Optimum means to be the best. That is what we want for all of the children at Frederick Gough. Academically and pastorally we provide a great deal and achieve great success but in order for young people to journey through a rapidly changing, sometimes uncertain, world they need a set of ‘life skills’ to take with them.
Some of these skills are easily defined, some are not fully tangible but we believe – if taught, developed & nurtured and, most importantly, shared and celebrated - these skills will ensure that every student who leaves Frederick Gough will be the best they can be in their life.
Optimum is a scheme where pupils reflect on their experiences of and the importance of the following:
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1) Employability skills – half termly teacher evaluation of the sorts of skills our students display in their work at school that are needed to ‘get on’ outside of school e.g. teamwork, creativity, investigative skills
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2) Employability qualities - a constant reminder of the importance of and structured and supported encouragement for the pupil ownership of the personable qualities that employers are looking for e.g. appearance, timekeeping, social skills etc.
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3) Challenges – ever faced a problem and really had to dig deep to get past it? We believe that the ability to do this is a really important skill and so we ask all of our students to set themselves 3 challenges. Two that are personal to them and one which benefits the community.
All of these activities involve students, parents, school staff, community representatives, business leaders, employers and employees in a wide range of jobs and combine to provide a finished young adult that is not only ready and willing to enter their post school society but able to provide that little bit extra because they know how to ‘be the best’.