Bicester Community College

Infobox UK school
name = Bicester Community College


size = 100px
latitude = 51.900813
longitude = -1.160806
dms =
motto = Unto thyself so to others
motto_pl =
established = 1966
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Community Comprehensive
religion =
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Mrs Cynthia Bartlett M.A. (Oxon.)
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label =
chair =
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist = Technology College
street = Queen's Avenue
city = Bicester
county = Oxfordshire
country = England flagicon|England
postcode = OX26 2NS
phone =
fax =
LEA = Oxfordshire
ofsted = 123233
staff =
enrollment = 1,200
gender = Co-educational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =
colours = Burgundy
publication =
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
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free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.bicester-cc.oxon.sch.uk/
website_name = www.bicester-cc.oxon.sch.uk

Bicester Community College is a mixed, multi-heritage, comprehensive school, with around 1200 students (including a sixth form) and has been a Government-designated specialist Technology College since 1998. It is situated in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England, and occupies a 32 acre site leading off Queens Avenue.

The school's sports facilities are used by Bicester Athletic Club, which was recently awarded National Lottery funding to add all-weather surfaces to the sports field's jumping and throwing event areas. [cite press release | title= Bicester Athletic Club scoop Thames Valley public TV vote and Lottery cash | publisher=Big Lottery Fund | date=30th November 2007 | url=http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/pr_301107_se_pm_thames_valley?regioncode=-se | accessdate=2007-12-18]

History

Bicester Community College, formerly known as Bicester School, was formed as a new comprehensive school in 1966. It was created by the merger of Highfield Secondary Modern School and Bicester Grammar School, who had shared the current site since 1963. Bicester Grammar School had previously been situated at the junction of London Road and Launton Road. [cite news |url=http://archive.bicesteradvertiser.net/2000/12/8/71175.html |title=Revamp starts after 20 years |publisher=Bicester Advertiser |date=2000-12-08 | accessdate=2007-12-19] [cite news |url=http://archive.theoxfordtimes.net/2002/4/23/40756.html |title=Former pupils reunite |publisher=The Oxford Times |date=2002-04-23 | accessdate=2007-12-19]

Performance

The College gained School Achievement awards in 2001 and 2002 in recognition of the significant improvements in its examination results. [cite web |url=http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=1284 |title=2001 winners of the School Achievement Award (Round One) |publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families |accessdate=2007-12-14] [cite web |url=http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/payandperformance/schoolachievementawards/round2search/index.cfm |title=Bicester College 2002 School Achievement Award (Round Two)] |accessdate=2007-12-14] In 2006 Bicester achieved membership of the Most Improved Specialist Schools Club after the number of pupils getting five or more A*-C grades at GCSE rose from 40 per cent in 2002 to 50 per cent in 2005. [cite news |url=http://archive.theoxfordtimes.net/2006/1/26/90782.html |title=School among most improved |publisher=The Oxford Times |date=2006-01-26 | accessdate=2007-12-14] The results dropped in 2006 with only 36 per cent achieving the benchmark five or more GCSE passes at A*-C, [cite news |url=http://archive.oxfordmail.net/2006/10/27/111340.html |title=Business alarm at bad GCSE results for town |publisher=Oxford Mail |date=2006-10-27 |accessdate=2007-12-18] but the 2007 results were a significant improvement with 52 per cent gaining five or more GCSE passes at the appropriate grades. [cite news | url=http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/gcseresults2007 |title=GCSE Results 2007 |publisher=Oxford Mail |accessdate=2007-12-18]

The last Ofsted Inspection in October 2007 judged that "The quality of education provided by the college in Years 7 to 11 and in the sixth form is satisfactory with good and outstanding features". The inspectors commented that the school offered an outstanding curriculum and "an exceptionally wide-ranging choice of after-school activities". The report also noted "the clear direction of the headteacher and the effectiveness of the relatively new senior leadership team".cite web | title=Inspection Report | publisher=Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills | month=November |year=2007 |url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=314548&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\\school\\123\\s5_123233_20071108.pdf
format=PDF |accessdate=2007-12-11]

Even though there have not been any successful Oxbridge applications from the school in the last ten years, the school has sent students to other top UK universities, including King's College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London, the University of Warwick, the University of Bristol and the University of Nottingham. The University of Reading, the University of Southampton, Oxford Brookes University and Nottingham Trent University are also popular destinations for former students of the school.Fact|date=January 2008

Performing Arts

BCC is reported to have an excellent performing arts department, with a variety of opportunities, inlcuding a jazz band, various choirs, wind band, string orchestra, various chamber ensembles, a boys' dance company and various dance clubs. [cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2007/07/12/bicester_jazz.shtml |title=Bicester Community College Jazz |first=Tim |last=Bearder |publisher=BBC |date=2007-12-07 |accessdate=2007-12-18]

These groups have performed in many places and the orchestra and jazz band even went on a trip to Germany in July 2007, performing 3 concerts. [cite news |url=http://bicester.casualrain.com/BCC-HC/parts/tour.html |title=Bicester Community College Music Tour |first=Helen |last=Comley |publisher=BCC |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2008-01-09]

The Department has also recently built up a reputation for their shows, including "Grease" in 2006 and "The Sound of Music" in 2007. [cite news |url=http://bicester.casualrain.com/BCC-HC/parts/revs.html |title=Bicester Community College Performing Arts Reviews |first=Helen |last=Comley |publisher=BCC |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2008-01-09]

Their latest show, "High School Musical", was performed in February 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.bicester-cc.oxon.sch.uk Official school website]
* [http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/9314030/school-profile/ School profile from Schoolsfinder]
* [http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?Mode=Z&No=9314030&Type=LA&Num=931&Phase=1&Year=06&Base=b Department for Children, Schools and Families GCSE Performance Tables]
* [http://www.axcis.co.uk/18790.html BicesterCommunity College at Axcis]