Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College
Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College (once known as Abbs Cross School and Arts College) is situated on Abbs Cross Lane, Hornchurch, in the London Borough of Havering. Abbs Cross is now an Arts College. Like most secondary schools in its area, it lacks a sixth form centre although the school has a strong link with Havering Sixth Form College in which a majority of its students go on to attend. The Academy's Headteacher is Mr S. Hughes
Abbs Cross school was opened in 1958 as a mixed Technical High School. It was enlarged in 1973.
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[edit] Aims
Abbs Cross Academy was expanded and reorganised in 1973 as a Comprehensive school. Today it remains fully committed to the principles of comprehensive education and seeks to introduce each individual child to traditional academic values. The motto of the school is
Committed to Opportunity and Excellence.
The aims of the school are as follows:-
- To provide all pupils with the opportunity and encouragement to develop their full potential.
- To provide a purposeful, caring and friendly environment in which their pupils are happy, feel valued as individuals and learn to be considerate of, and tolerant towards other people and their differing views and respectful of their property.
- To meet the pupils' personal and social needs, including self discipline, and help them acquire moral values including honesty and integrity.
- To prepare their pupils to play a full and constructive role in a democratic, multicultural and competitive society, in the worlds of work, leisure and family life.
In its latest Ofsted report (2008) the school gained the mark "Outstanding".[1]
[edit] Teaching and learning
Abbs Cross continues to provide a high quality of education, striving for increasingly high standards, for the benefit of its pupils, staff governors and local community, in a caring, supportive and disciplined environment.
"The very good teaching results in pupils attaining well above average standards" Ofsted November 2004
There are 840 pupils in the school with 168 in each of the five year groups. The school claims to be committed to equality of opportunity and provides all pupils with the full range of a differentiated curriculum which is broad and balanced to meet the needs of the individual. On entry to the school children are divided into six classes of 28. Specialist teaching staff ensure that all pupils progress at the appropriate rate. By the end of Year 7 some subjects introduce pupil grouping according to ability.
Currently at the end of Year 9 Teacher Assessment and National Curriculum Tests are used to assess pupil attainment for all relevant subjects studied. In Years 10 and 11, and in the lead up to external examinations, pupils follow individualised courses of study. Supporting the backbone of the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and ICT there is a range of courses on offer, the curriculum at Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) is continually under review.
[edit] Arts
The School is recognised locally for its Arts Mark. Auditions are held for students who wish to enter the school as Performing Arts Students.
In 2006 the school held the musical Bugsy Malone. In the year following the school put up the popular musical Grease. In 2008, the school pupils performed the famous The Wizard of Oz. The next musical performed in 2009 was Oliver.
Abbs Cross Music Department has a Dance Band that has played for H.M Queen Elizabeth II at the Romford Market and Tony Blair at the Guildhall in London. It has also taken part in Heritage Concerts at the Queen Theatre Hornchurch for the Mayor of Havering and, was a Dome Performer for the Year 2000 celebrations at the Millennium Dome, Greenwich. The Dance Band have also toured all over Europe.
In October 2008, the schools Dance Company (AX Dance Company) performed at the Olympic Festival in Romford in which the Olympic torch passed through to celebrate the forthcoming Olympic Games in 2012.
The School also holds its popular Arts Week in the summer term, in which the school timetable is suspended in order for activities such trips to West End theatres and workshops.
[edit] Notable alumni
- David Sullivan, pornographer and owner of West Ham United F.C.
- Alex Jennings, actor
- Bob Neill, politician
- Rob Lee, former Newcastle United and England footballer
- Stacey Solomon, singer, went on to King Solomon High School in Redbridge
- Richard Wisker, actor, best-known for his role in Tracy Beaker Returns
- Jesy Nelson, singer, best known for being in girl band "little mix" on the X factor
The school held a Jubilee Anniversary party in September 2008 (50th Anniversary).
[edit] References
- From: 'Hornchurch: Education and charities', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 (1978), pp. 51–55. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42814. Date accessed: 24 January 2008.
- From 'The Sun Newspaper' URL: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2918963/Illegal-immigrants-tried-to-sneak-into-Britain-on-top-of-bus-gearbox.html 3 April 2010
