Coombe Boys’ School

Welcome to our prospectus and to life at Coombe Boys’ School. If you’d like to know more, you’ll find a wealth of additional information at www.coombeboysschool.org

Welcome 2

An excellent school 6

Bringing learning to life 10

Success breeds success 14

Discovering potential 18

Life outside the classroom 20

The Coombe community 26

Any questions? 30

An exciting future 34

Why not join us at Coombe? 36

Contents

Welcome

Coombe Boys’ School is the perfect school for your son. Our motto is ‘preparing you for a world of opportunity’ and we know that happy and fulfilling school days will provide the perfect foundation for a successful future. Our school is a place where he will exceed his academic potential and develop the confidence, independence and love of learning to ensure that he takes every opportunity that comes his way.

The step up to senior school is a momentous event in your son’s life. You’ll want to be certain that you’re choosing a school that will set him firmly on the path to success. At Coombe Boys’ School we know that ours is a school in which he will flourish. Our diverse, vibrant environment will stimulate and motivate him and give him the support and community he needs to become a well-balanced individual, a fully rounded member of society and a confident and ambitious young man.

The thrilling pace of technological change means that your son’s generation will soon be making their way in an exciting workplace, many of them doing jobs that we can barely imagine. It’s a hugely exciting opportunity for our pupils and at Coombe Boys’ School we’re proud to be equipping them with all the necessary skills to ensure that they prosper in this challenging new world.

This prospectus will give you a flavour of Coombe Boys’ School, but the best way to properly understand our wonderful school is to visit us. We will be delighted to show you around and let you experience our unique atmosphere. And I’m certain that once you’ve seen it for yourself, you’ll be keen for your son to share his bright future with us.

Deborah WallsHead of Coombe School and Sixth Form

2 Welcome

3Welcome

It’s our world and we’re fascinated by it. We explore its ideas and issues, from the school gates to the furthest ends of the earth.

We’re focused on helping every pupil gain the learning skills and attitudes he needs for a successful and happy future. We’ve brought all our thinking together in the Coombe Learner Profile, parts of which you can read above and throughout this prospectus. To find out more please visit www.coombeboysschool.org

An excellent school

An excellentschool

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An excellent school

With its rich tradition, ambitious vision and impressive facilities, Coombe Boys’ School has everything to provide an excellent learning environment for your son.

The local school for local boys

Across more than seven decades Coombe Boys’ School has developed a rich tradition of academic and sporting excellence. Generations of local boys have worn our colours with pride and gone on to achieve great things. In 2005 we entered into a historic federation with the renowned Coombe Girls’ School. Combining our expertise with theirs, we have ushered in a period of exciting development, creating even more opportunities for pupils from both schools.

A dynamic environment

We’re always looking to improve and expand our facilities and over the past few years we’ve secured millions of pounds worth of investment bringing rebuilding and refurbishments that have transformed our school. We’re proud of our campus and with our cutting-edge facilities we’re perfectly equipped for the future.

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We’re naturally curious and becoming ever more so. We ask the right questions, do our own research and trust ourselves to learn independently. We’re proud to be developing a lifelong love of learning.

Find out more at www.coombeboysschool.org

Bringing learning to lifeOur highly engaging and personalised approach to learning is designed to bring out the very best in your son. We’ll help him develop the love of learning that will make the rest of his life a journey of discovery.

Bringing learning to life10

Inspirational learning

Highly talented and hugely dedicated, our teachers use innovative teaching methods that are inspirational, compelling and fun. Through active learning we engage our boys in ways that push them beyond their own expectations and aspirations to academic excellence.

Personalised learning

We take an innovative and highly successful personalised approach to your son’s learning. We take the time to get to know him well and understand what really drives him. This allows us to work creatively with him to develop his strengths, nurture his passions and realise his dreams. Being a single sex school, our instinctive understanding of boys means that we can help each of our pupils to identify the journey that’s right for him as an individual.

Bringing learning to life 11

12 Bringing learning to life

Supportive learning

Just as we shape our teaching to your son’s individual strengths, we also provide one-to-one support and personal guidance at every step. We use a ‘target grade’ system which lets you and your son track his progress. Along with regular reviews and study guidance, it all adds up to a highly supportive learning system.

Richness and variety

At Coombe Boys' School we’re proud of the wide variety of academic subjects we offer our pupils. This breadth of curriculum and our personalised approach to learning means that every boy will discover which disciplines suit him as an individual. We’ll help your son choose the subjects he enjoys and excels at, which he will need to succeed in his chosen path in life.

Parental involvement

Your involvement is a key factor in your son’s education. Our teachers will welcome you, involve you and keep you informed at every step of the journey. We also encourage parents to take part in the school’s vibrant life and our frequent social and extra-curricular events.

The Coombe Learner

We’re focused on helping every one of our boys to gain the learning skills and attitudes they need for a successful and happy future. We’ve brought all our thinking together in the Coombe Learner Profile, parts of which you can read in this prospectus. To find out more please visit www.coombeboysschool.org.

13Bringing learning to life

Success breeds successWe’re determined that every boy at Coombe must experience success. We have the highest ambitions for your son and we’ll ensure that he works hard and achieves everything he possibly can.

Success breeds success14

Success breeds success

Aiming high

For boys at Coombe, the sky is the limit. Whatever your son’s attainment until now, we aim to surpass his and your expectations. Express streams stretch the most able learners, and we provide expert educational support for every boy. We’ll lift your son’s ambitions and constantly push him academically.

Perfect partners

Through our federation with Coombe Girls’ School, we’re able to share best practice between the schools, enabling our pupils to benefit from the very finest teaching expertise. This brilliant collaboration brings great benefits to our combined Sixth Form. We run a highly successful partnership with local independent King’s College School, Wimbledon, through which our sixth forms work together in various subject areas as well as Oxbridge entrance preparation.

Acting the part, looking sharp

Coombe boys understand our high expectations and enjoy the atmosphere of mutual respect between pupils and teachers. They are proud to wear our colours and feel part of the community.

Ambitious attitudes

We develop confident learners who are proud of their abilities, excited about their potential and who go on to great things. In places throughout this prospectus you can find quotes from some of our former pupils, and find out how we helped them make their way in a world of opportunity.

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We welcome change with open arms. Our attitudes and skills put us amongst the pioneers, right at the forefront of progress, understanding new technology and embracing the world that it’s creating.

Find out more at www.coombeboysschool.org

Discovering potential

The Coombe ethos

We’ll help your son become a good citizen, with integrity, honesty and fairness; a principled individual, open-minded, caring and respectful; a true leader, showing independence, enterprise and adaptability, and taking responsibility for himself and for others. Our ethos shapes every aspect of the day-to-day life of our school and our curriculum.

A happy school

Our excellent pastoral care system will make sure that your son’s time with us is a happy one. Tutor groups develop relationships over five years enabling productive and caring bonds to develop. Our Heads of Year offer another layer of friendly support, as do all of our teachers. Our prefect system encourages older boys to take an active role in helping younger ones; we believe that everyone has a role to play in the development of others.

Finding their voice

Our boys' opinions are valued and at Coombe we give them plenty of opportunities for their voices to be heard. As well as various elected tutor group roles we have a highly active student council

which encourages boys from different year groups to give their opinions about a whole range of subjects. These opinions help us shape policy; giving boys a stake in the decision-making process includes them in the positive development of their school.

Tomorrow’s leaders

Teamwork and leadership are essential skills for your son to learn. Our structured programme introduces our pupils to these new skills and roles. In the lower years we offer a variety of elected roles within the tutor and House groups. Our peer mentoring scheme and prefects system encourages boys to enjoy new levels of responsibility. From public speaking to sport, many of our extra-curricular activities help our boys develop both as individuals and as part of a team.

Our house system

Each boy is a member of a house within the school and this allegiance is central to the Coombe experience. This dimension brings a special sense of ‘family’ that is such a positive characteristic of our school. It also adds thriving competition and team-working, enabling boys to develop leadership skills and to learn from their older, aspirational peers as they strive together for the good of the house.

Discovering potentialYour son is unique. As well as helping him fulfil his potential, we’ll also provide a supportive and encouraging environment in which his aspirations will grow and his unique personality flourish.

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Discovering potential 19

Life outside the classroom

There’s so much to get excited about at Coombe and for large numbers of our boys the school bell is not the end of the day! Our dynamic cultural and sporting life and exciting extra-curricular clubs introduce positive new experiences and fresh passions that will last a lifetime.

The sporting life

We’re proud of our excellent sporting reputation and our teams and individuals regularly achieve great success at local, county and national level. Boys enjoy a wide range of competitive sports from rugby to rowing and table tennis to basketball. Football is close to our heart and we enjoy strong links with Fulham Football Club, whose trainees we teach.

Join the club

Our wealth of extra-curricular clubs and organisations ensures a busy and enjoyable life away from the classroom. We encourage our boys to try anything that might interest them, from music to debating and chess to swimming. As well as laying the foundations for new skills and hobbies, these activities also help the boys forge new friendships.

Life outsidethe classroom

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Life outside the classroom 21

Life outside the classroom22

A passion for the arts

The Arts create energy, excitement and enthusiasm within our school and our Silver Artsmark award recognises our commitment to ensuring all our boys access the Arts including Drama, Music and Dance. With our new Art, Design Technology and Music rooms we enjoy the best of facilities. Furthermore, through performances, concerts and exhibitions our boys develop a strong sense of group identity, as well as strengthening friendships and gaining encouragement to be the best they can be.

Drama encourages our boys to grow in confidence as performers and public speakers and plays a central role in the life of our school through regular high quality productions. Our popular Drama Clubs help boys unlock their imagination, empathy and courage and our pupils have performed on national and international stages.

Music is flourishing at the school and as well as our orchestra, choir and state of the art music technology suites, many pupils take individual instrumental lessons as part of our extra-curricular programme.

Our Art and Design departments mount exhibitions throughout the year and are another hub of creativity within the school.

Exploring the world

We know how important it is to get the boys out into the wider world and we offer a range of residential trips organised through different subject areas. With destinations spanning everywhere from New York to the South of France and regular events such as ski trips and football tours, your son will get plenty of chances to travel the globe; it’s all part of preparing him for a world of opportunity.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Combined Cadet Force

Participation in this scheme makes impressive reading on school leavers’ curriculum vitaes. We run a full Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards programme at the school and it’s an ideal way for our boys to develop their powers of leadership and teamwork and get themselves out into the great outdoors. In addition, our Combined Cadet Force programme offers boys the chance to experience military cadet training, balancing discipline with adventure.

Life outside the classroom 23

We’re people who value integrity, honesty and fairness. We take responsibility for our actions and we’re always respectful of the dignity of others, whether individuals, groups or communities.

Find out more at www.coombeboysschool.org

The Coombe community26

The Coombecommunity

The Coombe community

Togetherness is everything to us. Our school is a thriving community to which we all belong and we expect everyone to play a full and active part in the life of the school.

A wider network

Our House system provides our boys with opportunities to interact with pupils who are not necessarily part of their usual friendship, year or tutor groups. These ties across groups help to forge a unique sense of community within the school through shared responsibility, acceptance and respect.

A local school

We’re a local school for local boys and we have strong roots within the community. We’ve forged close links with many local businesses who provide work experience for our boys. We’ve also built connections with local organisations and charities, regularly giving something back to our area.

Productive partnerships

Our long-standing educational partnership with renowned independent King’s College School, Wimbledon, is based on the belief that we can benefit from each other’s experience and knowledge. We share teaching and management expertise between the two schools and our boys work together in other subjects such as Drama and through our Combined Cadet Force programme.

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We are citizens of the world. We understand global interdependence, we appreciate diversity, and we have the confidence and skills to let us relish the challenges of our future in a global society and workplace.

Find out more at www.coombeboysschool.org

Any questions?

30 Any questions

The people who really know our school are the pupils themselves. So we asked members of the pupil-elected Boys' School Council to answer some of the most common questions.

"What’s so unique about Coombe Boys’ School?

There are lots of things that make Coombe a great place to be and it really depends on who you ask. Some of us would talk about our creative side, or the sport, or the personal approach to learning. There is a wide range of talents working together really well and creating a great sense of community."

The Coombe Federation School Council

31Any questions

"How easy is it to settle into Year 7?

Really easy. Year 7 is a big step up and anyone would feel a bit nervous by it. But everyone’s helpful and welcoming, especially the teachers and peer mentors. You’ll definitely soon find your bearings."

"What about the library?

We call it the Learning Resource Centre, and it’s open every day for personal study. There are also computers in there and you’ll find plenty of other technology around the school too."

"What is the highlight of the year?

There are so many to choose from. Playing in the inter-house competitions. Going on the ski trip. Being part of the whole school productions and Rose Theatre performances, or the magistrates role playing and public speaking competitions. Completing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme. Having our say in the Student Council. And many more!"

32 Any questions

"How much outside space is there?

We’re really lucky to have such great grounds. As well as our playing fields there’s plenty of other outside space and we get all the fresh air and exercise we need. Also our multi-use games area helps make sure that the sports never stop, whatever the weather."

"What’s the food like?

It’s really good. The school is serious about food, and these days everyone knows that there’s a link between nutritious food and good concentration and behaviour. Our canteen is modern and up-to-date with plenty of healthy and tasty options to choose from."

If you have any other questions, please get in touch with us at enquiries@cbs.rbksch.org

33Any questions

"How has the school helped you think about your future?

The teachers are brilliant at helping you choose the subjects that will help prepare you for your future career. Plus they’ll help you identify the places where you can improve. We’ve also had talks and visits from people at universities and different companies, so that really lets you imagine some of the possibilities after you leave Coombe."

"How would you sum up Coombe?

Here are a few of our answers: ‘Friendly and inspiring.’ ‘Working hard but enjoying it too’. ‘ A community where everyone works with each other.’

‘Great results and loads of fun.’ ‘Perfect preparation for the future.’"

An exciting future

An exciting futureSending your son to our school will give him an excellent start in life, but what happens after Coombe? Rest assured, we’ll provide all the expert help, advice and opportunities that he needs to ensure that his journey continues on a successful path.

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An exciting future

Big questions, big decisions

Which subjects to study? Which career to follow? What comes next? Your son will be making plenty of important life-shaping decisions during his time with us. We’ll really know him as an individual and will help him understand the exciting options available to him. With expert careers advice and a wealth of experience in getting our pupils into higher education and employment, we’ll make sure he is able to make exactly the right choices.

Coombe Sixth Form

In their journey towards university, most of our boys will progress to the highly regarded Coombe Sixth Form, where they are joined by pupils from Coombe Girls’ School and other local schools. Having our Sixth Form on campus also provides a target to which our younger boys can aspire and role models for them to look up to. To find out more about Coombe Sixth Form and our excellent record of getting our pupils into top universities, please visit www.coombesixthform.org.

Great reputation

Each year a few of our boys decide that their immediate career path lies in the world of work. The great reputation of Coombe Boys' School and our strong links with local businesses mean that we can often help them find aspirational work experience.

Perfect preparation

At Coombe Boys’ School we’ll make sure your son’s school days are happy and successful and we’ll do everything to ensure that his future is the same. Whichever path he chooses to follow, we’ll make sure that he has the skills, attitudes, self-belief and ambition to make the very most of his world of opportunities.

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36 Why not join us at Coombe

Why not joinus at Coombe? We’d love to become part of your son’s future and we know he’ll flourish in our wonderful school. Of course, you will understand us much better by paying us a visit and letting us show what we can do for him.

For more information or to arrange a visit please contact:

Coombe Boys’ School College GardensBlake’s LaneNew MaldenSurrey KT3 6NU

Tel: 020 8949 1537Fax: 020 8942 6725

Email: enquiries@cbs.rbksch.orgwww.coombeboysschool.org

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We are citizens of the world. We welcome change with open arms. We value integrity, honesty and fairness. We enjoy challenges. We are naturally curious. We think on our feet. We love to communicate. We are proud to be developing a lifelong love of learning.

We are Coombe.

www.coombeboysschool.org