"I Aspire" Programme and Rewards

The Copleston Rewards System

At Copleston we pride ourselves on a highly effective rewards system that acknowledges and celebrates the achievements and successes of all our pupils. Across the school – inside and outside the classroom. We provide our pupils with opportunities to be recognised and praised for their academic achievements, progress, contributions to the school community, behaviour and attendance. We strongly believe that pupils should be regularly and fairly rewarded for their achievements, to not only celebrate pupils’ successes, but to also inspire and motivate young people to achieve their very best and become confident, independent learners. This vision, in turn, raises standards and improves behaviour and attendance.

Outlined below are the various methods used across the school from Year 7 through to Year 13.

The "I Aspire" Programme

Our new "I Aspire" programme is a big part of our reward system where students have the opportunity to work towards completing 10 challenges over the course of an academic year.

The 10 challenges are:

1. Volunteer and help out at three school events such as open evenings, information evenings, primary school sports days etc.
2. Organise and oversee a school community project, such as a litter picking programme.
3. Create and support the presentation of assemblies on a key theme.
4. Organise a student group or club (with teacher support)
5. Show compassion through an act of kindness to someone within the school or the wider community.
6. Aspire to have an attendance which is over 97% for a whole term and to have no negative behaviour points.
7. Take part in three extracurricular “meaningful encounters” with further education establishments or employers.
8. Plan, and organise a fundraising event at Copleston High School
9. Take part in either a music/drama production, sporting event or academic event (in school or out)
10. Be actively involved in mentoring or supporting other students within Copleston High School or the local community.

Students will achieve a Satchel Badge for each challenge they complete.

Students can then achieve further badges and prizes based on the number of challenges they complete.

• Bronze: Successfully complete three I Aspire challenges

• Silver : Successfully complete five I Aspire challenges

• Gold: Successfully complete seven I Aspire challenges

• Platinum: Successfully complete all ten I Aspire challenges

Completing Challenges

All students have an "I Aspire" booklet in which to record their challenges. When a student thinks they have completed a challenge, they need to write down in the booklet what they have done to complete the challenge and then show it to their form tutor. If the form tutor agrees that the challenge has been successfully completed, they will award the student with the relevant Satchel Badge.

Achieving Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Badges

When a student has completed 3 challenges, they will inform their form tutor who will award them with their "I Aspire" Bronze Badge.

When a student has completed 5 challenges, they will see their Leader of Learning who will award them with their "I Aspire" Silver Badge.

When a student has completed 7 challenges, they will see a member of Senior Management Team who will award them with their "I Aspire" Gold Badge

When a student has completed all 10 challenges, they will see one of the Principal, the Head of School or a Vice Principal who will award them with their Platinum Badge.

Principal's Award

At the end of each week, Leaders of Learning nominate two students from their year group who have demonstrated excellence in their academic work or in another area, such as demonstrating one or more of our core values of being respectful, resilient, resourceful, compassionate or aspirational. These students are invited to meet with the Principal or Head of School in the coffee bar on Fridays to receive their award.  

As part of their award, students are now able to collect a token from the Learning Resource Centre to choose a book from our book vending machine. Students are really enjoying the opportunity to do this and there is lots of discussion about which book to choose!    

The Golden Ticket

The Golden Ticket  recognises outstanding performance by a student in any way at any time in the school.  This spontaneous and highly sought after reward is recognised by a prize (branded Copleston golden chocolate bars and Copleston golden pens), contact home and recognition amongst peers. Repeated receipt of golden tickets results in higher value prizes. Since its launch the Golden Ticket has received exceptional praise by staff and students alike. Teaching Assistants value the chance to offer instantaneous and deserved praise to pupils they support. Parents have emailed in expressing their thanks and appreciation, stating how great it is to see pupils who deserve the merit receiving their Golden Tickets and being recognised for this.

Postcards Home

Copleston Postcards are sent home to our pupils and parents to recognise and praise a pupil for a particular achievement, act or effort. The exceptionally positive feedback from pupils and parents alike, suggests that this method of rewarding our pupils is highly valued and appreciated by all.

All subject teachers, as well as the pastoral teams, use postcards to celebrate achievement and pupils really value receiving postcards as they provide them with a physical reward as recognition of their hard work, effort and commitment.

Satchel Subject Badges

Satchel Badges can be awarded via our homework system to recognise an excellent piece of classwork or homework or for excellent effort and contribution to lessons. There is a badge for each subject and for form time, as well as separate badges awarded for achievements within our Communication and Interaction Unit. Satchel badges are valued by students as a sign that they are working well, and students are keen to collect at least one badge for every subject. 

Achievement Assemblies

Achievement Assemblies are held termly and are an excellent opportunity to celebrate achievements in a formal, high profile manner. Through analysis of our rewards system, individual subject nominations and attendance records we use Achievement Assemblies to praise and recognise the whole term successes of pupils who have consistently and continuously pushed themselves to achieve well. The reputation and high profile of this termly event involves the Principal, Deputy & Assistant Principals, Year Team, Form Tutors and Governors. Across the school, our pupils value and appreciate Achievement Assemblies as a means of being rewarded publicly amongst the year group. This, therefore, provides our pupils with an invaluable opportunity to support, share and celebrate each other’s successes together; which, in turn, promotes an acceptance of positive achievements and excellent behaviour.

There are a wide range of categories that students are recognised for in these Achievement Assemblies. These include rewards for attendance, rewards for excellent Learning Profile grades, rewards for subject achievements and rewards for the number of Satchel Badges achieved.

Celebration Evenings

The Copleston Celebration Evenings are another high profile event within our rewards system. Celebration Evenings commend our nominated pupils for going the extra mile in one or more subjects or within the school community as a whole. Pupils can be nominated for an outstanding academic or sporting achievement, for achieving success against the odds or for making an exceptional contribution to the wider school community. This prestigious event is an opportunity to formally invite parents along to join us in commemorating their child’s successes and achievements. The evening includes an award ceremony hosted by the Senior Management Team, Year Team and Governors, entertainment provided by our pupils and a slideshow of photographs that document the highlights of the school year. This gratifying evening is a chance for staff, parents and pupils to chat informally. This part of the evening is welcomed by many and completes a fantastic evening celebrating the outstanding achievements of our students.

Whilst it is not expected that all students will be invited to this event every year, it is our aim to ensure that all students, within a year group, receive an invite at least once during their five years in the main school from year 7-11. These Celebration Evenings continue in the Sixth Form, where students have a further opportunity to showcase their talents.