Wyvern College, Hampshire
 | |
| Type | Academy |
|---|---|
| Headteacher | Mr Alan Newton |
| Location |
Botley Road Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 7AN England Coordinates: 50°57′36″N 1°17′53″W / 50.960°N 1.298°W |
| DfE number | 850/4161 |
| DfE URN | 138184 Tables |
| Ofsted | Pre-academy reports |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11–16 |
| Website | wyverncollege.org.uk |
Wyvern College is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, serving the Bishopstoke, Fair Oak, Upham and Durley areas of Southampton and Bishops Waltham Hampshire. It currently has 1336 students on roll.
At the school’s most recent inspection, September 2010, the inspectors found it to be an outstanding place of learning. According to the Inspectors’ report, the school, ‘… is led by an "inspirational..." headteacher who is supported by an exceptional team of senior leaders, teaching and support staff, governors and students who share his vision and commitment…’ The on-site Nursery, provides excellent opportunities for independent learning, and progress is outstanding…’
It has its origins as a village school in Fair Oak, Hampshire. Originally, the school catered for pupils from the ages of five to fourteen until 1958 when it was decided that 248 senior pupils (aged 11 – 15) should attend a newly created secondary school in Eastleigh. The new school was known as the Eastleigh Secondary School, but the Headmaster, Robert Blachford, replaced this with the distinctive name of Wyvern, and the motto "Advance". The heraldic Wyvern dragon has been connected with Wessex since Tudor times and once formed the crest of Sir Francis Drake. However, accommodation became a problem at the Wyvern County Secondary School and in 1966 the Wyvern arose again at Fair Oak, in the centre of the catchment area which included the villages of Colden Common, Durley, Horton Heath and Upham. The new school buildings, designed for an intake of 450, were not large enough for the 759 children on roll, so the old school in Eastleigh became known as "the Annexe", with a whole year group being bussed to and fro each day. When the school leaving age was increased to 16, the comprehensive system introduced new courses into secondary education. At the same time, as Fair Oak became a popular residential area, the school roll reached 1200 and teaching staff increased from 10 to 60 in 1976. It was only in 1978, through new building initiatives, that ‘the Annexe’ in Eastleigh was no longer needed and The Wyvern Community School began to emerge. Throughout the 1980s and 90s all departments were gradually enlarged in order to facilitate the changing curricular, and in 1985 headmaster George Davies achieved community status for the school.
In 2000, Wyvern Community School became ‘Wyvern Technology College’, with Information Technology forming an integral part of every student's learning. The school was then awarded a second specialism of humanities. On 1 June 2012 the school converted to academy status and was renamed Wyvern College.
Facilities at the school include a highly respected day nursery, state of the art music, science and technology classrooms, a first class library, health and fitness suite, outside Muga area, tennis courts, playing fields and running track. And while technology takes a high profile in all curricula lessons, art, music and performing arts are all recognized as providing a first class education in humanities. The College jazz band has reached the finals of the Festival for Music in Birmingham.
External links
- [wyverncollege.org.uk Wyvern College's official website]