Isca Academy

Isca Academy (formerly Isca College of Media Arts and Priory High School) is a mixed secondary school located in Exeter in the English county of Devon.[1]

Isca Academy
Address
Earl Richards Road South Exeter , Devon , EX2 6AP England
Coordinates	50.70692°N 3.5111°W / 50.70692; -3.5111
Information
Type	Academy
Department for Education URN	139682 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Headteacher	Aimee Mitchell
Gender	Mixed
Age	11 to 16
Enrolment	680 as of January 2015
Houses	Maia, Minerva, Saturn & Apollo
Colour(s)	Grey, Green (Maia), Blue (Minerva), Yellow (Saturn) & Red (Apollo),
Website	www.iscaexeter.co.uk
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Structure

Previously a community school administered by Devon County Council, Isca converted to academy status on 1 October 2013 sponsored by the Ted Wragg Trust.[2] However, the school continues to coordinate with Devon County Council for admissions.

Ofsted last visited in 2016 and declared it to be a good school. They felt the head and the governors were realistic and understood the strengths and weaknesses of the school and had long-term plans for continual improvement.[3]

Ofsted said,

The pupils are confident and able to articulate their opinions. Furthermore, they are encouraged to do so. Leaders value pupils’ views. ... [3]

Curriculum

Isca Academy offers GCSEs, BTECs and ASDAN courses as programmes of study for pupils. Some courses are offered in conjunction with Exeter College.[4]

Much value is placed in the non formal curriculum which develop skills needed to become successful learners.[5]

Formal curriculum

The school has adopted a fortnightly timetable and the two year Key Stage 3 (Years 7 and 8) which allows for more time in Key Stage 4 (Years 9, 10 and 11). All students study Religious Education and PSHE and enhanced topical themes in a tutorial and assembly programme. [5]

The core subjects in both key stages are English, Maths and Science.[5]

Students start French in Year 7 and can learn Spanish in as well in Year 8. Creative Arts subjects in Years 7 and 8 are taught on a rotation, each student will study 2 of the subjects for 4 hours per fortnight.[5]

In Key Stage 4 students continue with the core subjects and choose three options.Students studying separate sciences have 12 lessons in total per fortnight and only 2 RE lessons. The current offer of Options Subjects for year 9, 10 and 11 students are: French, Spanish, Computing, Geography. History, Music, Drama, Dance, Resistant Materials, Food and Nutrition, Art, Photography, Futsal, and PE.[5]

Extra-curricular programme

The extra curricular offer is seen as critical to developing the students personality and to developing their learning skills. There are a wide variety of educational visit and trips, out-side lesson groups, outdoor pursuits and opportunities to get involved in outside organisations. To start with there is a week long Year 7 residential trip. [5]

Then pupils may join The Duke of Edinburgh for All Scheme, Royal Marine Cadets a – CCF Unit. They may get involved in the Ten Tors, Exe Valley Challenge, Exe Valley Extreme.[6]

There are book & film clubs, writing workshops and performing arts groups, theatre visits and workshops, sports teams and development opportunities, musical tuition, clubs and workshops.[6]

Media attention

Cliff top selfies

Procedures for field trips at the school were reviewed in 2016 after four pupils climbed over a fence to take selfies at the top of the crumbling cliff top at Salcombe Hill, Sidmouth, despite warning signs, prompting a response involving RNLI members.[7]

Uniform protest

Boys in skirts 22 June 2017

In 2017 during a heat wave, boys at the college wore skirts in protest at not being allowed to wear shorts.[8] One parent claimed that the protest had been sparked by her 14-year-old son being threatened with confinement to an "isolation room" if he wore shorts, and being told sarcastically by the head teacher that wearing a skirt would not incur such a punishment. The protest lasted four days, involving only five boys at the outset, one of whom was punished for his skirt being too short, but had escalated to fifty pupils by its end, including from all year groups. The school then announced that short trousers would be permitted in the summer term of the subsequent school year, subject to consultations.[9]

References

1. "Isca | A Ted Wragg Trust School". Iscaexeter.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
2. "Ted Wragg Trust". Iscaexeter.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
3. "Ofsted Report 2016" (PDF). /iscaexeter.co.uk. Ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2020. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright
4. "Isca College - Curriculum". Iscaexeter.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
5. "Curriculum 2020". Isca Academy | A Ted Wragg Trust School. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
6. "Curriculum Enhancement Opportunities". Isca Academy | A Ted Wragg Trust School. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
7. Shaw, Neil (23 September 2016). "Children climb over fence to take cliff-edge selfies on Devon school trip". Retrieved 2 July 2017.
8. Morris, Steven (22 June 2017). "Teenage boys wear skirts to school to protest against 'no shorts' policy". Retrieved 22 June 2017.
9. Horton, Helena (23 June 2017). "Boys at Exeter academy wear skirts in uniform protest". Retrieved 2 July 2017.

External links

• Isca Academy official website