Spalding High School (United Kingdom)

Spalding High School is a female-only selective school with a sports college status: it also has a mixed sixth form. It is located on "Stonegate" in Spalding in Lincolnshire for pupils aged 11-18. All the pupils have to pass an 11+ exam. There are around 900-1000 people in the school including staff and 6th formers. The current headmaster is Mr Timothy Clark.Spalding High School is currently ranked in the top ten secondary schools of Lincolnshire for its examination results.

History

The school opened in 1920, originally at Ayscoughfee Hall School, and moved to the current site in the late 1950s. There are a number of watercolours of the original site in the school's possession, as well as all full school photos (done once every five years) dating back to the school's early days. The library keeps an archive of photos, programmes and other memorabilia.The current site has been considerably added to in the 1980s, 90s and recently, with further plans to develop (see below). The main block added in the 80s, (known as 'the 1980s Block') was opened by the Duchess of Rutland.

Aims of the School

According to its official website, Spalding High School aims to:
* "Value each individual member of the school community.
* Foster the personal and social development of each individual
* Encourage all students to achieve their full potential in all areas, within the restriction of nine and a half compulsary GCSEs [options are in place to study for more] . The surrounding comprehensives offer 14.
* Encourage high academic standards.
* Make learning enjoyable and challenging
* Provide [an] † enjoyable and challenging environment for teaching and learning
* Encourage all students to be sensitive to the needs of other and to respect their environment
* Enable pupils to make informed decisions about their future and take responsibility for their lives
* Encourage extra curriculum activities
* Involve parents, governors and the community in the life of the school"†Original document used the word "and," which is assumed to be a typographic error.

Administration

Headmaster: Mr Tim Clark

Deputy Head: Mrs Doreen Bamford

Chairman of Governors: Mrs E Alexander

School Administrator: Mrs E Moran

School Bursar: Mrs T Fleming

Site Manager: Mr G Mountain

Houses

In a typical yeargroup at Spalding High School there are five forms of thirty or so pupils. Each form is a member of a house. There are five houses, each named after famous women of historical imporance;

Curie - after Marie Curie (physicist)

Johnson - after Amy Johnson (aviatrix)

Nightingale - after Florence Nightingale (medicine)

Pankhurst - after Emmeline Pankhurst (women's rights)

andSharman - after Helen Sharman (astronaut)

Houses compete for excellents (awarded for good work and contribution), and in the year 7-8 Drama festival, the House Music Festival in the spring term, and Sports Day in the summer term.

ubjects

Spalding High School offers the standard English Curriculum to GCSEs.All students are required to take English, Maths and Science to GCSE level. Students are encouraged to take one of the following technology qualifications inTextiles, Home Economics, or Design & Technology and a Modern Foreign Languages (principally French or German) to keep a balanced academic profile. They can also choose two of the following subjects to take to GCSE level;
* History
* Geography
* Music
* Art & Design
* Latin
Religious Education is compulsory (unless parents object), as is Information Technology.
Physical Education remains a compulsory part of the timetable during years 10-11 but is optional as a qualification. Careers and Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE) are also timetabled lessons with no qualification. Sixth-Form Students are advised to take four A-levels, dropping one after AS, taking three to A2. Their options are as follows;
* English (Literature only)
* Further Maths
* Physics
* Chemistry
* Biology
* History
* Geography
* Music
* Art & Design
* Psychology
* Sociology
* Business Studies
* Drama

The school caters for Special Education Needs, especially dyslexia and other literacy-related needs with due attention and lunchtime-classes.The school is also a Sports college and provides a GCSE in Dance which is studied at lunch times and taught by trained staff.

Extra Curricular Activities Available to Sixth Form Students

Specific clubs
*Young Enterprise Scheme
*Junior / Community Sports' Leader Award
*Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
*Debating Society
*Drama
*Music
*Football
*Basketball
*Mixed Hockey

Other Involvement

House Captains

Prefects - elected by Peers & Staff

Peer Mentoring (including training from ChildLine)

Form Prefects (Y8 & Y9)

Sixth Form CouncilCommittees:
* Themed Summer Fayre
* Social Services - Harvest & Christmas party
* Ball
* Stationery
* Lost Property
* Library
* Exhibition
* Helping Hand (fund-raising).
* Green / Recycling
* Year Group Book
* Magazine
* Common Room /Social

Development of School and Plans For The Future

There are plans afoot to build a wind turbine in the grounds of the school, pending planning permission from the local Council. It is hoped that this will reduce the school's carbon footprint, as well as energy costs. It is also hoped that this addition will be used to teach students about alternate, envionmentally friendly energy sources. A sponsored dance was held in the 2006-7 academic year to raise money for this project.

In 2007, the school opened a new multigym which is open to staff and students of the school for leisure purposes. It was financed by money left to the school in the will of a deceased teacher at the school. In 2005 a new Geography block was completed, adding several new teaching spaces.

Alumni

* Christine Russell (1956-63) - Labour MP for City of Chester, who unseated Gyles Brandreth in 1997.

Former teachers

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/uk/wales/13110.stm Jennifer Randerson] (1972-4 History) - former Education [http://www.assemblywales.org/mem-cardiff_central spokesperson] for LibDems in the Welsh Assembly

ee also

* Spalding Grammar School - mainly a school for boys, but accepts girls into the sixth form.

External links

* [http://www.spaldinghigh.lincs.sch.uk Spalding High School]