St Wilfrid's Catholic School, Crawley

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St Wilfrid's Catholic School
Motto In Omnibus Labora (Labour in all things)
Established 1953
Type Voluntary Aided Comprehensive
Religious affiliation Catholic
Headteacher Mr J Morris
Lay Chaplain Mr Jack Regan
Specialism Business & Enterprise with ethics
Location Old Horsham Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH11 8PG
EnglandFlag of England
LEA West Sussex County Council
Ofsted number 126095
Students 900
Gender Mixed
Ages 11 to 18
School colours Navy     
Website www.stwilfrids.com
Coordinates: <span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for Expression error: Unexpected < operator°Expression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unrecognised word "n" Expression error: Unexpected < operator°Expression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unrecognised word "w"">Expression error: Unexpected < operator°Expression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unrecognised word "n" Expression error: Unexpected < operator°Expression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unexpected < operatorExpression error: Unrecognised word "w" / 51.1097N, -0.2031W

St Wilfrid's Catholic School is a voluntary aided comprehensive Catholic secondary school in Crawley, West Sussex, England for pupils aged 11 to 18. It caters for around 900 pupils in years 7 to 13, including around 100 in its sixth form. It is now a Business & Enterprise Specialist School With Ethics

Contents

[edit] History

St Wilfrid's Roman Catholic (Aided) modern school opened in 1953 on its current campus in Crawley New Town to provide catholic secondary education for the children of the town. At first, based in an old manor house, additional buildings were developed over the next ten years to accommodate increasing numbers. In 1967, the school became comprehensive.[1]

Further increases in numbers on roll led to changes in 1970 which saw the school change to become an upper school providing education for pupils aged 13 to 18, with younger pupils attending one of the two newly-opened middle schools in the town: Holy Cross Intermediate School and Notre Dame Intermediate School. This arrangement continued until 1996, when falling rolls led to a return to the school becoming a full secondary accepting pupils aged 11+.[1]

As of 2007, preparations are underway for a complete re-build of the school on its existing campus which is due to open in 2008.[2]

[edit] Campus

The campus for the school is based around the original school building, named "Oakwood" which lies alongside Goffs Park. The residence was purchased by the diocese in 1952 to provide a catholic secondary school in the new town. It was accompanied by 21 acres of land which makes up the modern campus.[3]

The school continues to use 'Oakwood' as one of its main buildings, alongside other purpose-built blocks added between 1958 and 1970. However, these are expected to be demolished when a new building for the school opens in 2008.

[edit] Students

The schools is comprehensive, providing education for around 900 pupils aged between 11 and 18 of all abilities. It sets its own admissions criteria in line with other voluntary aided schools. It provides education for pupils from Crawley, and the nearby towns of Horsham and East Grinstead and their surrounding villages.

[edit] Notable alumni

The school is noted for its musical alumni, boasting that it once educated Robert Smith, the lead singer for The Cure in the 1970s, and more recently three members of the band The Feeling, namely drummer Paul Stuart, guitarist Kevin Jeremiah , and keyboard player Ciaran Jeremiah.[4] It is also the claimed school of vocalist 2D of the virtual band Gorillaz.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Hudson, T.P. (ed.) [1987]. "Crawley New Town: Education", A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 3: Bramber Rape (North-Eastern Part) including Crawley New Town. Oxford: Institute of Historical Research by Oxford University Press, pp93-95. ISBN 0197227686. Retrieved on 2007-01-04. 
  2. ^ St Wilfrid’s new school building to open in September 2008. St Wilfrid's Catholic School website. St Wilfrid's Catholic School. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  3. ^ History of St Wilfrid's. St Wilfrid's Catholic School website. St Wilfrid's Catholic School. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  4. ^ "Feeling Their Way to Number One", Crawley News, Reigate, Surrey: East Surrey and Sussex News and Media, 2008-02-20, p. 10. ISSN 0961-4800. Retrieved on 2008-02-20.