The Mountbatten School

Infobox UK school
name = The Mountbatten School


size =
latitude =
longitude =
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motto = We Care, We Respect, We Achieve [http://www.mountbatten.hants.sch.uk/content/index.php?page=132]
motto_pl =
established = 1969
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Comprehensive
religion =
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Heather McIlroy
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Chair of Governors
chair = Dr. Mary Bainbridge
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist = Language College, Sports College
specialist_pl = 2 Specialisms
street = Whitenap Lane
city = Romsey
county = Hampshire
country = England flagicon|England
postcode = SO51 5SY
LEA = Hampshire County Council
ofsted =
staff =
enrollment = c.1500 pupils
gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 16
houses = Wishart, Daring, Kelly, Lion
colours =
publication =
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
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website = http://www.mountbatten.hants.sch.uk
website_name = mountbatten.hants.sch.uk

The Mountbatten School is a secondary school located on Whitenap Lane in Romsey, Hampshire, England. The school opened in 1969 and was built on land that was originally part of Earl Mountbatten's Broadlands estate.

The school is an 11-16 co-educational comprehensive school, situated in the Parish of Romsey Extra. The majority of pupils are drawn from Romsey and Southampton districts including Chilworth, North Baddesley, Nursling, and Rownhams. As of 2008, there are 1,485 pupils on roll, and the school has a standard Year-7 intake of 280.

pecialist status

The school became a Language College in 2000, and in September 2004, the school gained Sports College status, and it is now known as The Mountbatten School: A Language and Sports College. In September 2006, the school became the hub of The Mountbatten School Sports Partnership, incorporating the following secondary schools:
* Test Valley School
* The Romsey School
* John Hanson Community School
* Winton School
* Harrow Way Community School
* The Mark Way School

House system

After entry into the school education system, each pupil is assigned to a house which will form the basis for their allegiances during sporting events. The houses are named after Lord Mountbatten's ships. The houses are Wishart, Daring, Kelly, and Lion.

Headteachers

* Mr. Paddy Chesterton
* Mr. Harold Winkle
* Mr. Geoff Wilkinson
* Mrs. Lesley Morffew
* Mrs. Heather McIlroy (Current)

The Lantern Theatre

The Mountbatten School site consists of 6 separate buildings. The Lantern Theatre building contains the drama and music rooms, including a recording studio and theatre with pull-out seating for 140 people. The Lantern is not only part of the school, but is also part of a large Community project, funded by Hampshire County Council and The National Lottery.

The fire of 2006

On Tuesday, 7 March 2006, an electrical fault led to a minor fire in the electrical distribution box in the main blockFact|date=February 2007. This was quickly put out by the fire brigade, and no other parts of the school were damaged. This box serves the entire school site, which affected heat, light, ICT, and telephone services. The school was closed for a couple of weeks, before pupils returned, a year group at a time, before the end of April.

There has been a history of unexplained fires at the school, there having been several in the 1990s that destroyed or seriously damaged (on unrelated occasions) the science block, the English block, the library, and the music huts. A fire destroyed the library and parts of the English block during the Christmas holidays in 1996-7, but although the police concluded that it was an arson attack, no-one was charged with the offence.

GCSE results

In 2007, 74% of pupils received 5 or more A-C grades; 99% received 5 or more A-G grades. The class of 2007 were the second highest achieving year group in the school's history, and put them on the list of the top 250 schools in the countryFact|date=September 2007.

Notable alumni

Some prominent former pupils of the school include:
* Terry Bartlett - Gymnast, who competed for Great Britain at the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympic Games.
* Steve Basham - Footballer. Has played for Southampton F.C., Wrexham, Preston, Oxford, and, currently, Exeter City.
* Richard Burch - Cyclist.
* Martin Butler - Musician, and composer of classical music.
* Andy Cook - Former professional footballer.
* Julia Copus - Poet, and radio dramatist.
* Richard Dibden - Former Hampshire cricketer.
* Charlie Dimmock - T.V. presenter, and gardener.
* John Griffiths - Actor, and theatre director. Known professionally as Griff Mellhuish.
* Sarah-Jane Hutt - Miss World in 1983.
* Lukas Jutkiewicz - Former Swindon striker; signed for Everton in 2007.
* Martin Kellaway - Cricketer.
* Jeff Moody - T.V. presenter, theatre director, and actor.
* Emma Payne - Ballet dancer, and choreographer.
* Melanie Purkiss - Athlete. Reached the semi-finals of the 400 metres in the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
* Tamzin Sylvester - T.V. reporter. Has worked on "Liquid News" and "London Today".
* Sam Whitlock - Historical docudrama actor; appeared in "The Relief of Belsen", Channel 4, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.mountbatten.hants.sch.uk Official website]
* [http://www.mountbatten.hants.sch.uk/includes/resource_show.php?id=205&type=file Ofsted report 2006]
* [http://www.mountbatten.hants.sch.uk/includes/resource_show.php?id=206&type=file Ofsted report 2001]
* [http://www.edubase.gov.uk/EstablishmentView.aspx?EstablishmentID=16393 EduBase]