Open Evening Information

Open Evening at Chelmer Valley High School

A very warm welcome to our Open Evening.  We look forward to showing you around our great school, and we hope you will want your child to join our school community and for us to guide your child through the next years of their education.

What can I expect tonight?

The school will be open from 5.30 pm until 8.00 pm, with the Headteacher’s speeches at 5.45pm and 6.45pm.  You have been provided with a map and you are welcome to have a look around the school on your own or we have a number of guides who will be happy to take you around and talk about their experiences at Chelmer Valley High School.  There will be many students stationed around the school to help you along the way.  Please feel free to ask any of our students or staff any questions that you may have. 

Throughout your journey around the school, you will be able to participate in many different activities and see samples of students' work.  For every subject your child completes a task or activity in, they will receive a sticker or signature to put on their Chelmer Challenge card.  Once they have collected 8 stickers/signatures, please take your card back to reception where your child will be entered in a prize draw.

Can I visit the school to see it 'in action' during a school day?

Yes, you will be welcome to visit us for a morning tour.  The tours will take place every day across the week commencing Monday 23^rd September 2024, at 9:00 am or 10:00 am.  Please book an appointment at reception by calling 01245 440232 for your place on a tour.

What do I need to know about the school in advance?

Chelmer Valley is a mixed comprehensive focused on academic excellence coupled with strong pastoral support.  It is a highly aspirational school that places the student at the heart of everything we do.  We have extremely high ambitions for our students and challenge them to be the very best that they can be both in their academic studies but also as positive future citizens.  The school has a real sense of community, and as you spend time in the school, I hope that you will notice the warmth and genuine care for our young people.

We are delighted to be able to be celebrating another fantastic set of GCSE and A Level outcomes.  These outcomes are the highest that Chelmer Valley has achieved for a number of years.  A combination of high academic rigour, mixed with strong pastoral support, really does bring out the very best in our students.

In June 2023, we had our OFSTED visit.  The school was graded as 'Good'.  For Chelmer Valley, this report reaffirms our belief in the school, the quality of provision we provide for our students, and the fantastic school community that we have here.  The full report can be found on our website, but the report states (OFSTED 2023):

“Pupils flourish at this school because they have a range of opportunities to succeed”

“Pupils do their best, and leaders are always thinking about how to make learning better”

“Pupils respect staff and each other”

Standards are deliberately very high at Chelmer.  We expect all students to wear their uniform immaculately, demonstrate high levels of respect, and behave well at all times.  The school has an extremely rigorous policy on behaviour, which includes isolation when expectations are not met.  In choosing to apply for a place at Chelmer Valley, you will want to be sure that you agree with and fully support these expectations and that your child can meet them.

We have an excellent Pastoral team.  This student-focused area, is designed to provide a space for students to be supported in their educational progress and their emotional wellbeing.  The school is proud of its proactive approach to the successful wellbeing and mental health of our students.

At Chelmer Valley, we strive to ensure that every child, regardless of their starting point, can make outstanding progress, and we work hard to support them fully so that they leave our school with the qualifications, skills and experience for the next stage of their educational experience.  I would encourage you to take some time to look at our website to see our curriculum, trips we offer, clubs, our fantastic work on STEAM and Careers, and much more.

How do I apply for a place for my child at Chelmer Valley?

The school is fully involved in the Local Authority's admissions system.  You will need to complete the County's Secondary Transfer Form, which you will find on their website. We are pleased to be able to offer 232 places to join our school community.  For more information, visit our admissions section on our website at https://www.chelmervalleyhighschool.co.uk/263/admissions 

We look forward to showing you around our school this evening and welcoming you and your children to our school community.

CVHS Prospectus