Wath Comprehensive School

Infobox Secondary school
name = Wath Comprehensive School, A Language College
motto = "Meliora Spectare" (L. "Look to better things")
established = 1923
race = Mixed
type = Secondary School, Language College
gender = Mixed
Head = Mrs. P. Ward
students = approx. 1800
address = Sandygate
city = Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham
province = South Yorkshire
country = England
district = Rotherham
colours = Maroon (Yrs 7-11) / Black and Maroon (VI Form)
website = [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupListFull.asp?GroupID=21445 Wath Comprehensive School]

Wath Comprehensive School is a co-educational secondary school on "Sandygate" in Wath-upon-Dearne, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.

Admissions

It is a specialist Language College, with approximately 1,800 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18.

The school also has a very good sixth form which currently has around 300 pupils. The school also has a school council, which contributes to the decisions made by the head and speaks on behalf of all the students in all years.

Traditions

The simplified version of its arms, worn by the lower school, features a torch and a river, while the full version, worn by the Sixth Form only, also features a book and a tool. Its motto is "Meliora Spectare", Latin for "Look to better things".

The school has six houses, named after ancient cities - Carthage, Sparta, Rome, Troy, Athens and Thebes.

History

Although the school has links to a seventeenth century school that existed in Wath, it was founded in 1923 as Wath-upon-Dearne Grammar School. The school was expanded with many new buildings in the early 1950s. In 1964, with the scrapping of the eleven-plus exam in the area, the school absorbed Park Road Secondary Modern School, although it was some time before it was designated a comprehensive school in 1972 and renamed as such in 1974. The school on "Park Road" is now the Wath Park infants school.

PFI scheme

A major Private Finance Initiative (PFI) rebuild in the last few years has seen the school mostly housed in brand new buildings, although the loss of the oldest buildings was not without controversy, particularly the traditional 1930s part of the school which was set around two quadrangles. In October 2007 the second phase of the rebuilding started which includes the construction of a swimming pool, which is due to open in December 2008. The second phase is due for completion by November 2008.

Academic performance

There is a huge disparity between its GCSE and A level results. At GCSE, it gets results under the England average but about average for Rotherham. At A level it gets the best results in Rotherham and the 21st best in the Yorkshire and the Humber region and well above the England average.

Alumni

Famous Alumni include the Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague MP, [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,323263,00.html Two die of meningitis at Hague's old school] "The Observer" January 3, 1999] the poet and so-called "Bard of Barnsley" Ian McMillan [ [http://arts.independent.co.uk/books/features/article194850.ece "Independent Online"] , viewed December 1, 2007] , Sir Charles Curran, Peter Hardy, Baron Hardy of Wath, Jonathan Holmes, international show business biographer David Bret, [ [http://www.davidbret.com David Bret] ] comedian Toby Foster and former Lara Croft model Lucy Clarkson. [ [http://www.encyclocentral.com/10761-Lucy_Clarkson.html Lucy Clarkson] "EncycloCentral", viewed November 14, 2007]

References

External links

* [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupDownloadFile.asp?GroupID=72873&ResourceId=294740 2006-07 Prospectus]
* [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupListFull.asp?GroupID=21445 Wath Comprehensive Website]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=106954 Ofsted Report]
* [http://www.francisfrith.com/search/england/south+yorkshire/wath-upon-dearne/photos/wath-upon-dearne_W222004.htm Former grammar school]
* [http://www.edubase.gov.uk/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=106954 EduBase]