| Mottoes | Making a difference... Putting learning first. |
|---|---|
| Established | 1936 |
| Closed | 2012 (Projected) |
| Type | Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Stephen Capper |
| Chair | Neil McAree |
| Founder | Hedley Walter |
| Specialisms | Sport and Science |
| Location | Sawyers Hall Lane Brentwood Essex CM15 9DA England |
| Local authority | Essex |
| DfE URN | 115341 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 517 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Houses | Darwin Holmes Moore Curie |
| Colours | Blue Gold White |
| Website | www.sawyershall.org.uk |
Sawyers Hall College of Sport and Science (formerly known as The Hedley Walter High School, then Sawyers Hall College of Science & Technology (or SHC)) is a secondary school located in Brentwood, Essex, England. It is a mixed school of non denominational religion. It initially accepts students from the ages of 11 to 16, the age where they take their GCSE examinations. It then offers the best performing students places in its Sixth Form, giving students the chance to complete their A Level examinations.
Approximately 520 pupils currently attend the school, with very few students from minority ethnic backgrounds and a higher proportion of boys than the national average.[1] The school logo is traditionally that of a Griffin. However, when the school achieved specialist college status its motif was modernised; it is now a two panelled shield with a griffin above a diagram of an atom. (See right or the Official School Website for an example). The uniform was changed to reflect the new school image from blue shirts and blue tie with the griffin to blue and white pin striped shirts and a blue tie with the school logo.
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Sawyers Hall College opened in 1936 as a single block mixed school known as Brentwood Secondary School. However, genders were separated during school hours. Later in life, the school expanded and genders were allowed to mix. When it was the first school in the area to become Comprehensive, it was renamed Hedley Walter after the Chairman of Governors. Under the Head, Arthur Gregson, the school went from strength to strength as a pioneer of mixed ability teaching and the innovative Humanities course. Visiting educationalists from all over the country and the world came to learn these new techniques. In the last decade around 2003, the school's name was changed to Sawyers Hall College. The original school building, circa 1936, is now known as The Jack Petchey Building, or simply Block 4.
The school is split into six buildings each named after someone who is related to the history of the school, plus a Sports Hall and an Astroturf pitch, which can be used in most weather conditions. An athletics track and football and rugby pitches are situated in fields across the road from the school. There are separate playgrounds for the various years, with years 10 and 11 sharing the same playground. From 2006 the sixth form has its own common room and study rooms for computer use.
The main assembly hall is part of the James Redell building, in which the classes are science, technology and ICT.
Block 1 (Margaret Hutton Building)
- French
- Spanish
- English
- Maths
- Media
- Administration, Finance and Reception
Block 2 (Headly Walter Building)
- Personalized Learning
- ICT
- Business Studies
Block 3 (James Redell Building)
- Science
- Technology
- ICT
- Main Hall (attached)
- Canteens (attached)
Block 4 (Jack Petchey Building)
- RE
- History
- Geography
- Gym (PE)
- Resource Centre
- Construction (Prospects College)
- Sixth Form
- Meeting and Seminar Rooms
- Site Office
- The Lanes Hair & Beauty Salon (Havering College)
Block 5 (Charles Darwin Building)
- Construction (Prospects College)
Block 6 (Neville A Brown Centre For Excellence In The Expressive Arts)
- PE
- Art
- Drama
- Music
- Photography
Block 7
- Sixth Form Common Room
Prospects College Construction Building
- Construction (Prospects College)
Sports Hall
- PE
Sawyers Hall College offers a variety of subjects in both GCSE years and Sixth Form in consortium with the Brentwood Learning Partnersip, including:
• Accountancy (AS/A2 only | 6th Form Consortium)
• Archaeology (AS/A2 only)
• Art
• Business Studies
• Childcare (AS/A2 only)
• Citizenship
• Construction
• Drama
• English (Compulsory GCSE)
• Food Studies
• General Studies
• Geography
• History
• ICT - (Compulsory half course GCSE)
• Law - (AS/A2 only) | (6th Form Consortium)
• Mathematics - (Compulsory GCSE)
• Media Studies - (GCSE/AS2 only)
• Modern Foreign Languages -
• Music
• Music Technology - (AS/A2 only) | (6th Form Consortium)
• Philosophy and Ethics - (AS/A2 only) | (6th Form Consortium)
• Photography - (AS/A2 only)
• Physical Education
• Product Design
• Psychology - (AS/A2 only)
• Religious Education - (Compulsory half course GCSE)
• Science - (Compulsory GCSE (Additional, Applied, Triple))
• Textiles
• Travel and Tourism
Over the past 75 years, the school has had numerous headteachers. Over the past 15 years, it had 5 Principals/Headteachers, three foreign nationals.
From the academic year, beginning September 2009 Sawyers Hall College has removed the traditional roles of head boy and head girl, and instead opted for an elected Senior Leadership Council, with a Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, Secretary, along with the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the four key committees around the college; Charities, Green, Anti-Bullying and Facilities. These have already led to many successful charity events, refurbishment of toilets and /the canteen.
The school offers a range of extra-curricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh award.
The name 'Hedley Walter' was used in reference to the school's first Head of Governors.
There are four house teams which are named after ships with historical references; Golden Hind (yellow), Endeavour (red), Calypso (blue) and Beagle (green).
In January 2006 Sawyers Hall College was told that it did not offer the required learning facilities for students, and was placed in Special Measures by Ofsted. On Wednesday 14 November 2007, the chief Inspector met with Acting Headteacher Mr S Capper and told him "Under section 13/4 of the Education and Inspections Act, Her Majesty's Inspectors deem that Sawyers Hall College no longer requires Special Measures, and that those measures be removed with immediate effect." Following his success in retrieving the school from Special Measures, Mr S Capper was appointed Headmaster with effect from 1 September 2008.[2]
An Ofsted report published in 2010 notes that it has specialist status for sports and science and that "attainment at the end of Year 11, while below average, is improving and getting nearer the national average every year."[3]