Midhurst Rother College

Last updated

Midhurst Rother College
Address
Midhurst Rother College
North Street

, ,
GU29 9DT

Coordinates 50°59′27″N0°44′14″W / 50.9907°N 0.7371°W / 50.9907; -0.7371
Information
Former name Midhurst Grammar School
Funding typeAcademy sponsor led
Mottoes"Free to achieve, belong and contribute"
"The best in everyone"
Established1 January 2009
FounderJoe Vitagliano
Local authority West Sussex
Department for Education URN 135760 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Chair of
Governors
Richard Carter
PrincipalStuart Edwards
Teaching staff60
Secondary years taughtYear 7 through to Year 13
GenderMixed
Age11to 18
Enrolment1146
LanguageEnglish
Hours in school day8:30am-3:40pm
HousesAusten, Kipling, Tennyson and Woolf
Nickname MRC
Website http://www.mrc-academy.org

Midhurst Rother College is a mixed Academy for students aged 11 to 19, in Midhurst, West Sussex, in southern England. It was officially formed on 1 January 2009 following the closure of three predecessor schools in the area. It serves a wide rural area in the Rother Valley of West Sussex and is sponsored by one of the largest academy groups in the country, United Learning. The college also has partnerships with the University of Chichester and Winchester College.

Contents

Formation

The academy was formed in January 2009. [1] This followed the closure of three predecessor schools operating as part of a three-tier structure: Midhurst Grammar School, Midhurst Intermediate School and Petworth's Herbert Shiner School. The Grammar school - with a history dating back to 1672 [2] - had accommodated students aged 13 to 19, [3] while both intermediate schools had students aged 10 to 13. [4] [5]

The new school was introduced as part of the local authority's move towards two-tier provision. The school opened with students from Year Six to Year 13, but began to operate as a standard secondary from September 2009, with the youngest students being in Year Seven, aged 11.

Campus

In September 2012, a new school building replaced the old on the River Site Campus at a cost of £31 million. Situated at the foot of the South Downs, the building is state of the art both in its architecture and the facilities it has to offer students, staff and the community of Midhurst. The facilities include a new school bus terminus, county-standard Astro Turf pitch, multi-use games area, Amphitheatre and extensive sports grounds. The formal opening ceremony, performed by Lord Andrew Adonis took place on 19 April 2013. Lord Andrew Adonis, Minister of State for Education 2005-2008, was the original champion of the academy concept and was directly instrumental in the College's early development. During his speech he said “I am delighted to be opening MRC which is transforming education in its community. Its results last year were spectacular and attribute to its principal, governors and staff.”[ citation needed ]

In a recent article written for the Academy Magazine by Lord Nash, Current Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, he said about academy freedoms being at the heart of school improvement, “I have seen from my own experience that introducing strong performance management, professional development, coaching and reward can also make a huge difference … Midhurst Rother College in West Sussex [as an example] … has transformed management procedures since becoming an academy and has seen astonishing turnarounds in pupil performance."[ citation needed ]

Curriculum

The school operates joint specialisms in Science and Mathematics. In addition, the school identifies aspects of Business and Enterprise, and ICT throughout the curriculum. [6]

Principal

The first principal of the College was Dr Joe Vitagliano, former headteacher of Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School. Dr Vitagliano was formerly a pupil at the Midhurst Grammar School. [7]

The current principal is Mr Stuart Edwards. [8]

History

The origins of Midhurst Rother College date back to 1672 when, founder of education in Midhurst, Gilbert Hannam, set up a free school for twelve poor Protestant boys. The first classroom was in a loft, but later he moved the school to his own home which stood next door to the site on which the current College building is situated. Gilbert Hannam died on St. Patrick's Day, 17 March 1677 having set out foundations and traditions which are still followed today. Each year, on the anniversary of his death, in accordance with his Will a service is held in the Midhurst Parish Church at which scholars pray for his soul. During the service the member of clergy who delivers the sermon is presented by students with a fee of a pair of gloves. The tradition that the gloves ‘…are to the value of two shillings and sixpence and are presented in addition to a fee of twenty shillings…’

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petworth</span> Human settlement in England

Petworth is a town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east–west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles (21 km) to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road lies Chichester and the south-coast. The parish includes the settlements of Byworth and Hampers Green and covers an area of 2,690 hectares. In 2001 the population of the parish was 2,775 persons living in 1,200 households of whom 1,326 were economically active. At the 2011 Census the population was 3,027.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Rother, West Sussex</span> River in Hampshire and West Sussex, England

The River Rother flows from Empshott in Hampshire, England, to Stopham in West Sussex, where it joins the River Arun. At 52 kilometres (32 mi) long, most of the river lies within West Sussex except for the first 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) which lie in Hampshire. The upper river, from its source to Midhurst, has been used to power watermills, with the earliest recorded use being in 1086, when the Domesday survey was conducted. Although none are still operational, many of the buildings which housed the mills still exist, and in some cases, still retain their milling machinery. This upper section is also noted for a number of early bridges, which have survived since their construction in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midhurst</span> Human settlement in England

Midhurst is a market town, parish and civil parish in West Sussex, England. It lies on the River Rother 20 miles (32 km) inland from the English Channel, and 12 miles (19 km) north of the county town of Chichester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Itchen College</span> Sixth form college in Southampton, Hampshire, England

Itchen Sixth Form College is a mixed sixth form college in Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1906 and was originally a mixed secondary school, it later became Itchen Grammar School under the reforms of the Butler Education Act. It became its present state following further reform in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Sussex College</span> College in East Sussex, UK

East Sussex College or East Sussex College Group is the largest higher education college in East Sussex, providing education and training from foundation to degree level. The college educates almost half of the county's young people and over 8,000 adults each year at campuses in Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings and Newhaven, and in the workplace.

Ralph Douglas Townsend is an educational consultant. He was Chairman of Prep Schools Trust (2017-2022) and Special Adviser to the President of Keio University and President of Keio Academy of New York (2017-2021). He served on the International Development Group of the Jesuit Refugee Service (2016-2023). He was Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School (1989–1999), Oundle School (1999–2005), and Winchester College (2005–2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watford Grammar School for Boys</span> 11–18 boys partially selective academy in Watford, Hertfordshire, England

Watford Grammar School for Boys is an 11–18 boys partially selective academy in Watford in Hertfordshire, England. The school and its sister school, Watford Grammar School for Girls, descend from a Free School founded as a charity school for boys and girls by Elizabeth Fuller in 1704.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stedham</span> Human settlement in England

Stedham is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Stedham with Iping, in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, on the A272 road 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Midhurst. In 1961 the parish had a population of 649. On 1 April 1974 the parish was abolished and merged with Iping to form "Stedham with Iping".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steyning Grammar School</span> School in West Sussex, England

Steyning Grammar School is a coeducational day and boarding, senior school and sixth form, located in Steyning, West Sussex, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midhurst Intermediate School</span> Comprehensive middle school in Midhurst, West Sussex, England

Midhurst Intermediate School (1970-2008) was a maintained comprehensive middle-deemed-secondary school for pupils aged 10 to 13. It was one of only 11 schools of its type, and the only school in the United Kingdom to be labelled as 'intermediate'. It catered for around 400 pupils. The school was located just outside Midhurst in the village of Easebourne.

Crawley College is a college of further education in West Sussex. It offers courses ranging from Sixth form and Adult education to undergraduate courses through partnerships with universities.

The Midhurst Railways were three branch lines which were built to serve the market town of Midhurst in the English county of West Sussex. The three lines were the Petersfield Railway, from Petersfield; the Mid-Sussex Railway extended by the Mid-Sussex and Midhurst Junction Railway, from Hardham Junction (Pulborough); and from Chichester. The Petersfield Railway opened in 1864, the promoting company having been absorbed by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1863. The Mid-Sussex lines reached Midhurst in 1866, after being absorbed by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) in 1862. The two lines did not connect, and there were two separate stations close by one another. The Chichester line took much longer to complete, and was opened in 1881, and a new LBSCR station was opened, replacing the first station. In 1925 the former LSWR line was connected to that station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fittleworth</span> Human settlement in England

Fittleworth is a village and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located seven kilometres (3 miles) west from Pulborough on the A283 road and three miles (5 km) south east from Petworth. The village has an Anglican church, a primary school and one pub, The Swan. It is within the ancient divisions of the Bury Hundred and the Rape of Arundel. The village is bounded south by the Rother Navigation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midhurst Grammar School</span> School in Midhurst, West Sussex, England

Midhurst Grammar School was a grammar school and later a comprehensive upper school in Midhurst, West Sussex. The school served pupils aged 11 to 18 who usually joined the school from one of the local intermediate schools. It was replaced in 2009 by Midhurst Rother College. Notable students included geologist Charles Lyell and H. G. Wells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College</span> Sixth form college in Hove, East Sussex, England

Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College, usually abbreviated to BHASVIC, is a sixth form college in Brighton and Hove, England for 16- to 19-year-old students. The college is in the Prestonville area of the city. It is situated at the corner of Dyke Road (A2010) and the Old Shoreham Road (A270), a major road junction in the north-west of the city of Brighton & Hove in Seven Dials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Littlehampton Academy</span> Academy in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England

The Littlehampton Academy is an 11–18 mixed, Christian, secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England. It was formerly a community school that was established in 1972, and adopted its present name after becoming an academy in 2009. It is part of the Woodard Academies Trust.

The New Lipchis Way is a 60.8 kilometres (37.8 mi) long distance footpath which runs from Liphook in Hampshire to West Wittering in West Sussex. Running north–south across the Western Weald and South Downs to the Sussex coastal plain and Chichester Harbour the path crosses several geological rock strata and their associated soils and habitats. Landmarks on the route include Cowdray ruins, Goodwood Racecourse, the Trundle, Chichester Cathedral and the city walls, and East Head at West Wittering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Launceston College, Cornwall</span> Academy in Launceston, Cornwall, England

Launceston College is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Launceston, Cornwall, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coultershaw Wharf and Beam Pump</span> Rural community in England

Coultershaw Bridge is a rural community situated 1.5 mi (2.4 km) south of the town Petworth in West Sussex, England where the A285 road from Petworth to Chichester crosses the River Rother.

References

  1. "Establishment: Midhurst Rother College". Edubase2 website. Department for Children, Schools and Families. 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. L. F. Salzman (editor) (1953). "Midhurst". A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4: The Rape of Chichester. University of London & History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 14 February 2008.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  3. "Establishment: Midhurst Grammar School". Edubase2 website. Department for Children, Schools and Families. 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. "Establishment: Midhurst Intermediate School". Edubase2 website. Department for Children, Schools and Families. 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. "Establishment: Herbert Shiner School". Edubase2 website. Department for Children, Schools and Families. 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. "Midhurst Rother College". United Church Schools Trust. 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  7. "Former head boy named as academy principal". The Argus. Newsquest Media Group. 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  8. "Midhurst Rother College > About Us > Welcome from the Principal".