Gordano School
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| Gordano School | |
| Established | 1956 |
| Type | Foundation school |
| Head Master | Graham Silverthorne |
| Specialism | Technology |
| Location | St. Mary's Road Portishead North Somerset BS20 7QR England  |
| LEA | North Somerset |
| Ofsted number | 131374 |
| Students | 1500 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 11 to 18 |
| Houses | 7 |
| Website | www.gordano.n-somerset.sch.uk |
| Coordinates: | |
Gordano School is a comprehensive educational secondary school located in Portishead, Somerset, England. In 1999, the school was awarded Specialist Schools Technology College status (see awards). Gordano School enrolls approximately 1500 students annually, ages 11-18.
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[edit] History
The school was originally proposed in 1937, with a projected cost of £27,000. However, the project was cancelled due to the Second World War. New plans were drawn in 1952, and excavation of the site started in 1954. During excavations, the skeleton of an Iron Age man was found, who was nicknamed Septimus because he was discovered on the seventh day of the seventh month. The school opened on the 17th of September, 1956, with 300 pupils, 18 teachers, and 12 classrooms. In addition, two halls, an art room, a library, a gym and a kitchen prompted local newspapers to state "New Gordano School Is A Palace".
The official opening took place on July 12th, 1957. The school had cost £146,000 and still needed work to the playing fields. By September of that year, pupil numbers had increased to 500 and councillors were demanding more classrooms. The increase was attributed to the "post-war bulge". In September of 1975, £209,000 was allocated for new buildings. Gordano was named the "Big Experiment" as it became Somerset's first comprehensive school, with 900 students and 30 teachers. The education department forecast the school numbers would treble by 1975. In 1994, an astroturf sports playing surface was laid at a cost of £260,000. Numbers had grown to 1,589 students and 88 teachers.
The school recently underwent a £9,500,000 re-development, adding a new hall incorporating a drama room. Included in the building work was a new maths and social sciences block, music block extension, new science and technology classrooms, and a canteen extension. The Sixth Form Centre also underwent renovation. The new buildings were officially opened in December of 2006. In November 2007 Gordano School became a Foundation School. Technology College status was redesignated in October 2007.
[edit] Awards
The school has gained the following awards:
1. Training School
2. Arts Mark
3. Technology College
4. Sport England
5. Investors in People
6. A Leading Edge School
7. European Award for Languages
[edit] Houses
Gordano School is divided into six houses which were previously named after the house heads' surname - now each is named after shipping areas around the UK:
1. Lundy (Formerly Berridge)
2. Fitzroy [disambiguation needed] (Formerly Smith)
3. Portland (Formerly Prevett)
4. Cromarty (Formerly Mckay)
5. Shannon (Formerly Stanley)
6. Biscay (Formerly Offer)
7. Year 7 (From September 2007)
[edit] Rewards And Sanctions
[edit] Rewards
Many of the positive things students do in school contribute towards the Going For Gold Award Scheme. There are 5 aspects to the scheme:
- Attendance
- Merits/Credits
- Effort on Assessments/Reports
- Contribution to the House
- Contribution to the School
For each aspect students can earn a Gold (3 points), Silver (2 points) or Bronze (1 point) level. In the Going For Gold Award Scheme, the points from the 5 aspects are added up and an overall Gold, Silver or Bronze award is decided.
[edit] Sanctions
The school argues that pupils cannot learn properly until they have an orderly environment in which to work. Behaviour that undermines teaching and learning or the values of the school will have automatic and non-negotiable consequences. The school believes that actions of pupils fall under these four subheadings:
[edit] Student (AO) - Not Ready To Work
Actions that pupils do that affect their own learning
[edit] Others (A1) - Disrupting Work Of Others
Actions that pupils do that affect the learning of other pupils
[edit] School (A2) - Refusing To Co-operate
Actions that pupils do against the ethos of the whole school
[edit] Community (A3) - Anti-Social Bevhaviors
Actions that pupils do involving the wider community, eg local neighbours
Disclipline points are given and recorded accordingly. All pupils have the chance to modify their behaviour and as a result,to have points deducted. At every stage (or step) pupils can have points taken off for good behaviour, receiving merits/credits, gaining encouraging report cards, receiving congratulatory postcard(s) from Head etc. Points are deducted at the end of each acceptable week’s behaviour.
