| Motto | Working Together We All Succeed |
|---|---|
| Established | 1957 |
| Type | Secondary |
| Headteacher | Chris Kelly |
| Specialism | Arts College |
| Location | Tickleford Drive Southampton Hampshire SO19 9QP England |
| Local authority | Southampton |
| DfE URN | 116454 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 900 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11–16 |
| Website | chamberlaynepark.southampton.sch.uk |
Chamberlayne College for the Arts is the main secondary school in Weston, Southampton, providing education for around 900 boys and girls aged between 11 and 16. The school is also a specialist Arts College.[1] The school's KS3 results were in the top 100 most improved between 2004 and 2007.[2] In addition the school received a very positive Ofsted inspection in January 2008.[3]
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Weston Park Girls' open in 1957, its name reflecting the single gender attendance of the school. Nearby was Weston Park Boys School, recently rebranded to Grove Park Business and Enterprise College and then in September 2008 closed along with Woolston School Language College to make way for Oasis Academy Mayfield[4].
It was decided that from 1993 the school would admit both genders. The last all girl year group left in 1997 and the school was renamed to Chamberlayne Park Secondary School after the Chamberlayne family who donated the land for the school to be built on.
Starting from September 2008 the school was rebranded as Chamberlayne College for the Arts to reflect its specialist status in the Performing Arts. The school blazer was changed from blue to black. The house system was removed, before being reinstated a year later with houses Cook, Drake, Raleigh and Shackleton along with a vertical tutoring system.
After the Spring Term 2006 Richard Hillary retired after 12 years in the role. For the next two terms Ian Knights, head of Hamble Community Sports College stood in as a temporary leader. During this time he was head of two schools. In January 2007 Chris Kelly (previously head of Filsham Valley School) was appointed as headteacher. On November 14th 2011,Chris Kelly announced that she will be retiring at Christmas 2011.
A number of additional buildings have been added to the school's aging main building. These have tended to be specialist facilities, such as Science labs, Performing Arts studios and Technology workshops. A number of famous people have opened these buildings.
| Date | Subject Areas | Named after and opened by |
|---|---|---|
| ? | Art, Technology | N/A |
| May 1999 | Science, Library, ICT | Patrick Moore[5] |
| September 2000 | Music, Dance, Drama | Darcey Bussell[5][6] |
| September 2003 | English, Maths | Emma Richards[5] |
Smaller developments are continuously being made to the buildings, for example during 2007 a new Music Room was built (along with new practice rooms) and the old music room was converted to a Dance/Drama multipurpose room.
The school was to be completely rebuilt under the Building Schools for the Future programme.[7][8] It is hoped work will begin in early 2012. The plans included provision for twelve pupils with physical disabilities. A draft plan for the new build was released on 24 October 2009. On 5 July 2010 the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, announced that the Building Schools for the Future programme was to be scrapped. BSF projects which had not achieved the status of 'financial close', including Chamberlayne, would not proceed.[9]
Under the new headteacher (Chris Kelly) the school is embracing ICT all around the school:
In September 2006 the school became a performing arts school.[1] This means the school gets extra money to spend on Dance, Drama and Music. The school gained an Artsmark award in 2001.[14] In 2004 Ofsted said the school had 'a very strong provision for the performing arts'[15]. From September 2009, the Higher Creative Media Diploma has been available.[16]
The school PE department teach all the 'traditional' sports but also, more recently, have started clubs for more unusual sports, including Extreme Golf and Ultimate Frisbee[17].
Traditionally physical education has been taught in schools by dividing each year group into two groups. Within each of these big groups would be two boys' groups and two girls' groups. Starting in the 2006 school year the department experimented with groups based not on gender or ability, but on different learning styles. For example one group is a team games group, another problem solving and another movement.
The school regularly uses the £2.6 million Chamberlayne Leisure Centre situated adjacent to the site.
The school performs a musical in the first week of July. Many people from throughout the school community are involved in some way. For example the technology department makes costumes and sets, which the art department paints. The performers in the productions give up break and lunch times; time after school and some of their half term holiday to perfect the performances.
The 2009 performance of West Side Story was a tragic contrast from the usual choice of musicals. For example the previous yearselections from a variety of musicals were performed by each year group had a certain musical(s) to perform, includingHairspray, Oliver!, Moulin Rouge, Bugsy Malone, Dirty Dancing and High School Musical 2. Full musicals from previous years include High School Musical; The Wiz[28]; Grease and Annie[15].
Since 2004, the school has participated in the Southampton heats of Rock Challenge UK.
| Date | Title | Position | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 March 2010[29] | Alien Nation | 2nd |
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| 4 March 2009[30] | This is Rock 'n Roll | 3rd |
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| 5 March 2008[31][32] | At What Cost? | 3rd |
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| 14 March 2007[33] | 2nd |
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| 1 March 2006[34] | 2nd |
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| 3 March 2005[35] | 2nd |
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| 3 March 2004[36] | Rhythmic Conflict: Earth v Pollution | (Not in top 3) |
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