?

I get support from all my department and the senior leadership team are always willing to listen and help.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I have progressed from an NQT to a Learning Leader, I am currently on the school’s Teacher Development Programme which allows me to see and share good practise from different departments. To widen my understanding of the pastoral system I am going to attend a child protection conference.

Tell me about your department

The maths department at Rayner Stephens is very welcoming and supportive. Nothing is every too much for them. The Head and 2nds in department are always helping support classroom teachers with lesson planning, behaviour and data. We work closely with the lead teacher of maths from the A+ Trust who comes in regularly to share his schemes of work. This is of great benefit and the scheme of work for KS4 are fantastic and all students have seen progress since using it.

What do you like about working here?

I have worked at Rayner Stephens a long time and I get a great sense of pride and satisfaction in knowing I make a small difference to children’s lives.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

I have had the benefit of a very challenging, personalised programme for CPD which has enable me to develop very quickly.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

There are many different reasons, we have a student who studied art in our department who is now studying architecture at Oxford. I am proud of the many children in the year group I lead, who want to do well and work hard. We have many staff in the school who are hardworking and committed, day in day out and go above and beyond. Work produced, in the department in which I work, has been held in high esteem. I have taught children who have gone on to become teachers themselves.

What are the students like to work with?

We have some fabulous hardworking, polite and kind pupils. Generally, our students want to do well and will respond to ‘tough love’, and consistency and fairness are valued by our students. When they don’t make good choices they need a firm hand and an adult to stick with them and model a better way.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

We run a club for KS3 students and GCSE sessions for older students. We also run classes in the holidays to enable students to reach their potential.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

If you are child centred, genuinely want to make a difference to students lives, think creatively and want to work in an environment which is forward thinking, then try Rayner Stephens.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have had and continue to get the opportunity for professional development. This includes getting achieving a professional qualification. Quite rightly, there is an expectation that good practice is shared and various staff contribute to the CPD of others.

What support do you get?

The focus on quality assurance at all levels is means there is a strong balance between accountability and support, whether that’s through formal departmental or line management meetings. The staff are also very supportive of one another and I certainly work in a department where there is a strong team ethos.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I am reassured that there will be continued opportunities to develop professionally due to a future focussed strategic leadership approach that openly looks for ways to be better.

Tell me about your department

I work in the Art, Design and Technology Department. We are a small team of experienced teachers and dedicated technicians of different discrete areas that come under the remit of the department.

What do you like about working here?

Every day is a new challenge, but with the team I work with we help each other, and the students. We have a good team ethos within the whole school staffing and we support each other where we can.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

I have shown an interest in different aspects of the area I am involved in, I have then been encouraged to explore this as part of my CPD. From starting here, I have nothing but support and encouragement to help with my career.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

I have helped to set up the ASPIRE Centre which is the hub of inclusion provision at the school. It is a successful and nurturing part of the school, where learning is tailored to fit the child. Students feel safe here and supported. Teaching staff like coming into the ASPIRE Centre where they can get to know the students in a different environment.

What are the students like to work with?

Many of the students that I work with are challenging. They like to be listened to and treated fairly. We have a wide range of children from different backgrounds all needing different support, and we tailor the learning specific to their needs. You need to be strong and fair to gain the relationship with them.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I start work at 7.30am where students that like to come in and sit quietly on iPads or read with me. We have a breakfast club in my room where anxious students might come, we encourage the weaker students to come after school to do reading, writing and maths.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

Go for it! You need to be proactive and strong, level headed and fair.

How have you been developed professionally?

I started at Rayner Stephens volunteering 5 years ago. I have been encouraged to do more challenging things and I am grateful for the faith the staff have in me. They make me believe in myself.

What support do you get?

The ASPIRE Centre can be a very demanding place as every student, who accesses support from the centre, is there for a different reason. Our Headteacher thinks nothing of coming in and telling me to go and get a coffee. The support from high up is what is important, it gets filtered down to be effective whilst working, nothing is too much for the staff at Rayner Stephens.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I want to be an Assistant SENDCo and with support from my leaders I will get there.

Tell me about your department

We provide inclusion support for our students, we also receive and supervise students returning from fixed term exclusion or students being supported with personalised timetables. While students are accessing the centre they participate in comprehensive assessments to determine those in need of particular help. We assist teachers with the developments and implementation of individual education/support/mentoring, we also support provision for students with special needs and identify students that need extra support. We establish productive working relationships with students acting as role models and develop 1:1 mentoring arrangements with students and provide support for distressed students. We provide information and advice to enable students to make their own choices about their own learning /behaviour/attendance, using our ASPIRE values.

What do you like about working here?

Very supportive staff and management who are keen to help you progress and always open to new ideas.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

I have been very supported. There have been times where I have needed advice and have had more than one person I have been able to speak to. I have also been contacted by senior staff and given praise been commended for work that I have done and it has been appreciated and made me feel valued.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

I have developed new lessons for whole school PSHE and implanted new Geography schemes of learning across all year groups. I have also been given the opportunity to develop my management skills.

What are the students like to work with?

The students can be challenging to get to know but once you get to know them and there is a relationship in place, based on mutual respect, pupils will endeavour to do their best. Getting the most out of our students is incredibly rewarding.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I will be involved with the upcoming Duke of Edinburgh expedition and with the school’s ski trip in Feb 2018.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

Take time to get to know the students, spend time on the corridors and in the communal areas at lunch and break times. Pupils will want to see you and want to ask questions and this is the best way to build that mutual respect with them.

How have you been developed professionally?

I have been given the opportunity to take part in lesson observations as an observer and have also been involved in the Quality Assurance process which was a new process to me. The Headteacher has been very active in meeting with me and making sure that I understand the process clearly.

What support do you get?

I have been very supported. There have been times where I have needed advice and have had more than one person I have been able to speak to. I have also been contacted by senior staff and given praise and been commended for work that I have done which has been appreciated and made me feel valued. I receive support from other members of staff and the community of the A+ Trust.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I hope that the opportunity to expand the Geography department and increase the numbers of pupils choosing Geography at GCSE. I hope that my career will progress to a whole school responsibility and with the support of school and the A+ Trust I believe that this is a real possibility.

Tell me about your department

The Humanities department is small and close knit. I am the only subject specialist for Geography but feel supported by the other staff in my faculty. We work together very closely to improve and extend the department.

What do you like about working here?

Great positive working relationships with fellow colleagues. Having worked at Rayner Stephens for a while I know the high majority of students and have been able to forge good relationships with them. In addition, I have enjoyed opportunities to progress as a teacher and a leader at this school.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

Opportunities for CPD through the Teacher Development Programme and the Leaders of Tomorrow programme. In my department I have been brilliantly supported having joined as a NQT and in my inclusion role I have always been able to rely on support from other members of the inclusion team.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

Helping my department become one of the strongest and most united in the school. Raising the profile of my specialist subject (Spanish) and placing it firmly on the curriculum map. I am very proud also of the extra-curricular activities we have run.

What are the students like to work with?

Our students are wary of change and newcomers, therefore establishing good relationships with them is key to making it work. This means investing a lot of time and effort getting to know and understand our students. If the students know you will be there for them and are working for them they show you respect and the results you get from them are fantastic. Many barriers to learning are commonplace here due to home lives, outside influences, etc. However, it motivates me that Rayner Stephens students often demonstrate great willing and resilience to achieve well and many have aspirations to better themselves.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

I have been involved in a number of school trips to Germany, Spain and France. I have also been responsible for running a number of sports clubs.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

Be prepared to work hard, have a positive mental attitude and be patient. You won’t win over the students here quickly but it is worth the effort.

How have you been developed professionally?

I feel that my level of teaching is far improved from when I have arrived. I also am better equipped now to deal with the range of student issues that take place on a daily basis. I know I am more experienced to deal with any issues and find the correct solution quicker.

What support do you get?

Hardworking inclusion team who work well collectively and great support from my department. I have learned an enormous amount from my Head of Department who I owe a great deal to for my development as a MFL teacher.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

I am not thinking about that presently. I simply want the school to succeed and personally to better my practice as a teacher and year leader.

Tell me about your department

When I arrived MFL was an underperforming department with students disengaged and results very low. Through great innovative leadership, ambition and hard work we have managed to see results improve and MFL become a very popular subject. We are a strong department that collaborate to support each other.

What do you like about working here?

Rayner Stephens, like any other school, does have its challenges, but it can also be very rewarding. The majority of the students have a positive attitude to learning and are aspirational and the staff are friendly and supportive.

How have you been supported since joining Rayner Stephens?

Throughout my time at Rayner Stephens I have been supported in a variety of ways by Senior Leaders, Support and Admin staff.

What have you done that you are proud of whilst working at Rayner Stephens?

I am most proud of the positive teacher-student relationships I have built up over the years and watching students achieve their goals.

What are the students like to work with?

The majority of the students have a positive attitude to learning, are aspirational and when challenged arise to the occasion.

What extra-curricular activities do you get involved in?

The more recent extra-curricular activities I have been involved in tend to be subject specific, for example after school catch up sessions and Computing clubs, but there are opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities outside of subject areas.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining Rayner Stephens?

Similar to most schools it has its challenges, but with those challenges come great rewards.

How have you been developed professionally?

Throughout my time at Rayner Stephens I have been developed professionally through support being given to complete a range of external courses including Leading from the Middle and Teaching Leaders, a range of “in house” training delivered through insets, twilights and morning briefings and subject specific external training. I have also been given the opportunity to further develop in an alternative role to teaching by being given the opportunity to further develop staff in the role of a Coaching Mentor.

What support do you get?

Support within school is available from a wide range of sources that include the staff within my own department area, the admin staff, the support staff and the SLT. Via links with Longdendale and the A+ Trust there are also subject specific links which include a range of schools within the local area.

What professional development and career opportunities do you think will be open in the future?

There are opportunities within school for further staff development in order to gain valuable experience in preparation for moving towards a role on SLT.

Tell me about your department

The Computer Science, Business and Media department consists of 4 main members of staff who implement a consistent approach to teaching and learning which embeds the ASPIRE core values of the school. The department work very much together as a team providing a supportive working environment.

Computer Science is delivered to all Year 7 and 8 students. In Year 9 students begin their options and can choose to continue with Computer Science and or also opt for Business or Media. All students from years 9-11 complete an ICT course.