Colleges in Sandwell

There are many Colleges in the Cradley Heath, Wednesbury, Oldbury and West Bromwich districts of the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell. While their individual histories and roles in society are only minor they have as a whole, like all the more noted local secondary schools, contributed greatly to the general enlightenment of the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell.

Cradley Heath

Heathfield Foundation Technology College

Heathfield Foundation Technology College (formerly Heathfield High School) is a secondary school and sixth form college located in the Old Hill area of Cradley Heath, West Midlands, England.

It was built in the 1970s when two local schools Cradley Heath Secondary School, in the Lomey Town area of Cradley Heath, and Macefield Secondary School, in Old Hill, merged. The name of the school was coined from the names of the two schools: Cradley Heath and Macefield.

It serves pupils living in the Cradley Heath, Old Hill and Rowley Regis areas of Sandwell. Its Technology College status encourages extra funding which is focused on the Technology department.

The college building programme of 2007 has been completed, with a new hair and beauty salon, seminar rooms, catering rooms and a new sixth form study centre. With this, the college offer 100+ post 16 courses, one of few places in Sandwell. The school also hosts performance evenings, in which one person from each year receives a departmental award. The worshipful The Lord Mayor and Mayoress of Sandwell attended the most recent evening (22 November 2009).

The school had previously expanded in September 2002 when taking in pupils from Britannia High School, which closed at this time due to falling pupil numbers.

The college also has a mountain centre located in Dinas Mawddwy, Gwynedd, North Wales. The building, previously an old school, was converted into accommodation for students when taking part in environmental studies, or some other rural activity. The original mountain centre was located in Llanbrynmair, Powys, Mid-Wales. This was a converted church building.

The school also makes use of a sports field known as Hingleys which is situated less than a mile from the school on Bluebell Road, Cradley Heath. Heathfield used to also own a school building that was located by the Aldi supermarket, on the way to Dudley, that used to house the first and second years (Now year 7 and year 8).

There was recent talk of the college becoming an academy , but this was met by fierce criticism, with people claiming its a ridiculous idea.

Heathfield has also allocated a £1million 6th form block, members of the sixth form community were of the opinion that the new 6th form block was 'outstanding', 'amazing' and 'out of this world', but this didn't stop one disruptive child breaking the doors to the new sixth form common room.

External links

• Sandwell Council, Heathfield Foundation Technology College.
• The school's performance in 2007

52°28′37″N 2°03′47″W / 52.477°N 2.063°W / 52.477; -2.063

Wednesbury

Manor Foundation Business, Enterprise and Sports College

Manor High School (Foundation)

Headteacher	Ms Miriam Mole
Specialisms	Business and Enterprise College, Sports College
Location	Friar Park Road Wednesbury West Midlands WS10 0JS England
Local authority	Sandwell
DfE URN	104021
Ofsted	Reports
Students	810
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	11–18
Colours	Green and Black
Website	manor.sandwell.sch.uk

Coordinates: 52°33′18″N 1°59′27″W / 52.55507°N 1.99087°W / 52.55507; -1.99087

Manor Foundation Business, Enterprise and Sports College is a secondary school located in Wednesbury, a town in West Midlands, England. The head teacher is Ms. M.A. Mole.

It is an 11-18 comprehensive school which incorporates a sixth form centre, and has served the area since its opening in 1968.^[1]

History

Manor Foundation is often the lowest-ranking secondary school in Sandwell, with just 13% of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above in 2007. ^[2] However, that figure had increased to 20% by 2009, though it was still the lowest scoring school in the borough.^[3]

Departments

Core Subjects: English, Maths and Science

Business & Enterprise & ICT and Media Studies

Arts and Designs: Design & Technology, Music, Art & Design and Drama

Others: PE, Geography, RE, Sixth Form, Modern Foreign Languages, History, Special Education Needs, Learning Mentors and Inclusion Unit

External links

• Official School Web Site

Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School College of Performing Arts

Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School College of Performing Arts is a Catholic secondary school located in Wednesbury, a town in the West Midlands of England. It is an Arts College.

Arts

In 2010, pupils at the school began putting together a full-length drama feature film, Speechless^[4]. Shot in 2011, ready for release in 2012, the film is written and directed by Thomas Moran, based on the novel, Can't Find The Words, written by fellow student, Nicole Caulfield. Produced with the supervision of drama teacher, Catherine Pepper, Speechless is intended to be the first of many such projects produced by the students.

Athletics

Students from Stuart Bathurst RC High School have represented Great Britain in athletics in the Catholic schools sports federation international championships.^{[citation needed]}

The 2007 to 2008 season of West Midlands schools athletics saw the school unbeaten for two seasons.^{[citation needed]}

The year 9 team of 2006 reached the league final played at The Hawthorns against Dartmouth High School, winning 2-1.^{[citation needed]}

Alumni

• Mark Lewis Francis, Great Britain 4x100m sprint 2004 Olympic Gold medalist attended the school for a small period of time.^{[citation needed]}
• Neil Morris represented England at hockey at a junior level in the late 1990s.
• Richard Dirden represented Great Britain and England at various international swimming events during the late 1990s.

52°33′52″N 2°0′20″W / 52.56444°N 2.00556°W / 52.56444; -2.00556

Wodensborough Community Technology College

Wodensborough Community Technology College

Motto	Partners in Continuous Learning
Religion	Secular
Headteacher	Mr. Ken Ellis
Specialism	Design Technology, Mathematics and Science
Location	Hydes Road Wednesbury West Midlands WS10 0DR England
Local authority	Sandwell
Gender	Co-educational
Ages	11–16
Former name	Wodensborough High School
Website	Official Website

Wodensborough Community Technology College (previously Wodensborough High School) is a secondary school located in Wednesbury, in the West Midlands of England. It is located on Hydes Road near the border with West Bromwich, and most of the pupils live in the Friar Park and Hateley Heath areas.^[5]

Future

A newly-built block was opened September 2005, aimed at replacing some of the school's ageing teaching areas. It was named the Vernon Building and boasts facilities for both physical education and sciences such as a gymnasium, dance hall and 8 new Science laboratories.

The school is set to undergo major changes in the near future, with many of the older blocks being replaced with brand new learning facilities. The plans are estimated to cost around £20 million, and will also see the school renamed Wednesbury Learning Campus.^[6]

Pupils

The school has 1,027 students currently.^[7][8]

In September 1990, Wodensborough was expanded to take in the youngest two year groups from Hill Top High School in nearby Hill Top, which closed completely two years later. This led to a substantial increase in the school's capacity, as since then it has taken in pupils who would have gone to Hill Top had it remained open.

Future School Developments

Wodensborough is set to undergo a series of major changes as part of the Building Schools for the Future program. The north block will be completely demolished and replaced with a state of the art new block that will give students access to the lates technology and state-of-the-art teaching. The vernon building will feature minor revampments, including housing a new reception area. Meanwhile, the South Block will be extensively remodeled to create wide, open classrooms and spacious environments that are perfect for learning. The work is set to start in January 2011 and finish around 2012 or 2013.

52°32′53″N 2°00′11″W / 52.548°N 2.003°W / 52.548; -2.003

Oldbury

Warley College

Warley College, originally called Warley College of Technology, was a college of further and higher education which served the vicinity of Oldbury in the West Midlands of England. It was formed in 1968 by the amalgamation of Oldbury College of Further Education and Chance Technical College in Smethwick^[9] and named in accordance with the recently created County Borough of Warley. It was located on the main Wolverhampton - Birmingham road.

Warley College ceased to exist after July 1986, when it merged with West Bromwich College to form Sandwell College - named in accordance with the new metropolitan borough which had been formed 12 years earlier on a merger between the county boroughs of West Bromwich and Warley.

The Warley College buildings are still in use as the Business and Technology departments of Sandwell College.

52°28′52″N 2°00′54″W / 52.481°N 2.015°W / 52.481; -2.015

Oldbury College of Sport

Oldbury College of Sport

Established	1 January 2007
Type	Comprehensive community school
Religion	Secular
Headteacher	Mr. J.A Martin
Specialism	Sports College
Location	Pound Road Oldbury West Midlands B68 8NE England
Local authority	Sandwell
DfE URN	104011
Ofsted	Reports
Students	1,015
Gender	Co-educational
Ages	11–16
Website	www.ocos.sandwell.sch.uk

Coordinates: 52°28′49″N 2°00′36″W / 52.4802°N 2.0101°W / 52.4802; -2.0101

Oldbury College of Sport (or Warley High College of Sport) is a comprehensive community school located in Oldbury, West Midlands, England. It opened as a merger of Warley High School (formerly Oldbury Tech) and Langley High School (formerly Oldbury Grammar) on 1 January 2007.^[10] Before the enlarged school opened, the council published a document addressing many parents' and councillors' concerns about merging the school.^[11] The school is holder of the Artsmark silver award, which was transferred from Warley High School when the schools merged.^[12]

Overview

Oldbury College has an active languages department that produces German podcasts for students to learn from.^[13] The college has recently aimed to achieve the National Healthy Schools Award by bringing catering in-house and teaching the benefits of healthy living in lessons throughout the curriculum.^[14] As part of the college's emphasis on sports, it has been awarded funding for a School Sport Coordinator scheme.^[15] During the Summer months, the college is host to West Bromwich Albion F.C. soccer camps,^[16] the school also offers numerous sporting activities throughout the year.^[17] Oldbury collage of sport finishes at 3.00 and starts at 9.00 to be at registration. it is the most popular school in sandwell.

Results

In the 2006 set of GCSE examinations, 32% of students achieved 5 GCSE grades of C and above. A decrease from 2005's 36%, but a slight rise from 2004's 31% and 2003's 30%.^[18] According to these results, the college was placed sixth in the Sandwell LEA.^[19]

External links

• Department of Children, Schools and Families' portfolio of the school
• Latest OFSTED report (2004)

Bristnall Hall Technology College

Bristnall Hall Technology College

Established	c.
Type	Comprehensive community school
Headteacher	Mr. Steven Venross
Specialism	Technology College
Location	Bristnall Hall Lane Oldbury West Midlands B68 9PA England
Local authority	Sandwell
DfE URN	104016
Ofsted	Reports
Students	864
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	11–18
Houses	Darby, Brindley,Telford
Website	www.bhtc.sandwell.sch.uk

Coordinates: 52°29′04″N 1°59′38″W / 52.48453°N 1.99390°W / 52.48453; -1.99390

Bristnall Hall Technology College (previously Bristnall Hall High School) is a secondary school located in Oldbury, West Midlands, England. It received Technology College status in 2005, a year after the appointment of Mr. Stephen Venross as head teacher.

The school was opened in 1929 to serve the expanding Warley area of Oldbury, and was initially a secondary modern school for pupils who did not pass their 11+ exam - those who did attended Oldbury Grammar School (on becoming a comprehensive in 1974, later known as Langley High) or Oldbury Technical School.^[20]

The attainment gap between Bristnall and the other local schools closed during the late 1970s when all the local secondary schools became comprehensive schools. There are currently six forms in each of the five year groups, and in 2006, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council announced plans to merge Bristnall with nearby Langley High School. However, it was announced in 2007 that the school would be rebuilt on the site of Langley High School as part of the Building Schools for the Future scheme. Langley High School has merged with nearby Warley High School to become Oldbury College of Sport.

The School's Uniform code is a Navy Blue Blazer with school logo and/or Navy V-neck Jumper, Mid-Gray Trousers, Black Smart Shoes, white shirt/revere colared blouse, and a navy and silver stripe tie with school logo. This Uniform code does not apply to the sixth form students. The Uniform is available at A.Oakes in Rood End, or Clive Marks school wear in Bearwood.

Bristnall Hall Technology College Opened its Sixth Form Centre within the School at the start of the 2010 academic year to Post-16 Students. Mr Tim Harris is in charge of the Sixth Form at the school.

West Bromwich

Sandwell College

Sandwell College

Established	1986
Type	Further education college
Location	Oldbury Campus Pound Road Oldbury West Midlands B68 8NA  England
Local authority	Sandwell
DfE URN	130479
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	16+
Website	sandwell.ac.uk

Coordinates: 52°28′51″N 2°00′54″W / 52.4807°N 2.01494°W / 52.4807; -2.01494

Sandwell College is a college of further and higher education located in Sandwell Metropolitan Borough, a municipal area of the West Midlands in England.

It was formed in September 1986 on a merger between West Bromwich College and Warley College, and its title reflected the name of the local borough which had been formed 12 years earlier - itself a merger of the former West Bromwich and Warley boroughs.

The college is currently situated over three campuses.

The main campus of Sandwell College is located in High Street, West Bromwich; these buildings previously formed West Bromwich College.

The Business and Technology campus of the college is located in Pound Road, Oldbury; it was previously the buildings of Warley College.

A third campus of the college is located in Crocketts Lane, Smethwick; it was previously the buildings of Smethwick Technical College.

The whole college will be brought under one roof from September 2011 when a new building opens in the centre of West Bromwich. It is not yet clear what will happen to the three current campuses once Sandwell College vacates them.

Ofsted reports

• Ofsted details for unique reference number 130479

External links

• Official Website
• Listed Building Status - Smethwick Campus
• [2]

See also

• Shireland Collegiate Academy
• Holly Lodge High School
• Secondary schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
• Other secondary school in Sandwell
• Primary schools in Sandwell
• Wood Green High School

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ "BBC News, School league tables 2007, Sandwell LA". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/07/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/333_gcse_lea.stm. 
3. ^ "Secondary schools in Sandwell". BBC News. 2009-01-15. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/09/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/333_gcse_lea.stm. 
4. ^ "official 'Speechless' page on Facebook". http://www.facebook.com/speechlessfilm. 
5. ^ "Wodensborough Community Technology College Learning Portal". http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=34796. Retrieved 2010-06-21. 
6. ^ http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/08/14/first-look-at-design-of-20m-new-school/
7. ^ "UK Government - Wodensborough CTC". http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/3334023/overview/. Retrieved 2010-06-21. 
8. ^ "Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) - Wodensborough CTC". http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/104006/(type)/8192/(typename)/Secondary%20schools. Retrieved 2010-06-21. 
9. ^ Education in Smethwick
10. ^ "Oldbury College of Sport". Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. http://www.laws.sandwell.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/education-and-learning/schools/secondary/oldbury-college-of-sport/. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
11. ^ "Outcome of Statutory Consultation on the Proposal to Close Langley High School and enlarge Warley High School College of Sport" (PDF). Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. 2006-08-14. http://cmis.sandwell.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=19316. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
12. ^ http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/artsmark/artsmark_round3.php Archived May 29, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
13. ^ "German Podcasts". Shireland City Learning Centre. http://www.shirelandclc.co.uk/podcast/Oldbury/German%20/German%20.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
14. ^ "Case Studies - Oldbury College of Sport". School Food Trust. January 2007. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080519223746/http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudy-detail.asp?caseid=30. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
15. ^ "Oldbury College of Sport, Oldbury, West Midlands". eteach.com. http://www.eteach.com/JobSeekers/RecruiterProfile.aspx?EmpNo=15863. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
16. ^ "Summer soccer camps". West Bromwich Albion F.C.. 2007-08-24. http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityLatest/0,,10366~1038251,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
17. ^ "Warley High Assets". Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20070928011630/http://www.laws.sandwell.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/download/asset/?asset_id=391247. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
18. ^ "Warley High College of Sport". BBC 2006 League Tables. 2007-01-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/333_4110.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
19. ^ "Schools in Sandwell". BBC 2006 League Tables. 2007-01-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/333_gcse_lea.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-25. 
20. ^ http://www.historyofoldbury.co.uk/2timeline.htm