Balshaw's School Ethos

Our Declared Mission Statement

In order to fulfil our aims we are committed to excellence in all areas

To aim at excellence in demonstrating the Christian faith engendering pride and unity throughout all our work connected with the school
To allow each student to achieve excellence for themselves by offering a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum
To ensure that students, parents and all staff are involved in the fulfilment of our vision of excellence
To put people first and aim at excellence in all our relationships
To aim at excellence in communication and maintain an open management style
To aim at excellence in the upkeep of our working environment
To actively promote the school’s image of excellence throughout Leyland and Lancashire
To aim at excellence within financial management
To build upon our links with Parents, Community, Local Churches, Business, Industry and Further Education in helping us to achieve this excellence

This continues to be an exciting time at Balshaw’s with the school still enjoying the benefits presented by specialist college status. This focus and additional funding has enabled the school to build on its strengths to provide excellence in education for today and the engineers of tomorrow. Engineering specialist status does not mean we have abandoned what has made Balshaw’s what it is today.

At Balshaw’s our students:

Experience a curriculum rich in engineering opportunities that links and extends our current strengths of maths, science and design and technology to promote the attainment of students of all ability ranges
Benefit from a curriculum that has many technological opportunities through the broad application of ICT
Develop their skills as problem solvers able to respond to challenges in a creative and independent way that show an enhanced understanding of engineering principles
Encounter the real world, with vocational elements both within the curriculum and beyond, with activities that utilise the experience of teaching and non teaching staff and partners from the engineering community to prepare them to take an active and rewarding role in our technological society
Progress along their journey of lifelong learning, whether towards the world of work or on to higher education
Thrive in a caring atmosphere that values each person as an individual with needs and aspirations that are unique and valuable to the school

Curricular Aims of the School

To encourage and appreciate traditional Christian values within the framework of a rapidly changing world
To help students to develop lively, enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and apply themselves to using their physical skills
To help students to acquire knowledge and skills for adult life, giving them adequate preparation for whatever the future may hold for each individual
To expect that students achieve the highest possible standards in all they do, with additional support for children with learning difficulties and enrichment for gifted and talented children
To keep under constant review the provision of a range of courses for students to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and the expectations of parents and employers and to help students to use language and number effectively
To encourage a multiplicity of good educational approaches and learning techniques as suitable to the individual’s needs and enjoyment eg discussion, enquiry, investigation skills, problem solving, ICT skills, etc within a context of Engineering
To help students to understand the world in which they live and the inter-dependence of individuals, groups and nations, being aware of our Christian and cultural heritage alongside an appreciation of the pluralistic society in which we live
To help students to appreciate human achievements and aspirations thereby inspiring them to develop a creative and aesthetic awareness

Religious Education

The aims of the department, which accord with the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus, are to develop students’ understanding of religious beliefs, values and attitudes and to encourage students to reflect upon and express their own ideas. Students are given the opportunity to meet and question people from different faith communities and to visit places of worship. Parents have a right to request that their children do not take part in Religious Education lessons or in morning assemblies. Alternative arrangements are made for these students. As a Church School we are proud of the excellence of RE. The department has been recognised nationally.

School Worship

School Worship is considered a vital element in the total religious experience. Twice a week the school meets separately in three acts of collective worship (Years 7 & 8, Year 9, and Years 10 & 11), the Houses meet once per week and each individual tutor group has a daily ‘Thought for the Day’ and 'Prayer for the Day'. There is a Year Assembly once a week. Students are actively encouraged to lead worship. All Christian festivals are celebrated and voluntary communion services are held to mark Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Whitsun as well as at the beginning and end of terms. All Governors’ meetings and school occasions start with prayers. There is a Christian fellowship for staff and one for students. There is a Governors’ Worship Committee, which includes Governors, staff and students. There is a Worship budget within the overall school budget. The school also has close links with a number of churches in the area, particularly St Andrew’s Church and St Ambrose Church.

Please see our Headteacher's Welcome here

Please see our Balshaw’s Christian Ethos here

Please see our Chaplain's page here