Community Links

Visits form a very important aspect of curriculum provision.  Many classes make weekly visits to local facilities such as supermarkets, libraries, garden centres or parks.  Extensive day visits take place to such venues as Slimbridge, Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucester Cathedral and Mosque, Waterways Museum, Winchcombe Pottery, SS Great Britain, Sudeley Castle and Cheltenham Town Football ground.

Bettridge School has ongoing links with a variety of other establishments in the area, enabling pupils to benefit from the wider community.

Assessment Centre children have the opportunity to attend local playgroups and, where appropriate, to integrate into local primary schools.  At both KS1 and KS2 groups of pupils have a regular weekly link with classes at St James School.  Some children in the primary department also integrate into local schools, usually for a weekly session. Aims of integration vary according to the needs of the child, but it is often undertaken with a view to enhancing social or language skills.  Our most recent link is with a group of primary aged pupils from Dean Close School who are sharing a project with one of our primary classes.

Volunteers from local secondary schools, in particular our neighbouring Comprehensive School, Bournside, often help in classrooms, as part of their work experience or community service. This input extends into the summer playscheme, which is well supported in this way.  At KS3 and KS4 there are links with pupils at Bournside School.  In KS3 this is based on linking for specific projects while Y10 and Y11 pupils maintain a weekly link.  The school is one of six partner schools of Bournside’s Specialist Art Project, St Benedicts School Sports Co-ordinator program and Pittville Performing Arts Programme.

The school takes every opportunity for involvement in inclusive projects with other schools.  For example, in May 2006, pupils from ‘The Club’ joined Bournside students to prepare a piece and take part in the Cheltenham Dance Festival.  Key Stage 2 pupils shared a week of dance with a class from St James School.

The Secondary also organises visits to Cheltenham Further Education College, as part of a programme preparing pupils for life after school. In addition, all KS4 pupils have the opportunity to attend Hartpury College of Agriculture for one day a week, where they follow a Rural Foundation course. Senior pupils also enjoy ten-week courses at the Y.M.C.A. where they learn use of the fitness rooms. Many pupils are regularly involved in local school activities such as the Cheltenham Schools’ Art Festival.

Long-standing links with the Riding for the Disabled Association mean that all pupils, at some stage during their time at school, will be able to experience the personal and physical benefits of horse riding.

Bettridge is pleased to offer work placements to students from a range of establishments.  We welcome both NNEB and GNVQ students, as well as trainee nurses, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists.  Teaching students from the University of Gloucestershire also spend time in school. All students work under the close supervision and guidance of Bettridge staff.

We are fortunate that a variety of community groups give charitable support from time to time to the school.  This includes local companies, charitable organisations and fund-raising groups in pubs, clubs and local churches.  Pupils in turn are encouraged to raise money for charities through such events as Comic Relief Day, the Swimarathon, Children in Need and Blue Peter Appeals.

As a school we encourage pupils to look wider than their local community by our international links.  We have partner schools in Germany and France and pupils from each school regularly send materials to one another.  Some staff also meet with teachers from these schools.  To extend these links we welcome groups of international visitors from cultures as diverse as the USA and China.