Canon Slade School

Canon Slade School is a Church of England secondary school on Bradshaw Brow in Bradshaw, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England.

History

Bolton Church Institute, St Peter's Church in the background

The school was founded in 1855 by Canon James Slade as Bolton Church Institute, aimed at educating the poorer children of Bolton.^[1] The Church Institute was located on Institute Street. Offices and the Society of Friends Meeting House occupy the original site next to St Peter's Church. The school moved to its current site on Bradshaw Brow in 1956. The school holds its annual Founder's Day service at St Peter's.

The school became a direct grant grammar school, then a comprehensive. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005 with a ceremony at the Bolton Arena. A range of items including a brief history - created by historian John Aldred - and a whole school photograph were produced to commemorate the occasion.

About the school

Although the school has changed since its inception, its motto "Ora Et Labora" (Pray and Work) is still its guiding principle. Commitment to work and the Christian life ensures the success of the school and ability to flourish in a constantly changing and challenging world. Its chapel, completed in 2004, bears witness to the centrality of the school's Christian faith.

The school has around 1,700 pupils on roll, including 340 in the sixth form. It has a reputation for its academic work, for several years the sixth form has been ranked amongst the top thirty nationally for A-level results in a comprehensive state school, and also for sport (Sportsmark Award and regular success in national competitions), for music, drama and other activities. It is a Specialist Arts College, a Training School and has Healthy School and Leading Edge status. Since 2004 the school has been an Ambassador School for the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth. In 2009 the school was awarded Gold Standard by the Specialist School and Academies Trust for Community Cohesion.

Canon Slade School is set on a 57-acre (230,000 m²) site in the foothills of the West Pennine Moors on which are hundreds of mature trees, a river bank, two wildlife ponds, one of which is inhabited by several endangered species of amphibian, extensive sports fields, including a cross-country course and floodlit all-weather pitch.

In January 2013, following an inspection by Ofsted, it was announced that the school had achieved 'outstanding' school status;

Admissions

The governors' policy on admissions is to give priority to children from committed Christian families. The number of intended admissions each year to Year 7 is 270. Pupils are admitted without reference to ability and aptitude except in the case of applicants to the sixth form.^[2] To gain access to the sixth form candidates must hold a minimum of five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English Language and Mathematics.^[3]

Sixth form

The sixth form centre is Ashworth House.^[4] More than 50% of Year 11 pupils join the sixth form where there are around 340 students on roll.

A range of A Level subjects is offered including Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computing, Dance, Design Technology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics and Business Studies, English Language, English Language and Literature, English Literature, Environmental Science, Film Studies, Food Technology, French, General Studies, Geography, Geology, German, History, Information and Communication Technology, Law, Mathematics: Further, Pure and Applied, Mathematics: Pure and Mechanics, Mathematics: Pure and Statistics, Music, Music Technology, Performing Arts, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology and Spanish. There is also AS Critical Thinking and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The more vocational Advanced Creative and Media Diploma (worth 3.5 A-Levels) is also available.^[5]

In 2011, 94% of pupils who applied gained a place at university, 79% got a place in their first choice university, A Level passes were at 99.5% of which 25% were A* or A.

The sixth form offers pupils opportunities to develop leadership skills by taking part in the running of the school, volunteering and charity work. Pupils represent their peers on the sixth form and school councils, organize charitable activities through the Charities Committee (raising thousands of pounds each year) as well as acting as mentors to younger pupils. 'Beyond the Horizon' events are organised regularly. These are university style lectures available in many subjects out of school hours.

Societies available include: - Law Society - Maths Club - Medsoc - History Society - Ashworth Journal (Sixth Form Newspaper) - Book Club - Debating Team - STEM Group - Poetry Society - Architecture Society - Theatre Group - Computing Society

There are many other extra-curricular opportunities including: the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme; the AQA awards for Primary School Teaching and Community Service and participation in one of our action teams such as Fairtrade or Eco Action. School trips to fascinating and challenging destinations such as the USA, Russia, China, Japan and the Czech Republic give our pupils the opportunity to experience the history and culture of the wider world at first hand.

An extract from the Ofsted report following their inspection in January 2013;

“The Sixth Form is outstanding. Students make excellent progress academically and their personal development is exceptional. The vast majority of students secure places at the universities of their choice”

Notable alumni

Bolton Church Institute

• William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, industrialist and philanthropist
• Arthur Henry Rostron, Mariner. Captain of RMS Carpathia - rescuer of survivors of RMS Titanic + later Commodore of the Cunard Line

Canon Slade Grammar School

• Alyn Ainsworth, Bandleader
• Angela Harris, Baroness Harris of Richmond, British Whip
• Basil Stanley Moss, provost of Birmingham Cathedral

Canon Slade School

• Simon Aldred, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter with band Cherry Ghost
• Katy Cavanagh, actress
• Mark Charnock, well known for playing Marlon Dingle in ITVs Emmerdale
• Sara Cox, radio presenter (6th Form only)
• Lilian Rachel Greenwood, Labour politician. MP for Nottingham South from 2010
• Ruth Higham, Page Three model
• Maxine Peake, actress
• Ashley Fletcher, footballer for Manchester United F.C.

References

External links

• Canon Slade School
• Canon Slade School Alumni and Reunions
• Bolton Church Institute School War Memorial