Welcome to

Ormiston Venture Academy come and

Venture into

our success

'Students show care and respect for one another.

The academy is a calm, stimulating and enjoyable

place to be'. Ofsted Report

A View Of Venture from

Dr Paul Hann

What makes a school great?

Not all schools are the same and not all “Ofsted Outstanding” schools like Venture, are the same. Yes, Venture students make really good progress, better than most schools, and the teaching and learning is varied and as good as anywhere else in Norfolk, but it is different. It is different because what has been created at Venture, is unique.

Who has made this happen?

Venture students: there would be no Ormiston Venture Academy without its students. There is no limit to the amount of opportunities they take to showcase their achievements and strengths.Their involvement in the Guilds, a special feature of Venture is exciting. It broadens their horizons and ensures students’ views are heard and used to lead the school’s development. Venture is a school where students are proud of themselves and their peers: a great school is a happy school.

Venture staff: All the adults at Venture know they are here for only one thing: to support the learning, well-being and development of all our students. Staff are committed, work hard and embrace change. They are great teachers, but it is not just achievement in examinations that is important: it is also how the staff and students together have created a supportive and caring environment, where students feel valued and know where they can turn if they need support in facing life’s challenges.

Venture leaders: Weaving all this activity together and setting the direction for the school is the role of its leaders. Our first Principal, Nicole McCartney, and after her, our current Principal, Simon Gilbert-Barnham, have led the school so well in developing a personalised approach to what is taught and how students learn.

What they and the staff have achieved together is significant and the basis for the fine results the school now achieves. Lesley King, our Chair of Governors, has also had an important role in supporting Venture’s successful development over time. Behind the scenes, she has shared her expertise and knowledge, offering wise advice and support.

Venture parents and carers: researchers have long argued over who has the greater influence on a student’s development- is it the teacher or the parent/carer? In a recent survey, the majority of teachers thought the home had more influence over a young person’s development than the school.

The majority of parents/carers however thought the opposite, the school had more influence than the home. At Venture it is not an either/or question, it is both: the home and the school must work together closely. That is the Venture way, a school community that works together so that our Venture students achieve great things.

Dr Paul Hann

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