Spalding High School, Lincolnshire

Spalding High School (SHS) is a grammar school for girls and a mixed sixth form located in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England.

Location and admissions

Spalding High School, situated on Stonegate, Spalding, halfway between the Welland (and B1173) and the Coronation Channel to the east. The rear of the school, to the east, backs onto Exeter Drain and both of the Gleed schools (boys' and girls') playing fields. There are no coeducational secondary schools in Spalding. The school also accepts some girls from Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk.

SHS admits pupils aged 11–18, all of whom are required to pass an 11+ exam. There are approximately 1,000 staff and students at the school. SHS is ranked in the top 10 secondary schools of Lincolnshire based on its examination results. The headmistress is Mrs Michele Anderson.

History

The school opened in 1920, originally at Ayscoughfee Hall School, then moved to its current site in the late 1950s. There are a number of watercolours of the original site in the school's collection, as well as all full school photos (taken once every five years) dating back to the school's early days. The library keeps an archive of photos, programmes and other memorabilia.

The current site has expanded from the 1980s to the present, with further plans for development. The main block added in the 1980s (known as "the 1980s block") was opened by the Duchess of Rutland.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the school's playing field was frequently used for national and regional schools' hockey competitions. It achieved sports college status in 2003.^[1]

A wind turbine was built and the school gym was extended. The wind turbine was intended to reduce the school's carbon footprint, and energy costs. The addition was to be used to teach students about alternate, environmentally friendly energy sources. A sponsored dance was held in the 2006-07 academic year to raise money for this project.

In 2007 the school opened a new multigym, open to staff and students of the school for leisure. It was financed by money left to the school in the will of a deceased teacher from the school. In 2005 a new geography block was completed, adding new teaching spaces.

In March 2009 the school commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonegate site, by organising a sponsored walk and awarding all students and teaching staff with a commemorative gift.

Curriculum

Spalding High School offers the standard English curriculum to GCSE level.

All pupils are required to take English studies and maths to GCSE level and double or triple science to IGCSE level. It is compulsory for pupils to take a modern foreign language (either German or French). They can choose three subjects to take at GCSE level, from: history, geography, music, art & design, Latin, drama, health and social care, dance, Spanish, textiles, product design, food technology, and business and communication studies.

Religious education is compulsory (unless parents object), as is information technology. Physical education remains a compulsory part of the timetable during years 10-11, but is optional as a qualification. Careers and Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE) are also timetabled lessons with no qualification.

The requirements for admission to the sixth-form include six GCSEs at grade C or higher, including English language and mathematics. In addition, a suitable reference or report from the pupil's previous school is required.

The school caters to special needs education, especially dyslexia and other literacy-related needs. The school is also a sports college.

Extracurricular activities

The school runs sixth form clubs for the Young Enterprise Scheme, Community Sports' Leader Award, Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, debating, and drama which includes a yearly drama festival. A musical is produced each year. A school orchestra was created in 2009. Reading groups for all levels are held in which books are discussed. Sports activities are also provided.

Houses

In a typical year group at SHS there are five forms of approximately 30 pupils. Each form is a member of a house. There are five houses, each named after famous women of historic importance:

• Curie - after Marie Curie (physicist)
• Johnson - after Amy Johnson (aviatrix)
• Nightingale - after Florence Nightingale (medicine)
• Pankhurst - after Emmeline Pankhurst (women's rights)
• Sharman - after Helen Sharman (astronaut)

In 2001 there was a larger intake of students and an extra house was added, Williams, after former headmaster, John Williams; the extra house was an exception that only applied to 2001.

Each house has a house captain. Houses compete for recognition for good work and contribution, which goes towards a House Cup, which is awarded to one of the five houses at the end of every academic year. Pupils compete in the year 7-8 and 9 drama festival, the House Music Festival in the spring term, Sports Day in the summer term, and in House Matches in hockey, gymnastics, netball, dance and rounders within their year groups, to gain more points for their house.

The school's prefect team is elected by staff and pupils. The school runs a learning and peer mentoring system, and a Sixth Form Council runs committees to discuss social, charity, and other issues that affect the school and pupil body.

Awards and recognition

The school A-level results are the third best for state schools in the East Midlands, and the second best in Lincolnshire.

Notable former pupils

• Christine Russell (1956–63) - Labour MP 1997-2010 for City of Chester, who unseated Gyles Brandreth in 1997.

Notable former teachers

• Jennifer Randerson (1972-4 history) - former education spokesperson for LibDems in the Welsh Assembly.

See also

• Spalding Grammar School - a school for boys, but accepts girls into the sixth form.

References

External links

• Spalding High School