| Motto | Success Through Learning |
|---|---|
| Established | 1956 |
| Type | Secondary modern community school |
| Headteacher | Mr Robert Preston BA,MEd(Oxon) |
| Chair of the IEB | Alan Armstrong |
| Specialism | Arts and Technology[1] |
| Location | Misbourne Drive Great Missenden Buckinghamshire HP16 0BN England |
| Local authority | Buckinghamshire |
| DfE URN | 110490 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 1,225[1] |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Colours | Cherry Red and Navy Blue |
| Website | www.misbourne.bucks.sch.uk |
The Misbourne School is a co-educational secondary school in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. It is a community school, which takes children from the age of 11 through to the age of 18. The school has approximately 1,225 pupils.[1]
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The Misbourne was the first purpose-built secondary modern school in the country.[2] The first pupils started at the school on 19 December 1955, although it did not officially open until 20 January 1956. Originally there were only twenty-five students.[3]
The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005/6. The celebrations culminated in a Jubilee summer fête in June 2006 which was attended by Cherie Blair.[4]
In 2006 it was reported that the Misbourne School was heavily in debt. The school bursar said she hoped the debt would be cleared within a year.[5]
The Misbourne School was the friendliest school in Britain in 2005, according to a report from Friends Reunited.[6][7]
In July 2009 it was reported that 17 members of staff had compiled an anonymous dossier with serious allegations surrounding the head Jon Howard-Drake's relationship with the deputy head Bea Bates. The allegations included claims that both individuals had an authoritarian management style, sometimes berating staff in front of students and using foul language. In addition, it was claimed that staff were refused permission to attend medical appointments and funerals; both individuals had used the school training budget for trips abroad and had taken time off work to make holiday plans; the head had refused to close the school when there was a rat infestation and staff were told not to speak to Ofsted inspectors. The controversy attracted national press attention.[8][9]
Following the allegations, both the head and deputy head left the school. John Robinson was appointed the new headteacher.
As part of an ongoing drugs awareness and education programme, the Misbourne is visited by sniffer dogs from Thames Valley Police. The dogs show off their skills in assembly and again informally on the playground. As part of the programme the dogs randomly screen a small number of students.[10][11]
The Misbourne has a large sixth form of around 200 students. The Misbourne offers A-Levels as well as BTECs. Sixth formers have access to their own private study area and ICT suite.
Despite the September 2010 Ofsted report labelling the school inadequate, the sixth from was found to reflect "a more positive picture and its effectiveness is satisfactory overall."[12]
Partly as a result of the school's specialist statuses in Arts and Technology, the school has several ICT rooms with computers for student use. In addition, there is a printing room where photographs can be processed and produced. Students also have access to computer aided design software (CAD).
The school canteen functions as a cafe, operated by a third party company. The school also has tennis courts and large playing fields.
The school's Performing Arts block was opened in 2004, in memory of former headmaster David Selman. It provies small practise rooms for private music lessons and student use. The classrooms are all equipped with Casio keyboards. There is a dance studio and a recording studio equipped with music editing software.
In September 2006 the Misbourne was awarded specialist school statuses in both Arts and Technology.[1]
The Misbourne has a strong local reputation for academic achievement. In 2010, the school's records were broken, with 71% of pupils achieved 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE.[13] In 2011, records were again broken as 72% of pupils achieved 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, placing the school in the top four upper schools in Buckinghamshire. In the sixth form, 98% of A level exams were passed, with just under half falling in the A*-B range.[14]
Despite 2010's record-breaking exam results, the Misbourne was placed in special measures by Ofsted after an inspection in September 2010 found that the school was "failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education". The report criticised the leadership of the school, saying it was "not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement". The school was rated inadequate in several areas, including for its overall effectiveness, capacity for sustained improvement and the use of assessment to support learning.[15][16] Following the report, the school replaced the Board of Governors with an Interim Executive Board.
In its first follow-up report of March 2011, Ofsted reported that progress at the school was inadequate.[17] Three months later, John Robinson resigned as headteacher for personal reasons. He was succeeded by Robert Preston.[18]
In its second follow-up report of July 2011, Ofsted reported that the school was making satisfactory progress towards coming out of special measures.[19] Weeks later, it was confirmed that the year's GCSE and A level results were the best in the school's history.