Bicester Community College
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| Bicester Community College | |
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| Motto | Unto thyself so to others |
| Established | 1966 |
| Type | Community Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Mrs Cynthia Bartlett M.A. (Oxon.) |
| Specialism | Technology College |
| Location | Queen's Avenue Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 2NS England  |
| LEA | Oxfordshire |
| Ofsted number | 123233 |
| Students | 1,200 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 11 to 18 |
| School colours | Burgundy |
| Website | www.bicester-cc.oxon.sch.uk |
| Coordinates: | |
Bicester Community College is a mixed, multi-heritage, comprehensive school, with around 1200 students (including a sixth form) and has been a Government-designated specialist Technology College since 1998. It is situated in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England, and occupies a 32-acre site leading off Queens Avenue.
The school's sports facilities are used by Bicester Athletic Club, which was recently awarded National Lottery funding to add all-weather surfaces to the sports field's jumping and throwing event areas.[1]
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[edit] History
Bicester Community College, formerly known as Bicester School, was formed as a new comprehensive school in 1966. It was created by the merger of Highfield Secondary Modern School and Bicester Grammar School, who had shared the current site since 1963. Bicester Grammar School had previously been situated at the junction of London Road and Launton Road.[2][3]
[edit] Performance
The College gained School Achievement awards in 2001 and 2002 in recognition of the significant improvements in its examination results.[4][5] In 2006 Bicester achieved membership of the Most Improved Specialist Schools Club after the number of pupils getting five or more A*-C grades at GCSE rose from 40 per cent in 2002 to 50 per cent in 2005.[6] The results dropped in 2006 with only 36 per cent achieving the benchmark five or more GCSE passes at A*-C,[7] but the 2007 results were a significant improvement with 52 per cent gaining five or more GCSE passes at the appropriate grades.[8]
The last Ofsted Inspection in October 2007 judged that "The quality of education provided by the college in Years 7 to 11 and in the sixth form is satisfactory with good and outstanding features". The inspectors commented that the school offered an outstanding curriculum and "an exceptionally wide-ranging choice of after-school activities". The report also noted "the clear direction of the headteacher and the effectiveness of the relatively new senior leadership team".[9]
Even though there have not been any successful Oxbridge applications from the school in the last ten years, the school has sent students to other top UK universities, including King's College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London, the University of Warwick, the University of Bristol and the University of Nottingham. The University of Reading, the University of Southampton, Oxford Brookes University and Nottingham Trent University are also popular destinations for former students of the school.[citation needed]
[edit] Performing Arts
BCC is reported to have an excellent performing arts department, with a variety of opportunities, inlcuding a jazz band, various choirs, wind band, string orchestra, various chamber ensembles, a boys' dance company and various dance clubs.[10]
These groups have performed in many places and the orchestra and jazz band even went on a trip to Germany in July 2007, performing 3 concerts. [11]
The Department has also recently built up a reputation for their shows, including Grease in 2006 and The Sound of Music in 2007. [12]
Their latest show, High School Musical, was performed in February 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ Big Lottery Fund (30th November 2007). "Bicester Athletic Club scoop Thames Valley public TV vote and Lottery cash". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ "Revamp starts after 20 years", Bicester Advertiser, 2000-12-08. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ "Former pupils reunite", The Oxford Times, 2002-04-23. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ 2001 winners of the School Achievement Award (Round One). Department for Children, Schools and Families. Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
- ^ Bicester College 2002 School Achievement Award (Round Two)]. Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
- ^ "School among most improved", The Oxford Times, 2006-01-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
- ^ "Business alarm at bad GCSE results for town", Oxford Mail, 2006-10-27. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ "GCSE Results 2007", Oxford Mail. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Inspection Report (PDF). Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ Bearder, Tim. "Bicester Community College Jazz", BBC, 2007-12-07. Retrieved on 2007-12-18.
- ^ Comley, Helen. "Bicester Community College Music Tour", BCC, 2008-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.
- ^ Comley, Helen. "Bicester Community College Performing Arts Reviews", BCC, 2008-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.
[edit] External links
- Official school website
- School profile from Schoolsfinder
- Department for Children, Schools and Families GCSE Performance Tables
- BicesterCommunity College at Axcis
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