Alder Coppice Primary School

Alder Coppice Primary School is situated on the Northway estate in Sedgley, West Midlands.

It was built in 1963 to serve the local area, which had begun developing in the late 1950s and was mostly completed by the early 1970s.

The school now provides education for pupils aged 3 to 11 (incorporating a nursery unit for 3 and 4 year olds), and from 1972 until 1990 also included 12 year olds.

The current headteacher is Dr Duncan Jones, who arrived in January 2006 to replace the retiring Mr David Cox, who had been at the school since 1999. His predecessor was Mr Barbara Carter.

Alder Coppice was put into special measures in December 1999 after OFSTED inspectors criticised the school's weak management of resources and lack of direction, but it came out of special measures 18 months later and is successful again.

The school has several sports teams which mostly consist of pupils in the two highest year groups (ages 9, 10 and 11). The boys football team has been particularly successful, having won several local league championships and cups since the 1980s.

Bruce Wheeler, who left Alder Coppice in July 1997 and later attended the Dormston School, was a member of the boys football team and is now a midfielder for A.F.C. Telford United having started his career at Walsall.

Neil Skidmore, who left Alder Coppice in July 1990 (the first year of pupils to leave Alder Coppice in Year 6 on the reduction of the primary leaving age), played for the school football team. He was being lined up for a career as a professional footballer when he died in December 1994 from a blood clot while playing for Brierley Hill Bullets. At this time, he was 15 years old and in Year 11 (final year) at Dormston School.

Alder Coppice includes extensive playgrounds and playing fields. The school grounds also incorporate a memorial garden, which was opened in 2000 in memory of the late Mrs Maureen Humphries, a long-serving former teacher. [http://archive.dudleynews.co.uk/2000/6/29/66273.html]

Shown below is a recent photograph of Alder Coppice, viewed from the main entrance on Padarn Close.

Timeline

* September 1963 - Alder Coppice Junior and Infant Schools are opened, providing education for pupils aged 5 to 11 years.

* September 1972 - Alder Coppice Junior and Infant Schools become the First and Middle Schools, with the leaving age rising from 11 to 12.

* September 1988 - Alder Coppice becomes a single primary school following the merger of the nursery, first and middle schools.

* July 1990 - The last Year 7 pupils leave the school as the local authority reduces the leaving age from 12 to 11.

* December 1995 - Mr Colin Gould leaves for disciplinary reasons and is succeeded by Mrs Barbara Carter.

* April 1999 - Mrs Barbara Carter retires and is replaced by Mr David Cox.

* November 1999 - Mrs Maureen Humphries, former Infants School teacher, dies of cancer.

* June 2000 - A memorial garden at the school is opened in honour of Mrs Maureen Humphries.

* December 1999 - OFSTED Inspectors put Alder Coppice into special measures, citing weak management of resources and lack of direction.

* June 2001 - Alder Coppice comes out of special measures and is praised in parliament after OFSTED decides that the school's standards have improved.

* December 2005 - Mr David Cox retires and is replaced by Dr Duncan Jones.

References

* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=103869 Alder Coppice Primary School inspection reports]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/05/school_tables/primary_schools/html/332_5200.stm Alder Coppice Primary School rankings] provided by BBC News

External links

* [http://www.alder.dudley.gov.uk/ Alder Coppice PRimary School official website]