| Motto | RESPICE - ASPICE - PROSPICE (Look to the past, present and future) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1950 |
| Headteacher | Mr Andrew Goulding |
| Specialism | Maths and Computing College |
| Location | London Road Bishop's Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 3LU England |
| Local authority | Hertfordshire |
| DfE URN | 117577 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 1255 |
| Gender | Boys |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website | gateway.tbshs.herts.sch.uk |
The Bishop’s Stortford High School is a comprehensive secondary school, with a coeducational sixth form, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. The school admits boys aged 11 to 16 in the first five forms, with a mixed sixth form of boys and girls aged 16 to 18.[1] A specialist school in Mathematics and Computing, the school focuses on these areas, as well as music, drama, sport, possessing state-of-the-art in-house computing facilities and providing assistance to local schools in this area. The current Headmaster is Andrew Goulding however, from September 2012, he will have left the school to become Principal of Hinchingbrooke School.[2]
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From the 1980s onwards the school extensively added to its original buildings; a dedicated Sixth Form Centre was built and the Turing Suite (an extensive computing and ICT facility, named after Alan Turing) was constructed. A drama studio named 'Broadway' and an on-site sports pavilion were also added to the school, in addition to the set of playing fields at Jobber’s Wood.[3]
Deputy Headmaster Paul Noble was recognized as a regional winner in 2000 of the BT Award for Most Creative Use of ICT - Secondary.[4]
In 2003, two students from the school were national champions in the English-Speaking Union's Public Speaking Competition, winning the English national final out of a field of 500 schools. In the faceoff of the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh national tournaments, Nick Devlin and Richard Goodman of The Bishop's Stortford High School were selected as champions and were awarded the Silver Mace.[5][6]
A student from the school was a member of the four-person English team at the 15th World Schools Debating Championships in Lima, Peru.[6] While the English team lost in the semifinals to ultimate-winner Australia, Bishop's Stortford's representative was ranked fifth among all competitors in the competition.[7]
On 5 November 2007 the school won the Becta award for ICT Excellence in Leadership and Management. The school was described as a "successful all-boys school".[8]
Overall, the School was rated Very Good, point two on a seven point scale, whilst the component 'Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities' was rated Excellent, point one, by Ofsted in their report on 22 April 2005.[9] In a subsequent inspection in 2008, the school was rated as Outstanding.[10]
In an inspection report, independent government schools adjudicator Ofsted said: "This is a very good school which provides very good value for money and is highly thought of in the local community. The high quality of much of the teaching enables the students to achieve very well throughout the school. Standards are well above average by GCSE and above average in the sixth form."
In pastoral care the year groups (Years 7 to 11; 12 to 13) are grouped together into 'schools':
There are six 'Houses'. These Houses centre on local areas or history in the town: Chantry, Dane, Meads, Rhodes, Twyford and Waytemore. The Houses apply to all year groups, and individual pupils are assigned to a House. Each House is also run by a teacher called a 'Head Of House'. 5 boys from each house represent the house as Captain, Deputy, Sports, Music/Drama, and Charity. Their job is to make sure their house is being run properly, such as 'house assemblies' and 'house meetings'. Every pupil, from year nine onwards, has the opportunity to be awarded 'House Colours' for outstanding contributions to extracurricular activities, such as sport, music, drama and debating. Once students progress into the sixth form the House Colours are removed, however, they have the opportunity to earn School Colours.[11]
Every 'sixth former' is automatically appointed as a Prefect, which is shown by them wearing a black and gold striped tie, with the school's gold mitre in the black band. However, only in the second year of student's Sixth Form career are they required to carry out break and lunch time duties, which essentially involve ensuring the rules of school are enforced. Unlike the Lower and Middle schools, the sixth form admits girls from the local area, with many coming from Hockerill or The Hertfordshire and Essex High School.
The Bishops Stortford High School has the reputation as being one of the best state schools in the South East of England for rugby union taking on and beating some of the best private schools in the country. The school's Parent Sports Association is actively involved with supporting sport within the school. The Rugby Union squad went on a tour of Australia in 2009.
Interact is the school's charity and raises funds for both local and international charities. Interact is a branch of the Rotary Club and its membership is open for all members of the school.