Hillbourne School and Nursery

Hillbourne School and Nursery is a mixed gender state school of non-denominational religion in Poole, Dorset, which provides primary education for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Formerly two separate schools (Hillbourne First School for children aged 3-8, including a nursery, and Hillbourne Middle School for children aged 9-12), Hillbourne became a combined primary school in September 2006.

Acorns and Oaks

When the schools combined a new uniform was introduced, comprising of dark trousers or a dark skirt, a jade green polo shirt and a jumper or cardigan displaying the school logo. an acorn framed by two oak leaves. (orginally, an acorn framed by one oak leaf) The school also prints its logo on book bags and white pe t-shirts.

The school logo is derived from the school motto:"Tall oaks from little acorns grow."The motto refers to "tall oaks" as the children in the former middle school (children above the age of 9), who have grown from young children in the nursery, informally named "little acorns".

Houses

The school is divided into four "houses" which collect house points (merits) based on individual performance in lessons and extra curricular work. The houses are named after local areas of interest, and each has a house colour:

Sandbanks (green)

Lulworth (red)

Kimmerage (blue)

Portland (yellow)

Each house is allocated a house captain who is appointed by staff from pupils in year 7 (aged 11-12). House captains run occasional assemblies and have duties such as counting house points and increasing morale within their house to motivate students to earn house points.

Progression to secondary schools

The majority of Hillbourne Middle School students live in the catchment area for [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/04/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/836.stm Poole secondary schools] , and are thus eligible to apply, by [http://www.poole.gov.uk/servicetitles.asp?id=A743AE718DCF43&title=Admission+Policies+2006%2F2007 Poole school admissions] to secondary schools in Poole.

Hillbourne students are prepared for secondary school by taking part in joint activities with schools such as Parkstone Grammar School (a beacon school), where they have participated in French enrichment schemes.

Leadership Team

The school's leadership team was altered when the two schools were combined in 2006, leaving Mrs Dawson as the Head of Hillbourne School.

Sources

* [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfepx1_02.pl?Code=&Mode=&School=8362165 Department for education and schools, Hillbourne Community Middle School]
* [http://www.axcis.co.uk/28258.html Hillbourne Middle School, Dorset on axcis]
* [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/Schools/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_10013041 National Curriculum teacher assessments and key stage tests]
* [http://www.parkstone.poole.sch.uk/beacon.shtml Parkstone Grammar School beacon school projects]
*Parkstone Grammar School