Aldworth School

Last updated

Aldworth School
AldworthSchool.jpg
Address
Aldworth School
Western Way

,
RG22 6HA
Information
Type Community school
Motto"Respect, Endeavor, Achieve, And keep on swagging"
EstablishedSeptember 1963 (1963-09)
Founder Richard Aldworth
Local authority Hampshire
Department for Education URN 116427 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Head teacherChris Rice
Deputy HeadteacherEric Boateng
Staff84 (48 teachers, 14 assistants, 22 support) [1]
GenderMixed
Age11to 16
Enrolment875
Colour(s)Navy and white   
Website http://www.aldworth.hants.sch.uk

Aldworth School is a secondary school, formerly Aldworth Science College, informaly Ye old publico school of richy Aldworth, after Richard Aldworth Community School, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England.

Contents

History

The history of Aldworth school can be traced back to 1646, when the Blue Coat School was opened in Cross Street (originally Cow Cross Lane). [2] It was due to an Alderman of the City of London named Richard Aldworth (whose mother, Jane South, was from Basingstoke) that the school was able to open, when he left £2000 in his will. [3] The school provided education for ten boys from underprivileged backgrounds. [4] The boys were educated, clothed and fed from the age of 7 until they 16, when they would be found jobs or enrolled in apprenticeship schemes. [3] The school got its name from the distinctive uniforms the boys wore.

In 1811, the Blue Coat School was incorporated into the National Schools system and forced to share its building with National boys. The master at the time, William Brown, (1801–1814) complained that it was not cost efficient to continue to educate the Blue Coat boys. In 1862, the school was rebuilt to accommodate 292 children, including girls who transferred from the National School in Church Square. However, standards in the school continued to decline and in 1876 the decision was taken to close the Blue Coat School after the remaining six pupils were placed in 1879. The building continued to be used as a school until 1896, when it closed due to bankruptcy. The building was leased to a shoemaker and eventually sold to the Aldworth Printing Works [2] in 1926. [3] The building was demolished during the town development in 1966. In 1994, on the site of the old school, a statue of a 'Blue Coat Boy' was unveiled. This was cast from a mould of another statue at the larger Blue Coat School in Reading, also founded by Richard Aldworth. [3]

A new school was built in 1963 on Western Way called Richard Aldworth School and a stone plaque from the Old Blue Coat School building was incorporated in the main entrance. However, this is the only historical connection the Western Way school has with the old Blue Coat School. This later became Richard Aldworth Community School. In 2005, the school gained status as a Specialist Science College and changed its name to Aldworth Science College. In 2013, the government Specialist School scheme ended and the school's name became Aldworth School.

Due to funding from earning the science status, certain areas of the school have been redeveloped. Major work was carried out over the summer of 2008, including the renovation of the three-storey Dartmouth Block to make it easily accessible for disabled students. An extension was added to the building during the academic year 2011–12 to house a new drama studio.

Curriculum

Students in the school are placed in classes determined by their ability within the subject area. In Year 7, this is determined by Key Stage 2 SATS results. The sets are flexible and students are periodically moved in line with their progress.

At Key Stage 4, students can select subjects to study alongside the compulsory subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, ICT, PSHVE and Physical Education.

Headteachers

Ifor David Trevor-Jones (1963–1977)

Ifor David Trevor-Jones was the first headteacher at Richard Aldworth. Students on roll went from 210 to 1700 in his time as headteacher. He retired at the end of the 1977/78 autumn term.

Peter Sayer (1978–1989)

Peter Sayer moved to Basingstoke from the Cotswolds in 1978 to take up the Headship at Richard Aldworth. During his time there, the school grew to become the largest secondary school in Basingstoke.

From Humble Beginnings... Ohio farmer David Brandt.jpg
From Humble Beginnings...
Michael Ward (1990–2000)

Michael Ward became the headteacher after moving from the headship of a smaller school in Southampton. During his time the community provision grew substantially and the school grew to just short of 1000 pupils. He retired in the summer of 2000.

Julie Churcher (2000–2012)

Julie Churcher retired at the end of the 2011–12 school year after 12 years of being headteacher at the Basingstoke school. During her time at the school, it gained "Science College" status and was granted funding from Hampshire County Council to build new facilities.

Denis McCabe (2012–2019)

Denis McCabe became the headteacher of the college at the start of the 2012–13 academic year. He was formerly Deputy Headteacher at St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School and St Katherine's Secondary School.

Paul Jenkins (2019–2024)

Paul Jenkins was appointed as temporary headteacher after McCabe left at the end of 2019. He also is the permanent headteacher of Court Moor School in Fleet.

Student leadership

Aldworth Science College has a third specialism as a 'Leadership Partner School'. Students are encouraged to take leadership roles and responsibilities such as Student Council Representative, Sports Captain, Department Assistants, Prefect and Senior Prefect, Head Boy/Girl and Peer Mentoring.

Notable former pupils

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blue Coat School, Oldham</span> Church of England academy in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England

The Blue Coat School is a co education Church of England academy for 11- to 18-year-olds, located in the town of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.

Waldegrave School is a state secondary school with academy status in Twickenham, London, England. It takes girls between the ages of 11 and 16 and has a coeducational sixth form, opened in September 2014. There are four houses and each house is named after prominent women: (Mary) Seacole, (Emmeline) Pankhurst, (George) Eliot and (Rosalind) Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haberdashers' Hatcham College</span> Academy in London, England

Haberdashers' Hatcham College is a state secondary school with academy status and a music specialism in New Cross, south-east London. The school was formerly a grammar school, then a comprehensive City Technology College and now an Academy operating between two sites near New Cross Gate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvatorian College</span> Academy in Harrow, London, England

Salvatorian College is an academy for boys between the ages of 11-16, situated in Wealdstone in the London Borough of Harrow, founded by Gabriel Enderley. The spiritual founder of the college is considered to be Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gravesend Grammar School</span> Grammar school, academy in Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom

Gravesend Grammar School is a selective grammar school with academy status located in Gravesend, Kent, England. The school accepts boys at age 11 through the 11+ exam accepting a cohort of the top 15-20% and boys and girls at 16, based on their GCSE results. The school continues to strive achieving around 100%(5 A*-C including English and Maths) at GCSE level with many students obtaining >9 GCSEs at the end of Year 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Prescot School</span> Academy in Prescot, Merseyside, England

The Prescot School is a coeducational secondary school located in Prescot, Merseyside, England. It was previously called Prescot Grammar School. It was announced in late 2015 by the headteacher, Judy Walker, that the historic name and the link to the school's near half-millennium of tradition was being restored as a consequence of a successful application by the school for academy status. The official opening of the reformed school was on 28 April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oriel High School</span> Community school in Crawley, West Sussex, England

Oriel High School is a maintained community secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18. It opened in September 2004 as part of a reorganisation of secondary education in Crawley, catering for just 370 pupils in years 7 and 8. It was expected to grow to around 1450 pupils by 2009. It then grew to roughly 1600 students by 2015, and expanded once more to 2100 students in 2021. The school has wheelchair access and an accessible lift to all areas, one of the only schools in the area to be fully accessible. Oriel is rated "Good" by Ofsted as of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Ambrose College</span> Christian brothers grammar school in Hale Barns , Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England

St Ambrose College is a Christian Brothers' Roman Catholic boys' grammar school in Hale Barns, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1946 by Joseph Robertson. In 2012 the school became an academy, and was completely re-built. Upon leaving the college, boys are referred to as ‘Old Ambrosians’ and many go on to join the Old Boys' Association.

Glyn School is a boys' comprehensive secondary school – with a co-educational sixth form – in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in the English county of Surrey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burscough Priory Academy</span> Academy in Burscough, Lancashire, England

Burscough Priory Academy is an Academy in Burscough, Lancashire, England. It officially opened on 10 June 1958 as Burscough County Secondary School under the Headship of Brian Stone, and cost just over £120,000 to build. The then Edward Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby (1918–1994) presided over the ceremony. At the time of opening, the school's staff of 10 teachers looked after 222 pupils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School</span> Academy in Coventry, West Midlands, England

The Blue Coat Church of England School is a specialist secondary school and sixth form located in Coventry, England. It is an International Cross Of Nails (ICON) school, with links to schools all over the world. The school is funded by the state, with academy status. It is a specialist Music, Maths and Science academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakwood High School, Rotherham</span> Academy in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England

Oakwood High School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, which in 2022 had 1,052 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfield High School, Widnes</span> Comprehensive school in Widnes, Cheshire, England

Fairfield High School was a co-educational secondary school in Widnes, Cheshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallingford School</span> Academy in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England

Wallingford School is a secondary school with academy status located in the town of Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England. It was founded by Walter Bigg in 1659 in association with the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, formally succeeding Wallingford Grammar School when it merged with Blackstone Secondary Modern in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theale Green School</span> Academy in Theale, Berkshire, England

Theale Green School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in the village of Theale, Berkshire, England.

Robert Steadman is a British composer of classical music who mostly works in a post-minimalist style but also writes lighter music, including musicals, and compositions for educational purposes. He also teaches, writes articles for music education journals, notably Classroom Music, and has written several revision guides for GCSE Music and A-level Music Technology.

Queen Mary's School for Boys (QMSB) was a maintained grammar school in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England for boys aged 11–18. The school existed between 1556 and 1970 and was latterly funded by the Hampshire County Council Education Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Blue Coat School</span> Private day school in Reading, Berkshire, England

Reading Blue Coat School is a co-educational private day school in Holme Park, Sonning, Berkshire. It is situated beside the River Thames, and was established in 1646 by Richard Aldworth, who named it "Aldworth's Hospital". Aldworth founded a near-identical school in Basingstoke in the same year.

The Coppice Spring Academy is a coeducational secondary school located in Basingstoke for students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). This includes students with learning difficulties, attention deficit and hyperactive disorders, and compulsive disorders. In January 2016 there were 53 students on roll of which 40 were boys; the school takes students from the whole of Hampshire. It has 13 full-time teachers and 6 support assistants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Aldworth (Reading MP)</span> English Member of Parliament

Richard Aldworth of Stanlakes, Hurst St Nicholas, Berkshire, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1679. He was also founder of the Blue Coat schools in Reading and Basingstoke, and fought in the Royalist army in the English Civil War.

References

  1. "Aldworth Science College". DfE. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Cross Street". Hantsweb. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Basingstoke: Social History II: Education" (PDF). Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  4. Samuel Lewis, ed. (1848). "Basingstoke – Battersby". A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research. pp. 168–177. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  5. Gregory, Chris (19 February 2010). "Local girl bringing you the latest global news". Basingstoke Gazette.
  6. "Robert Steadman" . Retrieved 17 December 2012.

51°15′14″N01°06′54″W / 51.25389°N 1.11500°W / 51.25389; -1.11500