The Thomas Hardye School is bidding to become the first School in the country to achieve Specialist Status.

Such Status will be awarded by the Government to those schools which are innovative, ambitious and committed to developing their teaching of Science and Information Technology.

We will be expected to maintain, and indeed improve, standards of teaching and learning in all subjects and to maintain the full range of extra curricular activities.  We will also be expected to be innovative and forward looking in all aspects of School life.  However, we will be expected to be at the leading edge of educational practice in our specialism and to work closely with other schools, hospitals, business and Higher Education to develop innovative and effective teaching.

We intend to set up an "Exploratory" in which students can explore the excitement of Science by coming into contact with the kinds of scientific equipment rarely seen in schools.

We intend to extend and develop the use of modern technology in Science and across the School.  We intend daily use of data-logging, intensive use of the interactive whiteboard and digital imagery; on line collaboration with Universities and with business and library.

We intend to improve still further the quality of teaching.  We intend to increase the numbers of students successful at GCSE at AS and at A Level; and therefore the numbers of students who go on to Higher Education to study Science, Medicine and ICT.

We will give students in Modern Languages video conferencing facilities so that they can talk face to face with students from our partner schools in France, Germany and Spain; we will give our music and art students opportunities to use computer aided technology.  We will develop the use of modern technology to raise standards in all subjects.

We intend to extend the range of extra-curricular activities and opportunities in Science and ICT.  We will continue to run trips to places such as Cape Canaveral and Futuroscope and will continue to have science and ICT clubs after school, but we will have more and make them more specific to include, for example, writing web sites or making computerised films.

We are looking for opportunities for our students (and our staff) to have work experience in business/industries associated with science or ICT, in universities and in hospitals.

We are looking for people who have experience of running a business plan who can advise us on the practicality of our plans.

We would like interactive links with University Departments, to have some access to the kinds of teaching materials used in Universities and some access to data capable of student analysis We are looking for people with experience who can offer career advice to our scientific and medically minded students.

If you can offer any of these or if you would like to know more, please contact me.

Richard Wheal
Assistant Deputy Headteacher
Tel: 01305 266064
E-mail: admin@thomas-hardye.dorset.sch.uk