Wath Comprehensive School
 | |
| Motto |
Meliora Spectare (Latin: Look to Better Things) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1923 |
| Type | Community |
| Headteacher | Pat Ward |
| Deputy Headteachers | Rick Powell and Jonathan Taylor |
| Chair of Governors | Mrs I G Hartley |
| Specialism | Languages |
| Location |
Sandygate Wath-upon-Dearne Rotherham South Yorkshire S63 7NW England Coordinates: 53°29′48″N 1°20′31″W / 53.4967°N 1.3419°W |
| Local authority | Rotherham |
| DfE number | 372/4017 |
| DfE URN | 106954 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 1,900 approx. |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Houses | Carthage, Sparta, Rome, Troy, Athens and Thebes |
| Colours | Maroon and black |
| Publication | In Touch |
| Former names |
Wath Secondary School (1923–1931) Wath Grammar School (1931–1974) |
| Website | wathcomp-web.sharepoint.com/Pages/default.aspx |
Wath Comprehensive School: A Language College is a co-educational secondary school on Sandygate in Wath-upon-Dearne, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.
Admissions
It is a specialist Language College, with approximately 1,900 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18.
The school also has a sixth form which currently has around 300 pupils. The school also has a school council, which contributes to the decisions made by the head and speaks on behalf of all the students in all years.
Traditions
The simplified version of its arms, worn by the lower school, features a torch and a river, while the full version, worn by the Sixth Form only, also features a book and a tool. Its motto is Meliora Spectare, Latin for Look to better things.
The school has six houses, named after ancient cities - Carthage, Sparta, Rome, Troy, Athens and Thebes.
History
Although the school has links to a seventeenth century school that existed in Wath, it was founded in 1923 as Wath Secondary School. It became known as Wath Grammar School in 1931. The school was expanded with many new buildings in the early 1950s. In January 1964, with the scrapping of the eleven-plus exam in the area, the school absorbed Park Road Secondary Modern School, although it was some time before it was designated a comprehensive school in 1972 and renamed Wath Comprehensive School in 1974.[1] The secondary modern building became the first year wing of the school. However, it was recently demolished.
PFI scheme
A major Private Finance Initiative (PFI) rebuild, completed at Easter 2005, has seen the school mostly housed in brand-new buildings, although the loss of the oldest buildings was not without controversy, particularly the traditional 1930s part of the school which was set around two quadrangles. In 2008, the rebuilding was fully completed with the addition of a public Leisure Centre including a swimming pool.
Academic performance
There is quite a disparity between its GCSE and A level results. At GCSE, it gets results equal to the England average.[citation needed] At A level it gets the best results in Rotherham and the 21st best in the Yorkshire and the Humber region and well above the England average.[citation needed] There are also sporting facilities in the school grounds.
Headteachers
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
- The Rev A T L Greer, September 1923-July 1940 (left to be an Air Force chaplain)
- Dr J Richie, July 1940–???? (died in office)
- Dr C R T Saffell, 1955–August 1972
- Mr A R H Murphy, September 1972–1977
- Mr J Brothwell, 1977–????
- Mr D E Kirby, July 1991–1997
- Mr R Godber, 1997–August 2002
- Mr Eric Sampson, September 2002–May 2003 (died in office)
- Mr Chisholm, May 2003–December 2003 (acting headteacher)
- Mrs Pat Ward, January 2004–present
Notable alumni
- Brett Barnett, writer and director of webseries Shadazzle.
- David Bret, international show business biographer[2]
- Kenneth Burton, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Newcastle
- Lucy Clarkson, former Lara Croft model[3]
- Sir Charles Curran, Director-General of the BBC from 1969-77 (1933-1940)
- Prof. E J H Ford, DVSc, FRCVS, FRCPath, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Studies then Clinical Science at the University of Liverpool from 1973-87 (1931-1938)
- Toby Foster, comedian
- Bryan Gray, MBE, Chairman of the Northwest Regional Development Agency from 2002-8 and Pro-Chancellor of Lancaster University 2003- (1964-71)
- Peter Hardy, Baron Hardy of Wath, Labour MP of Rother Valley from 1970-1983 and Wentworth from 1983-1997 (1942-1949)
- William Hague, MP, Foreign Secretary[4]
- Jonathan Holmes, theatre director
- Brian Key, Labour MEP of Yorkshire South from 1979-84 (1959-66)
- Maj-Gen Harry Knutton, CBE, Director-General of the City and Guilds of London Institute from 1976-1985 (1932-1939)
- Prof. Alec Lazenby, Vice Chancellor University of New England, Australia, 1970-1977 then Director Grassland Research Institute, Hurley 1977-1982. (1938-1945).
- Dennis Maiden, Director-General of the Federation of Master Builders from 1991-199 and Chief Executive of the CITB from 1985-90 (1943-1950)
- Paul McCue, military historian, writer and author (1969-70)
- Ian McMillan, poet, broadcaster and the Bard of Barnsley[5]
- Kenneth Steer, CBE (1925-1932)
- Prof. Kenneth F Wallis, FBA, Professor of Econometrics at the University of Warwick from 1977-2001 (1949-1956)
- Johnny Wardle, Yorkshire and England cricketer. One of Wisden's Cricketers of the year 1954. (1934-1938)
References
- ↑ https://wathcomp.rgfl.org/Documents/SchoolProspectus2011.pdf
- ↑ David Bret
- ↑ Lucy Clarkson EncycloCentral, viewed 14 November 2007
- ↑ John Arlidge, Two die of meningitis at Hague's old school The Observer 3 January 1999
- ↑ Independent Online, viewed 1 December 2007
External links
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