At Norton Hill, we recognise that, as well as personal and academic success, it is important we make sure students are equipped to make a positive contribution to their local and wider communities. Students are given a range of opportunities to take part in community activities both through the curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities. These include:

House and Student Leadership
Each House develops their own community action projects led by the House Council. Every year, each House produces a presentation of their community work to a panel which award points to the House deemed to have made the greatest contribution. Students of all ages are involved in the activities, for example, links with local residential homes have been made and students visit the elderly residents on a regular basis and a local community garden project has started recently in the local vicinity.

Eco-Schools
The school runs a student Eco-Schools group who take a lead on sustainability issues in the school and local community. For example, students help lead and publicise the country wide Zero-Waste week. We have recently been awarded the silver award status and are now progressing towards the top “Green Flag Status”.

Curriculum Projects
Students have the chance to experience working with students of different ages through link projects with other secondary and primary schools. Visits to and from the school for local, national and international activities allow our students to work with people from a range of cultures and ages.

Volunteering
A large number of our Key Stage 4 and 5 students are involved in volunteering activities through the Duke of Edinburgh and Applied Learning schemes. Students are able to log and accredit their activities to provide evidence of their work for future employment and Higher Education applications.

Community Alcohol Partnership
Norton Hill and Somervale schools are working in partnership with all the major stakeholders in the area to address the use and abuse of alcohol and all of the anti-social behaviour that can accompany it. We have completed part of the overall action plan and continue to educate the young people on the effects of alcohol and how they can affect their local community.

Anti-bullying Mentor Scheme
This voluntary led scheme, allows students to volunteer as mentors to other younger students who are in need to advice and support. They are assigned to a tutor group and have weekly meetings. Students work alongside the Anti-bullying lead teacher to promote and ensure a happy, safe school environment.

Norton Hill School dates back to 1911 and we are proud to have provided over a hundred years of state education. At the heart of the Norton Hill philosophy is a belief in the highest standards and an expectation that everybody will do their best.

High Expectations
We have the highest expectations of our students’ behaviour. In lessons we have an ethos of learning and Ofsted noted that our students “have very positive attitudes towards their work”. Relationships between staff and students are excellent, and visitors to the school remark on how courteous and trustworthy Norton Hill students are.

At Norton Hill, we believe that it is important to reward effort, achievement and community spirit. We operate a system of merits throughout the school for good work or good behaviour. We use “Time Out” to deal with any student who disrupts a lesson to ensure that nobody can interfere with the learning of other students.

Student Involvement
Students play a central part in the life of the school and are directly involved in many aspects of the management of the school. This is through the elected House and sports representatives mentioned earlier as well as other opportunities for the pupils' to have their voice heard. The students have an important role in shaping school policies and activities.