The Holgate Academy

Last updated

The Holgate Academy
Holgate School (Hucknall).jpg
Address
The Holgate Academy
Hillcrest Drive

Hucknall
,
Nottinghamshire
,
NG15 6PX

England
Coordinates 53°01′58″N1°13′37″W / 53.032686°N 1.22708°W / 53.032686; -1.22708
Information
Type Academy
Motto"Respect For All. Achievement All." [1]
Established1955 [2]
FounderAnnie Holgate [1]
Department for Education URN 139956 Tables
Ofsted Reports
PrincipalHenry Diamond
Staffc.420 [3]
Gender Coeducational
Age11to 18
Enrolment993
HousesClumber, Rufford, Sherwood and Thoresby
Colour(s)Red (Clumber), Green (Rufford), Yellow (Sherwood), Blue (Thoresby)
Sixth formc.130 [4]
Website http://www.holgate-ac.org.uk/

The Holgate Academy (formerly Holgate School) is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, England, a former mining community north of Nottingham.

Contents

The school's sixth form is part of a collaboration of both the secondary schools in Hucknall, together with Queen Elizabeth's Academy, Mansfield. [4] A carved stone cross (known as a Khatchkar) was placed in the school by the Armenian government as a thank you for the Lord Byron School which was built in Leninakan (now Gyumri) in Armenia following their 1988 earthquake. [5] The carving was replaced in 2004.

Background

The school was not complete in 1955 but the first students attended that year. The school was named after Annie Elizabeth Holgate who had been a teacher but had entered local politics and she became chair of the local education committee. She married Henry and her son Sidney Holgate was to become a noted mathematician and rise to head Grey College in Durham. [6] Two other schools in Hucknall are named after Ms Holgate.

The school had been in special measures due to its poor leadership, behaviour and performance in November 2004 [7] and it was reported that parents were to take legal action against the school for not dealing with bullying effectively. [8] [9] In February 2005, the head teacher resigned and a new head was seconded, initially for a period of one year, from Bramcote Park Business & Enterprise School.

The school was reassessed as "Satisfactory" and was then assessed as "Good" in 2008, although it was noted that the improvement in teaching was not yet reflected in the results and the governing body was "Satisfactory". [4] In 2007 the school successfully attained recognition as a school of Arts [7] and in 2008 took on an Artist in residence, Neil Heath, to inspire the students. [8]

The sixth form did not attract as many students as it should and did not score well in the recent inspection compared with the main school, although this was recognised in future plans. [4]

The school converted to academy status in September 2013 and was renamed The Holgate Academy, forming a constituent member of the Diverse Academies Learning Partnership.

In September 2016, in collaboration with The National Church of England Academy, the academy opened the Hucknall Sixth Form Centre where year 12 and 13 students can continue their studies in a dedicated centre in the heart of Hucknall. In September 2017, students from Queen Elizabeth's Academy, Mansfield also joined the centre, extending this collaboration. All academies are part of the Diverse Academies Learning Partnership.

It is rated Inadequate by Ofsted, with the latest Ofsted report from September 2022 stating, "Staff do not manage behaviour consistently well. Pupils say that their learning is often disrupted by the poor behaviour of other pupils. Pupils report that bullying is frequent. Pupils do not have confidence in staff's ability to tackle bullying effectively. Some pupils say that they feel unsafe." [10]

Subjects

The Holgate Academy offers a range of subjects that give all students access to a broad and balanced curriculum. These include the core subjects of English language and literature, maths and science (including triple science at key stage 4). The academy also offer a number of English baccalaureate subjects, including computing, geography, history and French.

Linked schools

There are seven schools that are identified as feeders to The Holgate Academy, they are:

Catering

Like many schools in Britain, Holgate has been trying to improve the quality of its school meals provision especially as part of a reduction in childhood obesity. However it is notable that the schools menu was singled out for comment in the Brunei Times, [12] and the menus are available online. [13] The school menu also made the British press after the school banned take-away food and saw healthy school dinner take-up rise by two hundred per cent in six months. [14] Holgate was also the first school in Nottinghamshire to begin using 'Fingerprint technology' using company “sQuid”, in the catering; this allowed for students to upload money to an account which allowed them to purchase food in the canteens. This system has been heralded for its use against bullying. [15]

Khatchkar and twinning

The original Khatchkar that was presented to the school which is now attached to the church in Hucknall. Khachkar - For Children's Sake.jpg
The original Khatchkar that was presented to the school which is now attached to the church in Hucknall.

The school is unusual in having a Khatchkar in its grounds. A Khatchkar is a traditional carved cross which has been used in Armenia since the thirteenth century. The original Khatchkar was placed in the school by the Armenian government in thanks for the Lord Byron School which was built in Leninakan (now Gyumri) in Armenia following their 1988 earthquake at Spitak [5] and opened by Margaret Thatcher. [16] There was a good partnership between the schools largely due to the influence of the rector, Fred Green, from the local St Mary Magdalene church where Lord Byron is buried. The initial reason for the partnership arose because of Lord Byron. Byron was a famous British poet who had shown an affection for Armenian culture when he was a guest of the Mekhitarist Order in Saint Lazarus Island, Venice. The original Khatchkar was installed on 5 November 1991 in a ceremony attended by Kenneth Clarke the then Minister for education. [17] The original stone was irretrievably damaged by vandals in 2000. The Armenian government not only replaced it but also caused the original to be erected at the parish church. [5] The new stone by the original stonemason was installed in 2004 in memory of the rector and his belief that the damage should be seen as a strengthening of faith. It was thought that the original stone may have been damaged by football fans who confused Armenia with Albania. [16]

Notable former pupils

Past pupils of Holgate are known as Old Holgaters.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hucknall</span> Market town in Nottinghamshire, England

Hucknall, formerly Hucknall Torkard, is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies 7 miles (11 km) north of Nottingham, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, 9 miles (14 km) from Mansfield and 10 miles (16 km)south of Sutton-in-Ashfield. It is the second-largest town in the Ashfield district after Sutton-in-Ashfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Grey Academy</span> Academy in Milton Keynes, England

Lord Grey Academy is a comprehensive 11-19 coeducational secondary academy and sixth form in West Bletchley, Milton Keynes, England. Previously a grant-maintained foundation school and specialist language and humanities college, the school academized on 1 April 2018 under the sponsorship of the Tove Learning Trust. It was created from the amalgamation of the Bletchley Grammar School and Wilton County Secondary School in 1973, opening on the site of the latter. From 2011 to 2014 the school operated, in partnership with Sir Herbert Leon Academy, the Milton Keynes South Sixth Form. Although this sixth form was discontinued the school still provides sixth form education independently.

Sherwood is a large district and ward of the city of Nottingham, England, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 15,414. It is bordered by Woodthorpe to the northeast, Mapperley to the east, Carrington to the south, New Basford and Basford to the west, and Daybrook and Bestwood to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall</span> Church in Nottinghamshire, England

The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, is a parish church in the Church of England dedicated to Jesus' companion Mary Magdalene. The church is Grade II* listed as it is a particularly significant building of more than local interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newstead, Nottinghamshire</span> Village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England

Newstead is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England in the borough of Gedling. It is situated between the city of Nottingham and the towns of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall.

The George Spencer Academy is an English academy in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire encompassing both a secondary school and sixth form on the same campus. First opened in 1960, it was named after George Spencer–headmaster of the Church Street Boys School from 1889 to 1927. The school specialises in design and technology with its sixth form being a Technology College established in 2004.

The National Church of England Academy, formerly known as The National School, is a Church of England secondary school in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Yarmouth Charter Academy</span> Free school in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England

Great Yarmouth Charter Academy is a coeducational comprehensive school on Salisbury Road in the town of Great Yarmouth in the English county of Norfolk. It educates about 920 eleven- to nineteen-year-old pupils, the age of entry having decreased from twelve to eleven in 2008. The school is host to the Sir Isaac Newton East sixth form which is partnered to Norwich based Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form. The nearest other post-16 centres are East Coast College - and the East Norfolk Sixth Form College in the Gorleston-on-Sea area of the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham Academy</span> Coeducational multi-campus academy in Nottingham

Nottingham Academy is an academy school located in Nottingham, England. It is an all-through 3-19 school. The school is made up from two predecessor schools, Greenwood Dale 11-19, The Jesse Boot Primary School 3–11, and formerly Elliott Durham 11–16.

Henry Mellish School and Specialist Sports College was a small, non-denominational secondary school in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, situated in an area of high social deprivation.

Guilsborough Academy is a co-educational academy school in Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Matthew Academy</span> Academy in London, England

St Matthew Academy is a mixed all-through, co-educational Roman Catholic academy for students aged 4 to 16. Located in the London Borough of Lewisham, the academy opened in September 2007, replacing two previous schools: St Joseph's Academy and Our Lady of Lourdes primary school

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Canterbury Academy</span> Academy in Canterbury, Kent, England

The Canterbury Academy is a co-educational 11-19 academy school in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a specialist Sports College and 15% of its 1081 pupils are selected on musical aptitude. The school was founded as a non-selective secondary modern foundation school before gaining academy status in 2010.

Holgate School could refer to a number of schools:

Lord Byron School №20 is a public school in Gyumri founded in 1990, following the 1988 Armenian earthquake that devastated the city, by funds provided by the British Government as well as donations raised by the British people. A carved stone cross called a Khatchkar was placed in a British school by the Armenian government in thanks for the rebuilding of this school following the 1988 earthquake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadoak Academy</span> Academy in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England

Broadoak Academy is a coeducational secondary school located in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Nieper Academy</span> Academy in Derbyshire, England

David Nieper Academy is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Alfreton in the English county of Derbyshire. It is the first school in Derbyshire to be sponsored by a local business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlton le Willows Academy</span> Academy in Gedling, Nottinghamshire, England

Carlton le Willows Academy is an 11–18 mixed, secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Gedling, Nottinghamshire, England. It is part of the Delta Academies Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth's Academy</span> Academy in Nottinghamshire, England

Queen Elizabeth's Academy is a co-educational Church of England secondary school and sixth form located in Mansfield in the English county of Nottinghamshire.

References

  1. 1 2 School Homepage
  2. ↑ Hucknall Tordard History Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 25 September 2008
  3. ↑ Nottinghamshire LEA. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  4. 1 2 3 4 , July 2015
  5. 1 2 3 Hucknall – the only two khatchkar town in Western Europe Archived 6 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine , St Mary Armenian Church, Toronto. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  6. ↑ Sidney Holgate, Obituary, 10 June 2003, The Times. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  7. 1 2 Holgate's great transformation, Hucknall Dispatch, 18 July 2008, accessed 25 September 2008
  8. 1 2 Back to School, Neil Heath, BBC.co.uk, accessed 26 September 2008
  9. ↑ "I want school to admit they are wrong", Financial Times, 9 May 2003
  10. ↑ Adkin, Lana (17 September 2023). "The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire schools rated inadequate". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Holgate School Website. Retrieved 2 May 2011
  12. ↑ School food never this good, John Price, Bandat Seri Begawan, Brunei Times, 17 September 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  13. ↑ Holgaste School dinners online, Nottinghamshire LEA. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  14. ↑ Junk food has had its chips at healthy school, Nottingham Evening Post, 20 March 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  15. ↑ , This is Nottingham, 1 October 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2011
  16. 1 2 Byron festival finale, 16 June 2004, Hucknall Dispatch. Retrieved 25 September 2008
  17. ↑ School visit, Hansard, 1991
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.