Specialist Status

The school was successful in achieving Specialist School status in 2005. Darton High School is a Humanities College, specialising in the key subject English (Language and Literature) with Citizenship and Religious Education (Ethics and Philosophy). We feel this combination gives us a strong identity that focuses on developing young people as active and articulate citizens and through that builds high aspiration throughout the school and wider community. The vision of Darton High School as a Specialist School is fundamental to effecting change, raising aspirations and driving up standards of achievement.

Best practice will be clearly evident in the main focus areas, but the process and resources that come about from becoming a Specialist School will affect the whole school. We will use those initiatives and developments in the target areas to permeate throughout the school and community. The development of communication skills, raising opportunities to involve students in serious individual and critical thought, student involvement in developments affecting themselves, being active citizens - these are just a few examples of aspects that will drive up achievement throughout the school. Humanities may be the focus but in reality it is the means by which we will affect the whole learning process.

One way we are developing cross-curricular links and sharing good practice is through the termly Learning Zones. These involve a variety of subjects contributing towards an event or theme over a few days or weeks. In this way staff will be encouraged to work with other staff from different teams and students will be helped to see connections between subjects and use transferable skills.

We need Darton to be a school that delivers best practice for the benefit of all in the community and wish to share best practice with our business and community partners. It is our intention to secure, develop and embrace partnerships in the local and wider community, regionally, nationally and globally. The aim here is that we create 'Learning Partnerships' which open people's minds and significantly raise people's aspirations. The emphasis on 'Lifelong Learning' is a key feature. We intend to take the opportunity to develop co-operative ventures that not only drive up educational standards in school but also have advantages and developments for our sponsors.

We will ensure our students (young, adult and old) are fully embraced in a rich and diverse learning environment, where there is truly a sense of 'Lifelong Learning', a sense of community and partnership.