Chesham High School

Infobox UK school
name = Chesham High School


size =
latitude = 51.70882
longitude = -0.60022
dms = dms
motto =
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established = 1960s
approx =
closed =
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type =
religion =
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Mr Phillip Wayne
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chair =
founder =
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specialist = Humanities College
specialist_pl =
street = Whitehill
city = Chesham
county = Buckinghamshire
country = England
postcode = HP5 1BA
LEA = Buckinghamshire
ofsted = 110504
staff =
enrollment = 1250
gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =
colours = Red, Black, White, Blue
publication =
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website = http://www.cheshamhigh.bucks.sch.uk
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Chesham High School is a grammar school on White Hill, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. There are over 1200 male and female students aged between eleven and sixteen. It also has a sixth form of 360 students, which is well-known locally for academic achievement, good A-level results and university entrance. Ofsted recently praised the school saying "The quality of teaching is high and a strength of the school" and noting other strengths such as a "supportive atmosphere", "well behaved and attentive students" and "a clear sense of direction". In 2007 the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) awarded the school specialist school status as a Humanities College. [cite web
title=Specialist Schools Home
publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families
date=2007-07-03
url=http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/specialistschools/
accessdate=2007-08-07]

History

Chesham High school was originally founded in 1947 as the Chesham Technical School - a result of the Education Act 1944 which set up the tripartite arrangements of grammar, technical and secondary modern schools. The all-boys school was originally housed in only one building, which is now the sixth form block known as 'Tringwood'. In 1961, the school became known as Chesham Technical High School and during the 1960s, there was huge development in the area, and it became a mixed grammar school. In 1970, the school changed its name to Chesham High School as it moved away from its technical roots.

The first headmaster was Sidney Chapman who occupied the Headship from 1947 to 1966. After a one year stint by Paddy Evans, Ken Stokes took over in 1967 and ran the school until his retirement in 1992. Since then, the Head has been former Biology teacher Tim Andrew (1993-2007 with a one year break covered by Nigel Fox). Since 2007, Philip Wayne has taken the Headship. [Chesham High School 60th anniversary guide book, 2007]

Recent years have seen major expansion of the school, including a new maths block, a textiles block, an art block, expansion of the English block, a new library, and a new drama/psychology Block. There is now a new technology/art building built over what was A1, the main art room. A leisure centre has also been incorporated into the site where once a number of the old pre-fab buildings stood.

Admissions

Admission to the school is controlled by Buckinghamshire LEA, which operates a selective education system throughout the county.

Pupils have to pass the 11+ examination to be eligible to attend the school (pass mark over 121 or on appeal). Other than that they have to live within the school's catchment area which spans several miles around the school in to Amersham, Chorleywood and Chesham Bois.

The school also accepts students into the sixth form who achieve the required GCSE grades. Typically the school accepts students with an average of 5.5 or above.Fact|date=June 2008

Uniform

Lower school

CHS (as it is otherwise known locally) operates a strict dress code that all pupils must conform to. In recent years, this uniform has developed so that it is now much smarter. Boys wear black blazers, white shirts, black trousers and black shoes with a tie containing the school colours red, white, black and blue. Whereas girls wore jumpers a few years ago they now wear blazers like the boys, but with the option of skirts.

ixth form

There is also a published dress code for sixth formers.

Leaver destinations

In 2003, 94.4% of the students in year 11 chose to stay at the school to continue in to the sixth form. In the same year, 97% of year 13 sixth formers went in to further or higher education and 1% went straight in to employment.Fact|date=June 2008

Blog Incident

In 2007, one of the school's French teachers at the time, Julie Bois, wrote a blog entry describing some of her pupils as "little s***s who should be slapped" [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article238644.ece Kids see French miss' Net rant] The Sun, 2007-06-23] . She also branded some of her pupils "thick", and went on to describe how she dreaded "killer" parents' evenings, saying "I hate having to shake all those hands. Some are so wet and flabby". Although she removed the comments from her blog, she later resigned her post [ [http://www.thisisbucks.co.uk/display.var.1593991.0.teacher_resigns_after_internet_blog_insults.php Teacher Resigns After Internet Blog Insults] Bucks Free Press, 2007-08-03.]

New Headmaster

In September 2007 Philip Wayne joined the school as the new headmaster, succeeding Tim Andrew. He is keen on uniforms being properly worn and, in an interview in the Bucks Examiner he stated his intention to run a "tight ship".Fact|date=June 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.cheshamhigh.bucks.sch.uk/ Chesham High School]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=110504 Ofsted Reports]
* [http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_07.pl?No=8254079&Mode=Z&Type=SC&Phase=1&Year=07&Base=b&Num=825 Department for Children, Schools and Families Performance Tables (GCSE and equivalent)]