Welcome
Welcome to Carisbrooke College. We are a smaller than average secondary school, fortunate enough to have had the benefit of moving in to a brand new purpose-built school on our well-established site.
Our ethos is to relentlessly pursue outstanding teaching, learning and pastoral care, whilst maintaining the focus on the needs of the individual student. Our aim and expectation is that every student who is part of our community will achieve their best in all aspects of school life.
Outstanding education is only achieved by working in close partnership with parents and carers. We want you to play a full and active role in school life, supporting your child and working with us to ensure success. We welcome collaboration and feedback about what we do well and where we could improve. Together, we can ensure each student leaves us as an educated, articulate, young adult prepared to embrace the world and the challenges ahead.
Karen Begley
Head of School
I am an experienced senior leader, Headteacher and Regional Director with a previous background of leading schools in London and Portsmouth. I am driven by wanting to make sure that young people have an education that prepares them to meet the world and have a particular interest in the role of technology in education.
I am delighted to have joined Carisbrooke College and to be working on behalf of HISP multi-academy trust to continue the journey to a high quality and inclusive education. Carisbrooke staff are hugely dedicated to the young people in their care and very proud of the legacy of the school. Like the castle we are named after, we have stood the test of time and continue to evolve.
I am pleased to be working with Karen Begley, Head of School, the senior leadership team and the staff, to ensure that all students have the very best experience at school, both inside and outside the classroom. We look forward to working in partnership with you, to provide this.
Natalie Sheppard
Executive Headteacher
Latest News
- On Wednesday evening, we staged our Christmas Concert in the beautiful Newport Minster to a packed audience and with nearly 60 students performing. The concert began with some audience participation as we sang 'Silent Night' together, accompanied by Island VI Form student and organ scholar Oliver Kurt. Over the course of the evening, there were performances from our popular singing group 'Song Cafe', members of our 'School of Rock' club and various Year 10 and 11 GCSE soloists and ensembles. Repertoire varied from traditional Christmas hits to Taylor Swift and Muse! There were also some guest appearances from some students from our Alumni and Island VI Form who have performed closely with our Carisbrooke College students over the years. The concert concluded with a rousing finale of 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' by Bruce Springsteen and 'Sparkle and Shine' from the film 'Nativity!' We would like to say a special thanks to Newport Minster's church warden Pete Whitlock, Events Coordinatior Jon Lavers and Rev. Emma Cooksey for their support with this event.20 Dec
- On Monday afternoon, a group of 30 students from our Song Cafe singing club and GCSE Music groups toured around Carisbrooke with St. Mary's jolly Rev. Steve Sutcliffe. They sang Christmas carols to members of our local community who are elderly, unwell and/or housebound this Christmas, delivering with them a student-designed Christmas card, mince pie and lots of festive cheer! Students sang beautifully and with lots of smiles and enthusiasm, proudly representing Carisbrooke College and making a joyful contribution to our local community. Following the Carol Singing, students were treated to a reception of mince pies, biscuits and drinks at Carisbrooke Parish Hall, kindly provided by the parish's Community Engagement Team' It is always wonderful to see our students engaging in local community activities but now, at Christmas time, this was especially heart-warming. Well done everyone and thank you to Mrs Peckham for organising.19 Dec
- If your child has a disability or additional need, they may well enjoy and benefit from the short breaks programme. Pop along to the new season event on 14 January to find out more!19 Dec
- A final reminder that our Christmas Concert is at 7.00 pm tonight at Newport Minster. Doors open at 6.30 pm for festive refreshments. The students have been working so hard, preparing and rehearsing today. We hope that you can join us!18 Dec
- This week's #WakeUpWednesday post is a 10 top tips for parents and educators on safety on social media. Social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram are immensely popular among children and young people: Ofcom found that 96% of children have their own profile on at least one of these platforms by the age of 17. These apps feature short-form, algorithmically tailored content ensuring that their users spend as long as possible viewing posts and videos As parents and educators, it is vital for us to safeguard the children in our care if – or more likely, when – they use social media However, the question then becomes "what exactly can we do?" This week's expert-led guide is here to answer precisely that, offering top-level advice on keeping children and young people safe as they navigate the digital landscape.18 Dec
- Thank you to our fantastic catering team for our Christmas lunch today - it was amazing! Thank you also to Miss Begley for helping to serve all of the students!18 Dec