Welcome to Abbeyfield School.

We pride ourselves on being a community that provides all of our students the opportunity to develop skills and experiences that will help them succeed in the wider world.  Our aspirations are encapsulated in our school values of Ambition, Respect and Kindness (ARK) which provide the framework that all of our activities and learning hinge upon.

We are ambitious for all our students to achieve the very best academic qualifications and to join us on a learning journey from year 7 right through to year 13.  We are developing an increasingly bespoke curriculum to meet the needs of all of our students and allow them to flourish both academically and pastorally.  As a Performing Arts college we are uniquely placed to offer fantastic enrichment opportunities to all of our students.  With the opportunities provided by a professional theatre, two dance studios, a sports centre, gymnasium and fully fitted gym it’s no wonder that students are able to get involved in some wonderful opportunities.  The recent performance of ‘Sister Act’ was an astonishing production that emphasises the engagement that students have in the Performing Arts, whilst our access to the ‘Goals’ facility provides great sporting opportunities for our students.

We also focus on developing mutual respect throughout our community. This ranges from the importance of being in the right place and the right time to how all of our stakeholders interact with each other.  Our pastoral programme places real emphasis on the importance of collaborative problem-solving and de-escalation of situations to ensure that positive progress can be made by all.

The importance of kindness in society can be lost, and there are many challenges in the world at the moment that students are well aware of. This is why a focus on kindness is one of our core values here at Abbeyfield. We want students to be ambitious and to fulfil their potential. We want them to be respectful and learn to problem solve, but we want them to be kind to themselves and each other. This is why the value of kindness is so important to our community. From developing a better understanding of how to use social media, to ensuring that we are positive active bystanders and add value to our community through our actions – our focus is on ensuring that all students have a clear understanding of how their actions impact on both themselves and others.  Making the right choice for the right reason can be difficult but makes a huge impact on our community as a whole.

At Abbeyfield School we have high standards and expectations for all of our students, but we remain a fully inclusive school. We expect all members of our community to be punctual, smartly dressed, follow our policies and expectations and be ready to learn.  Supporting students in meeting our expectations is key to ensuring that they get the most out of their time here at Abbeyfield.  It’s an exciting time to join us on our journey and I look forward to meeting you soon.

Henry Gowney-Hedges

Principal