Hatton School (Wellingborough)

Infobox UK school
name = Sir Christopher Hatton School
(known as Hatton School)


size = 140px
latitude =
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established = 1983
approx =
closed =
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type = State Secondary Comprehensive School
religion = Non denominational
president =
head_label = Head Teacher
head = Mrs Susan Bishop
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Head of Governors
chair = Mr Michael Burton
founder = Northamptonshire County Council
founder_pl =
specialist = Maths and Computing
street = The Pyghtle| city = Wellingborough
county = Northamptonshire
country = England flagicon|England
postcode = NN8 4RP
LEA = Northants County Council
ofsted = 122122
staff =
enrollment = 1,163 (August 2008)
gender = Mixed
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =
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publication =
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website = http://www.hattonschool.org.uk/

Hatton School is a co-educational comprehensive school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England named after Sir Christopher Hatton a prominent Tudor politican and Courtier of Queen Elizabeth I.

Origin

The school was formed by the amalgamation of Breezehill Girls School and Westfield Boys School on the Breezehill site. It has a school roll of 1,163 in 2008 of which 137 were in the Sixth Form. It is a Foundation School.

Historical Background

When the school was founded a suitable name was required to reflect the school’s aspirations and ambitions, and also identify it with the town and county. Sir Christopher Hatton had strong connections with Northamptonshire and with Wellingborough in particular.

Amongst other national positions, he was MP for Higham Ferrers in 1571, MP for Northamptonshire in 1572, and Lord of the Manor of Wellingborough in 1574). Hatton was knighted in 1577 and received the Order of the Garter in 1588. A shrewd businessman, he invested in Frobisher’s ‘Voyages of Discovery’ (1576-1578), in the East India Company and in Drake’s circumnavigation of the world. Hatton’s heraldic badge was a hind statant d’or’ (Golden Hind), and Drake renamed his ship, originally The Pelican, out of gratitude to Hatton’s financial support and friendship. Hatton’s £50 investment became £2300, the kind of success and enterprise that continued until his death in 1591.

The school aims to enable its students to achieve their potential in life, for their own benefit and that of the community at large; in effect following in Hatton's footsteps.

Ofstead Report 2008

The last Ofstead report was publlished on 16 August 2008cite web|title = Ofstead report 2006 - quotes here are in accordance with Crown Copyright|url = http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/download/(id)/53868/(as)/122122_268911.pdf|accessdate = 2008-10-01] .It stated:

"Most students come from the town and surrounding villages.The socio-economic circumstances of the pupils are very varied, but around the national average overall. Attainment on entry is around the national average, but the school used to admit ten percent of its intake each year based on a test, and some of these pupils remain in GCSE classes and the sixth form. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, 11 per cent, is around the national average, as is that of pupils identified as having special educational needs, 16.5 per cent. The proportion of those with statements of special need is slightly higher than average, at four per cent. These are mainly linked to moderate learning difficulties and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Most pupils are from a white British heritage, although there are about 20 per cent from other backgrounds, mainly Asian or Caribbean. There are ten pupils whose first language is not English. The school was awarded a Sportsmark in 2002, and a Schools’ Achievement Award in 2003".

Ofsteads overall evaluation was that:

"This is a good and improving school, which provides good value for money. The headteacher provides very good leadership, supported by governors and other key staff. The school has begun to address most of the issues raised in the last inspection over the last 15 months. The teachers and management have successfully taken on a range of initiatives and staff development programmes that have analysed the school’s weaknesses and, to a large part, remedied them. There is a positive ethos for learning in the school".

References