| Sawston Village College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
New Road , , CB22 3BP England | |
| Coordinates | 52°07′35″N0°09′49″E / 52.12644°N 0.16373°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Motto | CARE |
| Established | 1930 |
| Founder | Henry Morris |
| Local authority | Cambridgeshire County Council |
| Department for Education URN | 136775 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | Jonathan Russell |
| Staff | 110 |
| Gender | coeducational |
| Age | 11to 16 |
| Enrolment | 1060 |
| Colour(s) | Burgundy, White |
| Website | http://www.sawstonvc.org/ |
Sawston Village College is an academy school in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, England. It was the first community college and Village College in the country, [1] and is currently the Sunday Times State 11-16 Secondary School of the Year. [2] It was founded in 1930 [3] and realised the vision of Henry Morris, then Chief Education Officer for Cambridgeshire. [4]
Contents
In 1924, Henry Morris wrote a Memorandum on the Provision of Education and Social Facilities for the Countryside, with Special Reference to Cambridgeshire. [5] Morris wrote that: [6]
- the village college would be "the community centre of the neighbourhood";
- "it would not only be the training ground for the art of living, but the place in which life is lived";
- "the village college could lie athwart the daily lives of the community it served; and in it the conditions would be realised under which education would not be an escape from reality, but an enrichment and transformation of it".
Morris' vision of a school indivisible from its community still holds true today at Sawston, the first village college. Its circa 1030 pupils aged 11 – 16 [7] share the campus with adults who come to the college for a range of purposes: education, socialising, leisure and sports. [8]
The college also has the only youth-led cinema in the country. Its pupils take responsibility for the function of the cinema – front of house, projection and business planning; offering regular screenings to the local community. [9]
On 1 June 2011, Sawston Village College gained academy status, effectively ending Cambridgeshire County Council's control and funding of the school. [10]
On 6 September 2012, 14:15 BST, one wing of the original college building was devastated by a fire. The Walnut gallery, Main Staff Room, and Sawston Public Library were destroyed, and the Henry Morris Hall was flooded from the hosepipes. [11] The staff evacuated the pupils. Everyone was accounted for, and there were no casualties. The incident is thought to have been an act of arson. [12]
Sawston Village College was crowned the UK's State 11-16 Secondary School of the Year by the Sunday Times 32nd edition [13] in 2024. [14]
