Kirkley Community High School

Infobox UK school
name = Kirkley Community High School


size =
latitude = 52.46824
longitude = 1.72840
dms = dms
motto = "Excellence is our goal"
motto_pl =
established = 1938
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Comprehensive
religion =
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Mr. Richard Pickard [cite news|title=Appointment of New Headteacher|publisher=Kirkley Notes|date=April 2008] )
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label =
chair =
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist = Sports College
specialist_pl =
street = Kirkley Run
city = Lowestoft
county = Suffolk
country = England
postcode = NR33 0UQ
LEA = Suffolk
ofsted = 124827
staff =
enrollment = 1358 [ [http://live.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/124/s5_124827_20060308.htm] ]
gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 13
upper_age = 18
houses = Valiant, Achilles, Discovery, Excelsior, Invincible and Providence
colours = colorbox|blackcolorbox|red Black and Red.
publication = Kirkley Notes
mascot =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.kirkleyhigh.com/
website_name = Kirkley High School

Kirkley Community High School is a comprehensive school in the Kirkley district of Lowestoft, Suffolk, England.

Notable Alumni

It counts three of the founder members of British rock group The Darkness as former pupils and singer/presenter Lil Chris. [ [http://www.thedarknessrock.com/news/2004/ The Darkness :: News :: 2004 ] ]

Rock School Series 2

In autumn 2005 the second series of channel 4's "Rock School" was filmed at the school. Auditions were held and 11 students were taught how to play rock music by KISS bassist Gene Simmons who eventually selected five of his students to perform as a rock group. The show culminated with the group opening for Judas Priest and Anthrax in front of 2 300 fans in LA. [ [http://www.channel4.com/music/microsites/R/rockschool/video.html channel4.com - Rock School ] ] The lead singer of the band, Lil' Chris was signed to RCA records and recently released his self-titled debut album, which was a major flop. [ [http://www.rcalabelgroup.co.uk/artist_spotlight/lil___chris/biog/ RCA Label Group (UK) | Lil' Chris ] ] Five of the girls featured on the show went on to form a band called [http://www.theupraw.com The Upraw] ; three of the founder members of the band have since quit. [http://www.theupraw.co.uk/news.php?full=20061130200027&ex=]

K Play Radio & KITE Media Centre

K Play Radio

KHS also had its own radio station, K Play Radio, which can be listened to across the world, playing various music. It was founded and created by Martin Watters in 2005, with initial funding from Adnams Brewery in Southwold to purchase the equipment. It was opened by Helen McDermott in the upstairs "V" block in the school. K Play Radio is a non profit project.

In November 2007, K Play Radio went off the air, due to communication difficulties and is now being revamped by current manager of K Play, Sam Jermy and founder Martin Watters and contrary to previous reports there is sufficient interest with postcards from as far as Pennsylvania, USA. [Sam Victor Jermy, K Play Radio Manager]

In June 2008 K Play Radio relocated itself from the school, and into a studio in the KITE Media Centre.

KITE Media Centre

KITE Media Centre (completed in 2007) is also on the KHS Site, which will be used not only by the school, but by the local community to anyone requiring a media centre.

The funding for the project is to create a media and information centre, which will house a multi-media digital production studio, (TV, Radio, Video) workshop space, community information centre, community groups and the broadband wireless free Internet access project.

The project is aimed at SME’s (small-medium enterprises), not just in the creative and media industries and tourism but all SME’s in the programme area who will benefit from the ability to market their services and products through technologies and the Internet; local community groups; the long term unemployed and post 16 years of age learners. There will be a mix of courses, some will be free of charge, and for some there will be a minimum charge to cover training costs.

The key objective is upskilling the workforce of the Objective 2 Programme areas with post 16 students working alongside businesses, aiming to stem the ‘brain drain’ of young people from the area, a significant factor for long-term regeneration. KITE Media Centre is part financed by the EU. [ [http://www.erdf.communities.gov.uk/CaseStudies/KITEMediaCentre KITE Media Centre ] ]

Lunch system

In 2007, the school instituted a fingerprinting system for school lunches, allowing pupils to avoid paying cash at the till and having to carry money around with them. Parents are also able to send a cheque to the school which can be entered directly onto the cash system. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6240498.stm Fingerprint to order school lunch] BBC report, 26 June]

House system

The schools house names are based on the names of famous ships. The school introduced the house system and voted the house names in 2005.

2 Tier Education system

If Suffolk County Council decide to approve a 2 tier education system (primary, years 1-6 and high school, years 7-11) to replace the current 3 tier system (primary, years 1-4, middle,years 5-8 and high school, years 9-11 and 12-14 if the school has a 6th Form)the number of pupils in the school may increase to over 2000, unless another High School in south Lowestoft is built. It is expected if plans go ahead, the education system in Lowestoft will change in 2011/2012

References

External links

*
* [http://www.kitemediacentre.com Official KITE Media Centre Website]
* [http://www.kplayradio.co.uk Official K Play Radio website]