Curriculum
The school operates a 25 period week, each period being 1 hour. Most teaching takes place within ability sets and the school seeks to provide departments with maximum discretion for pupil achievement within the framework of the whole school drive for school improvement. R.E. is caught in every year and all pupils sit R.E. GCSE. Emphasis has been placed on GCSE as the predominant examination for pupils in KS4, however, there is selective use of vocational opportunities.
St George’s was inspected in January 2011 and Inspectors summarised their findings as “good with outstanding features”. The Church School (SIAS) inspection held concurrently awarded consistent “outstanding” judgements. Governors view the Inspection Reports as an excellent springboard to further, impressive achievements: “Students enjoy all that the school has to offer and their achievement is good……….. Students’ behaviour is outstanding, characterised by caring, compassionate attitudes and a strong sense of pride in the school.” All staff are committed to raising standards and outcomes still further: “School Leaders [at all levels] have a firm focus on raising achievement and have developed very clear and consistently implemented systems, including demonstrating quality and ensuring accountability.” (Ofsted)
Visits and extra-curricular activities are encouraged and the school fields a number of sports teams. PE is an area of excellence within the school. Netball, football and Rugby Teams are frequent league and cup winners.
Visits and extra-curricular activities are encouraged and the school fields a number of sports teams. PE is an area of excellence within the school and Music & Dance are well supported. Netball and Rugby Teams are frequent league and cup winners.Residential visits to Outdoor Pursuits Centres and to France appear regularly on the calendar and February 2009 saw the first Ski Trip to Austria for many years; the 2012 Ski Trip is already planned! The Year 9 Technology Team won the British Aerospace Trophy for Blackpool & Fylde and Enterprise Awards have also been secured: St George’s took five of the eight awards at the HERO ceremony in 2009 (Enterprise Awards) and has gained the University of Warwick Award for Excellence in Enterprise Education. St George’s is the Blackpool Maths Challenge Team Champions (2010) and has a number of Enterprise Competition Trophies. In December 2010 the school won the Entrepreneurs of the Year trophy [and £5,000] defeating two teams from independent school sixth forms in the process!
The School’s Student Senate (comprising the School Council, Sports Council and Christian Union) is strong and vibrant. Candidates for election to Council are interviewed by senior councillors before a short list for election is agreed; all students vote in annual elections. The Senate organises the annual St George’s Week celebrations and holds a dinner at a local hotel each year. The importance of student voice in school affairs including curriculum is continuously stressed and Student Learning Consultants in each area are being developed. Concurrently, there is a heavy emphasis on community and social responsibility with ambitious fund raising for Charity. In 2009 the school sent a large group of School Councillors to Moldova for a week working with and for the children in the many state orphanages. Substantial funds were raised by the school community, led by the School Council in support of this ground breaking project. In 2011 the Council visited London to experience the democratic and cultural heritage of the UK.
Students leaving St George’s can continue their education at the local 6th Form College, tertiary college or at one of the school based sixth forms in nearby St Mary’s in Blackpool, St Annes, Kirkham or Poulton-Le-Fylde.