Portway School Buffet

Just a line to thank everyone who helped towards the wonderful cakes & food at the Portway school buffet. The staff were very appreciative of all the work involved. Please see below photos of some of the food:

Georgina

Pray for Portway, Monday 6 November

Just a quick reminder that the next Pray for Portway event is taking place at Portway School on Monday 6 November starting at 7.30pm.

Come and hear about the progress of the school since the start of the academic year and be part of praying into some of the specific areas so that we can see yet more answers to prayer!

NEW Portway School website

The new website for Portway Community School is now up! Check it out at http://www.portway.bristol.sch.uk/.

It looks really good, with useful information and a link to the latest OFSTED reports as well as a message from David Hebden, the Headteacher.

2006/07 Pray for Portway dates

Do note down the following dates in your diary for the 'Pray for Portway' prayer events and 'Cakes for Portway':

Pray for Portway - Autumn term
Monday 6 November, 7.30pm

Pray for Portway - Spring term
Monday 12 March, 7.30pm

Cakes!
4 Oct 2006, 7 Dec 2006, 25 Jan 2007, 8 Feb 2007, 8 Mar 2007, 17 May 2007, 12 Jul 2007

Update from Georgina

Dear Churches,

Over the past 18 months, the local churches have had an increasing involvement with Portway school, and we feel that we are establishing a unique network of support for Portway. The school is incredibly encouraged by the commitment of local churches to pray and offer practical support. In an article in the evening post May 2006 David Hebden the new Head teacher was quoted as saying “he was astonished to find dozens of people from local churches, who meet regularly in the school, and were praying for it to overcome its difficulties”. We have seen some amazing answers to prayer, namely the appointment of an inspiring, motivated and skilled head teacher who has led the school out of special measures. We have also had some great opportunities to demonstrate the love of Jesus in the school.

Over the past year we have held termly prayer meetings for the school, provided cakes for the staff on parents evening, 1:1 mentoring for pupils with difficulties, assisted with group work, offered accommodation for teachers, provided admin support, all of which have been greatly appreciated. We will continue to expand our ministry as God guides us.

Last term I was appointed a member of the Interim Executive Board for the school. (Since 1 September 2002 LEAs, with the approval of the Secretary of State, have been able to replace the governing body of a school causing concern with an interim executive board). My main role on the board is to represent the community. Therefore I would like to make myself available to be able to discuss any issues you have concerning the school and surrounding community that I may be able to address with the IEB. I would be grateful if you could inform your congregations of my role and invitation for discussions.

Furthermore I would like to form a group with representatives from each church that could meet occasionally to discuss the role of the local churches in the school and various contributions we make to the school. This could be a forum for discussing issues that could be addressed by the IEB. I have invited a representative from each church to talk further about this at a meeting in early September.

I want to take this opportunity once again to thank everyone for their support, and look forward to see how God leads us together in this ministry.

Georgina Doutre - pray4portway@hotmail.co.uk

Letter from Ofsted Inspection Team

David Hebden, the headmaster of Portway, provided www.shire.org.uk with a copy of the letter sent to pupils from the Ofsted Inspection Team following the decision to bring the school out of Special Measures. Read it here.

Thanks!

Thanks to all who baked cakes for the staff the week before last. Your efforts were much appreciated and the cakes much eaten and enjoyed!

Cakes for Portway - 21 June

On a regular basis, we have been making cakes to take into Portway school to bless the staff there. This is very much appreciated and is a big blessing to the staff.

The next Cakes for Portway is on 21 June. If you would like to bake a cake for the team to take in, please email Georgina.

Portway in the news!

2006 has brought about some exciting changes and success for Portway School. Ofsted have said that Portway no longer requires Special Measures and have been given a Notice of Improvement. Ofsted 'have confidence in the schools capacity to make lasting improvements'. Mr Hebden (the new Head) has been said to have 'brought fresh hope to the school and has focused, with great success, on the most urgent issues'. The report mentions significant improvements in behaviour and the management of challenging behaviour by staff.

In recent days, the turnaround at Portway has been in the local press. In the article, Mr Hebden acknowledges the impact of the Pray for Portway events:

...And he was astonished to find dozens of people from local churches, who meet regularly in the school, were praying for it to overcome some of its difficulties. "I'm not a religious person myself, but that was amazing," he said.

Welcome to the Pray for Portway blog!

On this blog, you'll find latest news from the Pray for Portway initiative as well as information about upcoming Pray for Portway events.

If you'd like to leave a comment on this blog, just click on 'Comments' at the bottom of any of the posts.

About Portway School

Portway Community School is situated in Shirehampton; it is a mixed comprehensive school with 741 pupils aged 11-16 years. Pupils attend Portway from some neighbourhoods facing considerable disadvantage, and standards upon entry to the school are below the national average.

The school have faced various challenging circumstances in recent years, and are now able to celebrate some success as in the recent inspection of March 2006 HMCI declared that the school no longer requires special measures.

At the start of 2006 the school moved in to a new building with a new head teacher. HMCI are confident that the school have the capacity to improve and have given the school a Notice of Improvement. HMCI feel that the head teacher has brought the school a fresh hope that lasting improvements will happen.

Our vision

Our vision as local churches is to support our community and work in partnership with Portway in order to see pupils reaching their full all round potential and become responsible, happy and helpful members of their school and community.

We seek to

"raise aspirations, unlock students' potential and work towards achieving excellence through encouraging a 'can do' culture which nurtures confident and competent people" (Steve Chalke).

How local churches support Portway

As the local churches we are establishing permanent networks of support for the school, to ensure the school is fully supported by its community. We are pleased to be working in partnership with the school and have seen some amazing developments and answers to prayer over the past year.

We have been involved in practical ministry with the school for a year. During this time we have:

• Held termly prayer meetings based on HMCI reports, to pray and increase awareness of the current issues in the school. These have been fully supported by senior management from the school.

• Established a team of mentors who support pupils on a 1:1 basis.

• Helped to lead groups on self esteem and behaviour.

• Organised a register of volunteers who have skills in certain areas who would be willing to help in various different ways.

• Regularly provided home baked cakes for staff during parents meetings and other events.

• Provided a team of workers to help staff to move into the new school building.

• Been able to provide accommodation to overseas and non local teachers and offered to act as community mentors to these.

• Supported charity events in the school.

• Provided guest speakers for lessons on topics such as drugs and art, and provided general lesson support.