Mayfield School (Portsmouth)

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Mayfield School is a mixed comprehensive school in Mayfield Road, North End, Portsmouth. The current Head Master is Mr Derek Trimmer. The school is now an Arts College after being lifted out of Special Measures, they now receive Specialist Status.

1 History
2 Past Productions
3 Studio 1 Productions
4 Famous Pupils
5 School Uniforms
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

The school is located in the buildings of the former Portsmouth Northern Grammar School for Boys and Portsmouth Northern Grammar School for Girls, which were opened in 1932. (The boys school had begun as the Northern Secondary School in Kingston in 1921). After wartime evacuation, the two secondary schools were re-established in 1946 as a result of the 1944 Education Act. In 1975 the two schools were amalgamated with Brunel School (boys) and North End Modern Girls' School to form the largest comprehensive school in Portsmouth, with approximately 1800 pupils. The roll was later reduced by the setting up of Portsmouth's Sixth Form College.

In 1999, the school was failing academically and was placed in "special measures" after an Ofsted inspection said it was failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.^[1] By 2001 the school was facing another crisis - this time a staff problem, as the school had 12 vacancies due to long-term sickness and unfilled positions. Training new teachers became a priority and the school introduced a new graduate teacher programme and created a new teacher training room. With a series of new teachers and new coaching programmes the school has experienced a slight increase in academic achievement, with a 4% rise in GCSE achievement in 2004, compared with 2003.^[2]^[3]

In 2005, 150 students of the school launched a protest against the deportation of a fellow student, who had previously immigrated from Syria in 2003 after fearing for her safety.^[4]^[5]

In 2007, the school received the Special Performing Arts Status after raising £50,000. The school now has plans for a brand new dance/drama studio which plans to open in 2008. The director of this status is Mr. Gary Appleton who coincidentally is the Head of Drama and Director of School Productions.

[edit] Past Productions

2003 Oh What a Lovely War
2004 A Midsummer Nights Dream
2005 Romeo and Juliet
2006 Oliver!
2007 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
2008 The Boyfriend

[edit] Studio 1 Productions

Studio 1 Productions are a new type of production within Mayfield School. Since becoming, an arts college, the Drama Studio 1, has become renowned as an auditorium for smaller scale productions other than the main ones. So far these have been:

2007 Find Me!
2008 Piano Recital

Currently, Gary Appleton, Head of Performing Arts within the school, has announced a Production of Macbeth within Studio 1 which will be shown in Septmember this year.

[edit] Famous Pupils

James Callaghan, the UK Prime Minister from 1976 to 1979, completed his secondary education at the former Northern Secondary School in 1926.
Barry Cunliffe, an eminent archaeologist.

[edit] School Uniforms

The school has a compulsory school uniform policy. The uniform includes a white polo shirt and/or blue crew neck sweatshirt, both of which must have the school logo. Black trousers or skirts must also be worn.^[6]