Contact:

Pam Scott-Cook
pam@highgrove.org.uk

Portway Community School is located a short distance from Highgrove Church and reopened as Oasis Academy: Brightstowe in September 2008. Highgrove is joining together with churches from Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Lawrence Weston and Avonmouth to support the school.

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

We are pleased to have had opportunities to bless the school over the last few years and have seen some amazing developments and answers to prayer. We have been involved in practical ministry with the school. 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.

  We are currently considering the best ways in which we can love and support the school going forward in its new form.