Cardinal Hume Prospectus 2024-25

Investing in Young People
In a school of over 1500 students, it is important that each individual feels secure, confident
and valued. Our pastoral system is designed to do just that.
On entry to our school, each student is allocated to one of five houses: Aidan, Bede, Cuthbert, Hild or Oswald.
Students then have a Head of House and an Assistant Head of House as well as their form tutor who they see each
morning. Tutor time ensures that students start the day off in the right way and are prepared for the day ahead.
This includes prayer, equipment checks, uniform checks and notices relevant to that group.
Progress in learning is also enhanced by a system of target setting, supported by a team of Year Progress Leaders
who ensure that each individual is provided with the necessary help to achieve their potential.
Essential to the valuing of the individual is the system of praise, whereby students are awarded house points for
academic and social achievement set against a background of healthy inter-house competition.
Contributions to the life of the house and therefore the school, be they physical, mental or spiritual are also
recognised through the Praise system ensuring that the achievement of each student can be acknowledged
irrespective of academic ability.
Academic Support
This mission of Cardinal Hume Catholic School is to allow all students to fulfil their potential.
We understand that there are times in a child’s school career where some extra input will be beneficial to their progress
and prospects. In Year 7, students who find the transition to a more independent context difficult, we offer mentoring
from the Year Progress Leader who will meet with students regularly and provide a space for homework support.
For students who need some additional support, we have a successful Peer Mentoring scheme, which carries on the
“Buddy” approach used in many of our primaries. A year 7 student can be allocated a 6th form Mentor who checks in
with them on a regular basis and helps them to integrate into the school community and systems.
As students move through the key stages, school offers a range of interventions to support progress. Each year
has a Year Progress Lead who will identify students for whom additional academic or organisational support would
support achievement in subject areas. They also provide visits and trips to inspire students who might have low
aspirations to seek to stretch their own vision.
In the crucial GCSE years, Cardinal Hume supports students’ hard work with focussed study support sessions,
run by our caring and experienced teaching staff. These sessions run after school and have a clear area of focus.
At certain key times of the year school will be extended to 5pm for groups of Year 11 students, which enables
intensive intervention and catch-up to take place. For students who are most in need, a well-established and
successful tutoring system is in place where one to one and small group sessions in key areas are delivered in school
or online. All of this is underpinned by lunch study sessions and online masterclasses.
Our interventions are most effective when they are delivered to students whose parents and carers fully buy into the
provisions and extra academic offerings available at Cardinal Hume. To help parents/carers to be effective partners in
their child’s learning, each year has a parents’ meeting where they key priorities of the year are outlined to parents by
senior staff and tips for supporting students for the year are outlined. Parents and carers are encouraged to support
the progress of their students by emphasising the vital role superb attendance has in a child’s success.
Supporting Social and Emotional Wellbeing
The school recognises that throughout their time with us, some students may need support
with their social and emotional wellbeing, and we make every endeavour to ensure that
appropriate support is available if required.
In addition to our pastoral and welfare teams, we have a School Counsellor, a team of trained wellbeing champions,
lunchtime wellbeing groups as well as staff trained in Mental Health First Aid. We strive to be reactive to factors that
can affect a student’s social and emotional wellbeing and mental health and aim to create an environment where
students feel secure and know who to turn to if they need support.
Safeguarding
We have an embedded culture of safeguarding at Cardinal Hume Catholic School with a
dedicated Safeguarding Team.
All staff receive annual safeguarding training and students are routinely given information on how to keep themselves
safe. Pupils know who to report a concern to and that they will be listened to.
Further details of our safeguarding arrangements can be found in the school’s Safeguarding and Child Protection
available from school or on the website.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
The school’s provision for children with special educational needs aims to:
1. Create an environment where children with special educational needs feel welcome and where their special needs
are addressed as far as resources allow.
2. Integrate students with special educational needs into the full life of the school.
3. Minimise, as far as possible, the educational disadvantage that results from special educational needs.
4. Make the necessary provision to maximise the performance of special needs students.
A copy of the SEND arrangements can be obtained from the school.
22
23