| Motto | Achievement through Caring |
|---|---|
| Type | Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Mrs Karen Moore |
| Specialism | Arts College |
| Location | Abbey Foregate Shrewsbury Shropshire SY2 6AA England |
| Local authority | Shropshire |
| DfE URN | 123563 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 677 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11–16 |
| Houses | Quarry, Castle and Abbey |
| Colours | Green, Black, White |
| Website | www.wakeman.shropshire.sch.uk |
The Wakeman School and Arts College is a co-educational comprehensive school located in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire, England. The school is the only secondary school in the town centre, located just to the east of the English Bridge. There are about 450 pupils on roll and the age range is 11–16 years.
The school has recently been awarded the ‘Artsmark Gold’ by Arts Council England,[1] and the development of a state-of-the-art recording and media studio for the school, as well as a new ICT facility, was completed during the summer holidays 2008.[2]
Following its successful bid for specialist college status, the Wakeman School became the Wakeman School and Arts College, with specialisms in Visual and Performing Arts and Music.
The school's motto of 'Achievement through Caring' sums up its genuine inclusive and caring ethos and it is an ethos that is fundamental to its teaching. In its most recent inspection, in March 2011, Ofsted judged the school to be 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features. The report praised "the outstanding leadership of its headteacher" and wrote "This is a good school which has improved rapidly. All groups of students make at least good progress... Students, parents and carers repeatedly told inspectors that the school is one big, warm family." [3] In 2011 the school progressed to 61.5% of students achieving at least 5 GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and Maths.[4]
On 7 September, Shropshire Council voted to close the school. Following this, on 23 September, the Lichfield Diocesan Board of Education announced that the decision was "questionable" and that it had referred the case to the office of the Schools' Adjudicator for review, taking it out of Shropshire Council's hands. The decision of the Church of England to intervene in the case of a non-church school is rare.[5] Shropshire Council's proposal and consultation regarding the school are also being reviewed by the Local Government Ombudsman, and the school's Open Evening for new pupils for 2012 is on Thursday 29 September.[6]
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