Thomas Becket Catholic School

Last updated

Thomas Becket Catholic School
Address
Thomas Becket Catholic School
Becket Way

Northampton
,
Northamptonshire
,
NN3 6HT

England
Coordinates 52°16′12″N0°51′43″W / 52.2701°N 0.8619°W / 52.2701; -0.8619
Information
Type Academy
MottoChrist's Love is Our Foundation
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
TrustOLICAT [1]
Department for Education URN 142747 Tables
Ofsted Reports
ChairChris Atkin
HeadteacherPaul McCahill
Gender Mixed
Age11to 18
Enrolment840
Website www.thomasbecket.org.uk

Thomas Becket Catholic School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Northampton, United Kingdom.

Contents

History

The school was founded as Thomas Becket Roman Catholic Upper School; under construction through 1974 [2] and 1975, [3] it had opened by March 1976. [4] It was named after Thomas Becket, 12th-century Archbishop of Canterbury. After Northamptonshire County Council, the local education authority, reverted from the three-tier system (13+ entry age) to the two-tier system (11+ entry), the school was renamed to Thomas Becket Catholic School. [5] [6]

In 2004, following the reversion to the two-tier system and the resulting increase in student numbers, students in Years 7 and 8 had to be located in temporary classrooms on the tennis courts because of the insufficient room in the main building. The school authorities unsuccessfully applied to demolish and rebuild the school. The subsequent application to refurbish and extend the school, however, was accepted. [7] Upon the completion of the refurbishment, the school revealed plans to include a bar in the proposed £2 million sports complex which would have included half-a-dozen artificial turf pitches, a full sized pitch and state-of-the art floodlights, sparking controversy among local residents. [8] Following co-ordinated action by local residents, the planning permission application was withdrawn by the sponsor PlayFootball at the end of 2008. [9]

In September 2008, Thomas Becket Catholic School became a Specialist Sports College. [10] [11] The Specialist Schools Programme ended in 2010 after a change in the national government. [12]

Previously a voluntary aided school administered by Northamptonshire County Council, [13] in April 2016 Thomas Becket Catholic School converted to an academy under the St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Academies Trust, [14] which via mergers became Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Academies Trust (OLICAT), a multi-academy trust that also runs other Catholic schools in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire. [1] The school continues to be under the guidance of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Northampton.

As of 2016, Thomas Becket Catholic School is the only Catholic secondary school in the county. [15]

Education

Most students usually take ten subjects for GCSE, alongside Entry Level Physical Education and PHSE. All pupils must take English (Language and Literature), Double Science, Mathematics, Information Technology, Religious Studies and three other subjects of their choice. A-Level students not taking Religious Studies for A-Level have to take a Level 1 course in it.

The school's KS3 SATs results were over local and national averages in 2007. [16] Its GCSE performance trend rose above local and national averages to 52% in 2002 before falling to 42% in 2003. [17] In 2008, the pass rate in A-Level results rose from 75% to 91%, with a rise from 34.8% to 41% in the proportion of students getting grades A-C, [18] and the proportion of students getting grades A*-C at GCSE level rose to 48.35%, an increase of 11%, with a 5% increase to 34.62% in Maths and English. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northampton</span> Town in Northamptonshire, England

Northampton is a town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is situated on the River Nene, 60 miles (97 km) north-west of London and 50 miles (80 km) south-east of Birmingham. Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; the population of its overall urban area was recorded as 249,093 in the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northamptonshire</span> County of England

Northamptonshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire to the south and Warwickshire to the west. Northampton is the largest settlement and the county town.

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

Corby is a town and civil parish in the North Northamptonshire district, in Northamptonshire, England, 23 miles (37 km) north-east of Northampton. In 2021 it had a population of 68,164. From 1974 to 2021, it was the administrative headquarters of the Borough of Corby, which at the 2021 Census had a population of 75,571.

Desborough is a town in North Northamptonshire, England, lying in the Ise Valley between Market Harborough and Kettering. It was an industrial centre for weaving and shoe-making in the 19th century and had a long association with the Co-operative movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Anne's Catholic School, Southampton</span> Academy in Southampton, Hampshire, England

St Anne's Catholic School is an 11-18 secondary school in Southampton, England, for girls. The school's sixth form is coeducational. The school is situated close to the city centre, and attracts pupils from all round the city and beyond. The school converted to academy status in August 2012. In January 2016, there were 1080 students enrolled, with 48 students at the end of Year 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campion School, Bugbrooke</span> Academy in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England

Campion School is a co-educational secondary school in Bugbrooke, about 6 miles (10 km) from Northampton, Northamptonshire. Founded in 1969, it became a Language College in September 1997, and in 2011 the school became an academy. The school had 1397 students on roll for the 2014-2015 school year, with 71 teaching staff and 19 teaching assistants. In 2020 the school had 1738 students on roll, 69 Teaching staff and 21 teaching assistants. On 1 September 2023, Campion School & Language College became part of the United Learning Trust.

Deanshanger is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, west-northwest of Milton Keynes. In 2007 it was joined with the civil parish of Wicken to form Deanshanger ward, returning two councillors. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 3,817. Deanshanger is 50 miles (80 km) northwest of London, 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Milton Keynes and 52 miles (84 km) southeast of Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northampton School for Girls</span> Academy in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England

Northampton School for Girls (NSG) is a single-sex girls' comprehensive secondary school with academy status, in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.

Northampton High School is a private day school for girls in Hardingstone, Northampton, England and is part of the Girls' Day School Trust

Northampton College is a further education college in Northampton, England, which opened in 1973, following building work which started in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grange Park, Northamptonshire</span> Human settlement in England

Grange Park is a village and a civil parish on the outskirts of Northampton in West Northamptonshire.

St Thomas More Catholic School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Bedford in the English county of Bedfordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Northamptonshire</span> District in England

West Northamptonshire is a unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England, and was created in 2021. It contains the county town of Northampton, as well as Daventry, Brackley and Towcester; the rest of the area is predominantly agricultural villages though it has many lakes and small woodlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Shirley High School</span> Academy in Southampton, Hampshire, England

Upper Shirley High School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status serving the local community of Upper Shirley in Southampton. Formerly Bellemoor School, Upper Shirley High opened under the new name in September 2008.

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

Far Cotton is a village and neighbourhood of Northampton and former civil parish, now in the parish of Far Cotton and Delapre, in the West Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Thomas More Catholic School, Nuneaton</span> Academy in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England

St Thomas More Catholic School and Sixth Form College is a mixed Roman Catholic secondary school located on Greenmoor Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. It is listed as a specialist Technology school by Ofsted, which requires the school to offer GCSEs in Technology to all students. The principal is Mrs Leearna Thomas who has been in the position since the beginning of 2018 after taking over from Mr Francis Hickey. As of September 2012, the educational establishment has been rated as 'good' ' by Ofsted, who previously gave it an 'outstanding'.

Abbeyfield School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Northampton in the English county of Northamptonshire.

The Duston School is a mixed all-through school and sixth form located in Duston in the English county of Northamptonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southfield School, Kettering</span> Academy in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England

Southfield School is a girls' secondary school and coeducational sixth form with academy status, located in Kettering in the English county of Northamptonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Lewer</span> British politician

Andrew Iain Lewer is a British Conservative Party politician, who served as the Member of Parliament for Northampton South from 2017 to 2024, and as Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands from 2014 to 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 "Our Schools". Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Academies Trust. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  2. ↑ Northampton Development Corporation . Reports of the Development Corporations 31st March, 1974 (Report). House of Commons Sessional Papers. Vol. 13. London: H.M. Stationery Office. 30 July 1974. p. 241. Retrieved 7 March 2021. At Thomas Becket Catholic School for Roman Catholics, construction is well advanced.
  3. ↑ Northampton Development Corporation . Reports of the Development Corporations 31st March, 1975 (Report). House of Commons Sessional Papers. Vol. 27. London: H.M. Stationery Office. 13 October 1975. p. 229. Retrieved 7 March 2021. Also under construction are Thomas Becket Roman Catholic Upper School which will provide 630 places, and Spinney Hill Upper School, which is intended to be the major girls' school in the town
  4. ↑ Northampton Development Corporation . Reports of the Development Corporations 31st March, 1976 (Report). House of Commons Sessional Papers. Vol. 36. London: H.M. Stationery Office. 5 August 1976. p. 219. Retrieved 7 March 2021. Nearly 1,500 additional school places were provided by the completion of Thomas Becket Roman Catholic Upper School and All Saints and Parklands Middle Schools.
  5. ↑ "Thomas Becket RC Upper School, Northampton, Northamptonshire". AXCIS Education Recruitment. Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  6. ↑ "Brief History". Information for schools. Northampton County Council. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  7. ↑ "Development Control Committee – Northamptonshire County Council". Northamptonshire County Council.[ permanent dead link ] (HTML version on Google – Development Control Committee – Northampton County Council [ permanent dead link ]. Retrieved 23 July 2008)
  8. ↑ "Booze sale plan for school site". Chronicle & Echo . 28 July 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  9. ↑ "Disappointment as firm pulls out of school project". Chronicle & Echo. Johnston Publishing. 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Youth Sport Trust welcomes new Sports Colleges – SkillsActive". Archived from the original on 4 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "Inspection Report of Denominational Character and Religious Education – Thomas Becket Voluntary Aided Catholic School". Northampton Religious Education Service. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  12. ↑ Paton, Graeme (19 October 2010). "Coalition to scrap specialist schools funding". The Telegraph. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Tables of findings in the three local authorities 3" (PDF). Department for Children, Schools and Families. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  14. ↑ "Thomas Becket Catholic School - Local Offer". Northamptonshire County Council. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "Thomas Becket Catholic School - Inspection Report". March 2007 Inspection Report. Ofsted. 26 March 2007. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  16. ↑ "Secondary School (Key Stage 3) Achievement and Attainment Tables 2007". Department for Children, Schools and Families. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  17. ↑ "BBC NEWS Education League tables". BBC. 2 November 2004. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  18. ↑ "A-levels: Thomas Becket Catholic School – Northampton Chronicle and Echo". Chronicle & Echo. Johnston Publishing. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2008.
  19. ↑ "GCSE 2008". Results Round-up. Chronicle & Echo. Johnston Publishing. 22 August 2008. p. 3.
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.