Carlton le Willows Academy

Not to be confused with The Carlton Academy.
Carlton le Willows Academy
Motto Latin: Nihil Nisi Optimum
Nothing but the best
Established 1954
Type Academy
Headteacher Mr. J.C. Weaver
Location Wood Lane
Gedling
Nottinghamshire
NG4 4AA
England
Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council
DfE number 891/4107
DfE URN 136627 Tables
Ofsted Reports Pre-academy reports
Students ~1350
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–18
Houses 4
Colours      Royal Blue
Publication Le Willows Life
Website Carlton le Willows Academy

Carlton le Willows Academy (formerly Carlton le Willows School)[nb 1] is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Gedling in the English county of Nottinghamshire.[2] It educates over 1,300 pupils aged 11–18.[3] It was established in 1954 by schoolmaster Stephen Marshall as "Carlton le Willows Grammar School", making it the first grammar school in England to be established after the Second World War.[nb 2]

The Academy is situated on the edge of a residential area of Carlton, to the east of Nottingham.[5] It occupies a spacious campus of 32 acres on the edge of the greenbelt next to the A612, overlooking the Trent Valley.[3] It is divided into two buildings known as the 'East' and 'West Sites'. The 'Michael Naisbitt Sixth Form Center' is located just beyond the west site for students in Years 12-13, which was opened in July 2009 by Vernon Coaker MP.[6]

Carlton le Willows is larger today than it has ever been. The number of pupils at the school has grown exponentially since its foundation in 1954; from 240 students to around 1350 today in the lower school, and around 300 in the sixth form.[7]

The school serves a substantial area of the Nottingham urban conurbation with an intake stretching from the city centre, through some of the largest suburbs to the outlying villages, causing the school to become heavily oversubscribed with an admission limit of 221 and 416 applications for entry as of September 2009.[5] The current headteacher from 2009 is Craig Weaver, he is the sixth headmaster of the school.

Carlton le Willows pupils generally enrol in a mix of around ten General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) certificates with a selection of Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) courses throughout Years Ten (14-15) and Eleven (15-16). And have a choice to study 3 or 4 A-Levels or further BTECs in the Sixth Form (ages 16-18).

An Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspection for 2009-2011 designated Carlton le Willows as an 'outstanding' school. In the past, the school has produced several successful academics (3 of which are fellows of Royal Societies),[8][9][10] sportspeople and journalists (to name but a few) and is widely regarded as one of the most successful schools in Nottinghamshire.[11]

History

Foundation: 1948-1954

Gedling House in 1803, many of its former grounds now make up the school's playing fields.

In the spring of 1948, Nottinghamshire County Council held a series of 'Education Weeks' to promote its schools and its plans to deliver the Education Act 1944, as part of the welfare state premise set out by the Clement Attlee government. The allocated 'week' for the Carlton educational district began on 30th May. In keeping with the event, a brochure was released that commented on the demand for grammar school provision by the residents of Arnold, as well as Carlton. In order to meet the requirements of schooling the local area's many children, both a grammar school and a technical grammar school on the same spacious site of Burton Road (then Carlton) were proposed in the document, this would mean that a sizable section of the nearby Arnot Hill Public Park would have to be built upon to accommodate the facilities.[12]

It is widely accepted that the name Carlton le Willows was taken from the renowned St. Paul's Church, Carlton-in-the-Willows, about 3.9 miles away from the current site.[13] The Grade II listed building was commissioned by Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon in 1885 and was completed in 1891.[14] The name was most likely adopted as a means of directly linking the school to the church, as many of the school's prospective students regularly attended previous to admission. However, the name itself is thought to be much older than the church, as it was once the name for a town which comprised what is now Carlton, with parts of modern day Gedling (for which the church is named). Architecture critic Sir Nikolaus Pevsner once said of it: "Despite its rather evocative name, Carlton-le-Willows, a small town indistinguishable from the suburbs of Nottingham".[1]

With the expansion of the school's playing fields in 1954, Carlton le Willows acquired a significant portion of the grounds of Gedling House, a Grade II listed country house that had been built somewhere between 1780 and 1820 by Thomas Smith, the great-grandson of Thomas Smith, the founder of the Nottingham Smith's Bank. The house was once the childhood holiday home of author Nicholas Monsarrat and was visited by several prolific individuals in its earlier history.[15][16] Though initially Nottinghamshire County Council had only purchased a section of the land from the War Department on the school's behalf in 1954, Carlton le Willows came to own the building for a short time in the latter years of grammar school status from 1966 to 1973, when it had been a education resource centre.[17]

Grammar school: 1954-1973

The hall on the West Site is the school's oldest structure, with its design dating to 1952.

After short spells at the Devizes, Ilkeston, Dorking and Greenford Grammar Schools, as well as the Latymer School; Stephen Marshall became the founding headmaster of Carlton le Willows Grammar School in 1953, as a means of recruiting pupils over a year, to ensure all places were taken before the school opened officially in 1954. Marshall's decision would mean that all boys who had secured a placement at the school would be educated at the Henry Mellish Grammar School, the girls at the West Bridgford Grammar School; until the following year, when the construction of Carlton le Willows would have finished.[18] Marshall had been a conscientious objector during the Second World War, hence why the school never had a combined cadet force to install military values and discipline. Marshall died suddenly of a heart attack in 1957 while on a walking holiday in Grindelwald, Switzerland, after 3 years of being headmaster of the school.[19]

Due to its design in 1952 by county architect E.W. Roberts, and the construction of the facility in 1953-54, Carlton le Willows Grammar School became the first grammar school in England to be established after the second world war, only the assembly hall, originally designed for 540 students, still stands testament to the original designs today.[20] The school was ceremonially opened in 1956 (2 years after teaching began at the school) by the renowned educationalist, John Wolfenden, Baron Wolfenden (he of the Wolfenden Report).[7][3]

Under Wolfenden's recommendations, the school created a mission statement in order to outline how they were to meet the requirements of the Education Act 1944.[21] It sought to maintain "the values traditionally associated with the grammar school, while meeting the challenge of change presented by this second half of the 20th Century".[22] According to former pupils, this was achieved through a combination of strict guidelines and the then modern facilities. It is rumored that the Schoolmaster at present, W.V. Todd, was the inspiration for the notoriously stern 'Chalkie the Schoolmaster' character in the Giles family, a comic strip that ran from 1945 to 1991 in the Daily Express and Sunday Express newspapers.[23][24]

The school was renowned, as it is today, for the diverse student mix on a social level. It was located in the centre of a mining community, accessible to others and close to several industrial sites, yet was also close to the River Trent and desirable residential areas such as Burton Joyce. Therefore, Carlton le Willows could serve an unusual mix of middle and working-class communities at one institution, being described as the "working class grammar" (though the social spectrum was broader in reality).[25] A secondary technical school, Carlton le Willows Technical Grammar School was also built in the early 1960's (for those whom had scored inadequately on the 11+ exam) and operated on the same site as the main grammar school, but quickly came to amalgamate in 1973 along with the other institute.[26]

Recent years: 1973-present

Carlton le Willows gave up grammar school status in 1973, when it began to serve as a comprehensive facility after a 19 year spell as a grammar school.[27] The school itself was formed by an amalgamation of the long standing grammar school as well as the technical institute, with the addition of two secondary modern schools known as Carlton Girls' Secondary Modern School and Chandos Street Secondary School (both founded 1906). The Chandos Street Secondary School was founded when the boys from the coeducational Ashwell Street School, Netherfield split from the girls; this left the female students to form their own school, which would in turn, became Carlton Girls' Secondary Modern School later in the same year.[28][29]

Much of the building visible today was constructed during this transition period, yet not much changed in terms of how the school operated, as most schools of a similar nature were changing to replace obsolete methods of teaching anyway at this time. In its later years as a comprehensive, modern facilities such as a Drama Suite and centres for Pastoral care were constructed.[5] The school was also designated as a Technology College, after achieving academic specialism in the 1980's, though the school has now lost any specialty through conversion to Academy status.[5]

Super middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch mentions the school in his autobiography when recalling how a majority of his friends attended Carlton le Willows in 1988, leaving him isolated upon his arrival at the Gedling School.[30]

Carlton le Willows School converted to academy status on 1 April 2011 (after the Academies Act 2010 was granted Royal Assent) and was renamed Carlton le Willows Academy. However the school continues to coordinate with Nottinghamshire County Council for admissions.

Curriculum

Carlton le Willows Academy offers GCSEs and BTECs as programmes of study for pupils, while students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A Levels and further BTECs. The school mostly follows the National Curriculum, with the addition of teaching Astronomy at GCSE level.[31]

Typical subjects that are studied at GCSE and BTEC level at the Academy include English Language, English Literature, History, Geography, French Language, German Language, Graphic Design, Cooking, Hospitality, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Music, Drama, Business Studies, Art, Citizenship, Religious Studies, Information Technology, Computing, Physical Education, Electronics, Photography, Astronomy, Media Studies and Construction.[31] Typical subjects that are studied at A-Level at the Academy include most of the above, minus Citizenship, Computing, Astronomy and Construction; with the addition of Economics, Politics, Further Mathematics and Psychology.[32]

Sport

Students competing against the Repton School in 2010

With a 32 acre rural campus featuring a sports hall (known among students as the 'Barn'), running track, two gymnasiums, a large netball/tennis court area, 2 rugby pitches, 2 football pitches, a cricket field (complete with cricket nets) and a fitness suite; sport is a major feature of Carlton le Willows.[33] The Academy is a competitive fixture in football, netball, rugby, athletics and badminton and has won a multitude of accolades since the school's foundation, and performs well in local competitions.[34][35][36] Both ice dancer Kathryn Winter, winner at the 1976 World Junior Figure Skating Championships and the Derbyshire County Cricket Club bowler Mark Footitt were educated at Carlton le Willows. Motor racing journalist David Tremayne is also said to have played rugby for the school in 1964.[37]

Athletes that have visited the school include Alex Tudor, (who coaches at the school) Andrew Bridge, Etienne Stott and Sam Ruddock.[38][39][40]

Uniform

Carlton le Willows is well known for its enforced uniform policy and deems smart pupils to be at the heart of the school's values.[41] It principally consists of a royal blue blazer, embroidered with the school logo and motto, a jumper of similar description may be worn underneath. A tie must be worn by all students, with two coloured diagonal stripes; indicating the student's house. Black trousers/knee-length skirts as well white shirts are essential as are black socks/tights. Any deviation to the uniform is not permitted and will lead to penalty.[42] Students' status within the school is often marked with badges administered by the academy, house captains, prefects and ambassadors are often identified in this way. Sixth formers are not required to wear uniform, but are advised to adopt a smart casual dress code.

School publications

The premier edition of the school's magazine, published in July 1957

One of Carlton le Willows' long standing traditions is the termly publication of the school's newspaper, starting in 1957, with the first edition of Carlton le Willows Grammar School Magazine.[43] A summary of school events by the Headteacher is featured in all editions to date (including a posthumous address by founding headmaster Stephen Marshall in the premier edition of 1957). The school's sole publication was known as Term Times from 1974, until winter 2012's edition, when it was renamed Le Willows Life, in accordance with the changes implemented by the conversion to academy status.[44] An edition of the newspaper is released every term, and features articles written by members of staff and pupils regarding pupil achievements, awards, trips and house competitions. The publication also mentions visits by notable figures, and has covered workshops hosted by artist Simon Kent (who produced a statue for the school) and author Alex Scarrow.[45][46]

Members of the Grammar School society receive the publication Salix, named from the genus of the willow tree. Articles are edited by former staff and pupils alike, and copies are issued 2 to 3 times a year.[47]

School houses

The academy has four Houses named after trees found in and around the school grounds; Cedar, Ash, Oak and Birch.[48] Each House is run by a House Leader who is a member of the senior teaching staff, with other staff taking an active role in the support and success of their house. Every pupil is a member of a House throughout their education at the school, with elected House Captains responsible for overall control and discipline of the House. Cedar and Ash houses are located on the East site, Birch and Oak on the West site; leading to alliances and rivalries in certain competitions between houses based on location within the school. Houses compete annually for the House Champions trophy which is awarded to the winning house at the end of the school year. Events for competition are wide-ranging, including sport, art, drama, music, science, languages, and quizzes.

Relations with other schools

Aminu Kano Community Commercial College, Nigeria

Carlton le Willows Academy received the International School Award in 2012 from the British Council in recognition of its partnership with schools abroad and the integration of multinational ideas into its curriculum.[49]

Aminu Kano Community Commercial College, in Nigeria, is one such school.[50] Named for the People's Redemption Party politician Aminu Kano, the school established links with Carlton le Willows in 2011; after members of staff traveled to the college in order to feedback their experiences to pupils in 2010. Whilst in Nigeria, staff were greeted by Ado Bayero, and met with administrators of the college.[51] In 2012, Carlton le Willows hosted an alternative curriculum week in which "langa" (a Nigerian sport in which players must knock their opponents' balance while hopping) was played, subjects were tailored to be Nigerian themed, Nigerian cuisine was served and members of the Kano community gave talks on African culture.[52]

List of Headmasters

* Resigned or retired
† Died in office
‡ Never assumed post

Notable former pupils

Carlton le Willows has produced several notable figures in a wide range of fields since its foundation. Fellows of Royal Societies include Helen Atkinson, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering,[54] David Flower Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society[55] and Brigadier Stephen Tetlow, former director of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as well as a Fellow of the independent Institution of Mechanical Engineers.[56] Notable sporting alumni include Derbyshire County Cricket Club bowler Mark Footitt,[57] and Kathryn Winter, winner of the 1976 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.[58] Writers and journalists include science fiction author John Peel, author of the Diadem series,[59] Martin Daubney, long serving editor of the magazine Loaded[60] and David Tremayne, Formula One correspondent for The Independent.[61] Other notable alumni include singer/songwriter Sam Beeton,[62] and Stephen Need, former dean of St. George's College, Jerusalem.[58]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Some sources spell the academy as the hyphenated "Carlton-le-Willows": this would only be correct when referring to the original town that provides the namesake of the institution.[1]
  2. ↑ Though it is widely agreed upon by the consensus of students and staff members of the period, some have suggested that the school was only the first in the Nottinghamshire area.[4]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pevsner, Williamson (1979), p. 91
  2. ↑ "Home | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Facilities | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Carlton Le Willows, in Gedling, Nottinghamshire". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Carlton le Willows School and Technology College". Carlton le Willows School. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Vernon in Gedling at school's opening". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Opening Day - The School in 1956". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Professor Helen Atkinson - University of Leicester". University of Leicester. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Prof DR Flower - Durham University". University of Durham. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Stephen Tetlow". New Statesman. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "The Department for Education - Performance Tables - School Details". Department for Education. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Setting the Scene". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Google Maps". Google. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "The History of St.Pauls, Carlton, Nottingham". St. Paul's Church, Carlton, Nottingham. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Monsarrat (1971), p.36
  16. ↑ Burke, Burke (1849), p.21
  17. ↑ Henstock (2002), p.195
  18. ↑ "Birth of the School". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Stephen F. Marshall, M.A., B.SC., L.R.A.M. (1908-1957)". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  20. ↑ "The Building". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "The Governors and Staff of the School". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "The School and its Community". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  23. ↑ "The Programme". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "About Giles". Giles Restaurant. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Setting the Scene". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "Reunion for Carlton-le-Willows pupils". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  27. ↑ "About the School". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  28. ↑ "Chandos Boys school". Nottsalgia. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "Carlton Girls School". Nottsalgia. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  30. ↑ Froch (2014), p. 14
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Introduction | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  32. ↑ "Prospectus Courses" (PDF). Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  33. ↑ "PE | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  34. ↑ "County schools football: West Bridgford, Carlton-le-Willows and Toot Hill shine in National Cups". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  35. ↑ "Notts Schools football: Under 16s make winning start in Midland Counties League". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  36. ↑ "County schools football round-up: Notts U18 side start with comfortable league win". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  37. ↑ Starbuck, Matthew (1964). "Rugby trip to France". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  38. ↑ "Term Times Winter 2014" (PDF). Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  39. ↑ Howell, Dominic (19 December 2013). "Olympian night for school which struck exams gold". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "Alex Tudor Coaching". Alex Tudor Coaching. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  41. ↑ "Mother hits out after school sends son home over haircut". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  42. ↑ "Uniform | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  43. ↑ "The Magazine". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  44. ↑ "School Newspaper | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  45. ↑ "Term Times Christmas 2010" (PDF). Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  46. ↑ "Term Times Summer 2011" (PDF). Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  47. ↑ "About our Society". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  48. ↑ "House Events | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  49. ↑ "Quality Standards | Carlton le Willows". Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  50. ↑ "Carlton Le Willows School and Aminu Kano Commercial College Partnership Page | SchoolsOnline". British Council. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  51. ↑ Graves, Simon (6 March 2010). "Mr Graves & Mr Sandiford in Nigeria: March 2010". Blogspot. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  52. ↑ "The Voice - Carlton le Willows School & Technology College" (PDF). Carlton le Willows Academy. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  53. ↑ "The Headmasters study". Lewys. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  54. ↑ "Pupils - Start Year 72". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  55. ↑ "Pupils - Start Year 68". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  56. ↑ "Honorary Members – IPrimEng". Institution of Primary Engineers. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  57. ↑ "Mark Footitt | England Cricket". ESPN. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 "Pupils - Start Year 66". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  59. ↑ Peel (1999), p. 1
  60. ↑ "Martin Daubney, Independent Media Production Professional". LinkedIn. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  61. ↑ "Pupils - Start Year 54". Carlton le Willows Grammar School society. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  62. ↑ Wilson, Simon (27 June 2013). "Eight hours of live music will soundtrack Armed Forces Day". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 13 January 2015.

Bibliography

  • Monsarrat, Nicholas (1971). Breaking In, Breaking Out; an Autobiography. New York City: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 978-0688011963.
  • Burke, John; Burke, Sir Bernard (1849). A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. London: Henry Colburn Publishing.
  • Henstock, Adrian (1971). Transactions of the Thoroton Society, Volumes 75-79. Nottinghamshire: Thoroton Society.
  • Froch, Carl; Hickman, Niall (2014). Froch - My Autobiography. London: Ebury Press. ISBN 978-0091960360.
  • Peel, John (1999). Doomsday (2099). New York City: Scholastic Corporation. ISBN 978-0439060301.
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth (1979). Nottinghamshire. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300096361.

External links