SHELLEY College is going from strength to strength.
The rural college is celebrating an excellent Ofsted report, extension plans for its sixth form and a general ‘good feel’ about the place.
The school’s outstanding pastoral care and its generally caring ethos is a notable strength and evidence of this is recent fundraising by year 11 student Krysia Kubinski.
Krysia’s cousin, Marcin Wojtak – a member of 34 Squadron RAF Regiment – was killed in an explosion while on vehicle patrol in Afghanistan on October 1 last year.
Support from college helped Krysia turn a negative situation into a positive one and since then she has raised more than £1,100 for Help For Heroes which pays for rehabilitation for soldiers from all the forces fighting the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Further fundraising is also planned by her family at Morrisons supermarket on July 3 and 4.
The 24-year-old, who was known as ‘Big Ted’ because of his teddy-bear like qualities, was from Leicester.
In an address to students at the college, Krysia said: “I would like to thank all my close friends and teachers, especially those in the year 11 office, who have helped look out for me all the way through the past several months.
“Also thank you to everyone else that has played even the tiniest part in helping me to put my campaign into action. I have accepted that nothing can bring Marcin back. However we as a school have contributed to and raised the profile of this national charity.”
And its pastor Government inspectors from Ofsted who visited Shelley College last month gave a glowing report about students’ exemplary behaviour and their mature sensible nature.
It also praised their attitude to learning and the college’s good quality teaching and curriculum.
The report also praised the outstanding quality of the school’s care and guidance and support.
It graded the college overall as good with outstanding features.
Headteacher John McNally – who took up the post in January this year and was previously headteacher at St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School in Featherstone – said he was delighted with such a positive report.
“I have never seen such a positive statement about students in any Ofsted report but it is thoroughly well deserved,’’ he said. “The students do behave exceptionally well every day and their contributions make Shelley College such a special place.
“We are a good school with many outstanding features. Plans to further improve assessment and develop one or two aspects of our curriculum will be implemented in September and I can assure you we will keep looking for ways to improve the school further.”
The report said Mr McNally had created a cohesive team with a clear determination to take the school from strength to strength.
It also praised the sixth form which has recently received news from the Learning Skills Council that it can go ahead with expansion plans to increase its places by 30 to 378.
Other plans include the introduction of a new tutorial system and developing new ideas for teaching and learning including offering a broader range of A level and level 3 BTec qualifications.
As a specialist science college, Shelley has strong community links with feeder primary schools which was well illustrated by recent events during National Science and Engineering Week.
