Jarrow School
| Established | January 2003 |
|---|---|
| Type | Foundation school |
| Headteacher | Mr Ken Gibson (Executive) |
| Specialism | Engineering |
| Location | Field Terrace Jarrow Tyne and Wear NE32 5PR England  |
| Local authority | South Tyneside |
| DfE number | ???/4033 |
| DfE URN | 133725 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 619 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11–16 |
| Website | Jarrow School |
Jarrow School is a secondary school located in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear admitting pupils aged 11 to 16.
Contents |
[edit] History
It was opened on 6 January 2003 following the merger of Springfield Comprehensive and Hedworthfield Comprehensive, and is based at the old Springfield site. Its full title is Jarrow School, Excellence In Engineering, the result of a competition to choose an inspirational name for the new school. In 2007 the school became a specialist Engineering College. [1]
The former Jarrow Grammar School opened in 1911. In June 2010, this building was demolished.[2]
[edit] Springfield
Springfield was Jarrow's grammar school and was formerly known as Jarrow Grammar School.It became a comprehensive school in 1975 to cater for all prospective pupils' academic abilities, in common with the other schools in the area including Hedworthfield.
[edit] Hedworthfield
Hedworthfield was designated as a complementary secondary modern school to Springfield's provision as the local grammar school. It was a newer development built in the 1960s at Fellgate on the outskirts of Jarrow. Extensive building work was completed in the late 1970s providing the school with better facilities for arts and crafts, a music and drama studio, a community centre and a sports complex containing badminton and squash courts, a gym and other facilities.
Alongside Springfield, it was converted to a comprehensive school in 1978. However, following its redesignation, some parents still insisted on sending their children to Springfield, even though they were no longer in its catchment area; they cited concerns that an ex-secondary modern school might not measure up to the same academic standards as the former grammar school. Additionally, Hedworthfield had no provision for teaching 6th form pupils, meaning that those choosing to study subjects at A-level had to relocate once they had completed their O-levels or GCSEs. Generally, 6th form students opted to transfer to Springfield to continue their education.
[edit] Merger
Following the dwindling number of pupils for the new intake year-on-year, it became apparent that continuing to fund the running of both schools in parallel was no longer viable, so a merger into a single school was proposed. After some debate as to whether it should be on one of the existing sites, or an entirely new site funded by a Private Finance Initiative, the decision was taken to locate the merged school at the Springfield campus.
[edit] Controversy
Pupils and parents from both Hedworthfield and Springfield were unhappy about the proposal to merge them into a single school. There was much additional criticism because of the timing, coming as soon as it did after investment at the Hedworthfield site and the uncertainty surrounding the future of its new special needs unit for autistic children. However, the merger went ahead, resulting in the relocation of the Hedworthfield pupils to the Springfield site.
Hedworthfield's OFSTED results were surpassing those of the historically more academic Springfield for some time prior to the merger[citation needed]. Students at both schools protested, and more than 100 pupils at Jarrow School were involved in a "near riot" during the summer of 2003, during which police made three arrests.[3]
[edit] New building
The old Jarrow School building has been replaced by a new school on the same site, funded by Building Schools for the Future.
[edit] Academic performance
GCSE results are below the national average. The school is known not to concentrate on the more crucial subjects like Maths and English. Results for these subjects are poor, around 40%. However; for more varied, less important subjects like BTEC work, the pass grade is around 80%, which has proved controversial. There is only one school in South Tyneside LEA has a sixth form, and A-levels are available at the South Tyneside College. However, last years results were extremely improved, and stood above the national average. OFSTED have recently visited and were pleased to see an extreme improvement.
[edit] Alumni
[edit] Jarrow Grammar School
- David Blakey CBE, Chief Constable from 1991-9 of West Mercia Police
- Steve Cram MBE, athlete
- Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling, politician
- Robin Donkin, historian
- Peter Duguid, actor
- Rear-Adm Sir John Fleming DSC, Director of the Naval Education Service from 1956–60
- Prof Ronald Hedley, Director from 1970-80 of Trent Polytechnic
- Doug McAvoy, General Secretary from 1989-2004 of the National Union of Teachers (NUT)
- John Miles (John Errington), musician
- Fergus Montgomery, Conservative MP from 1959-64 for Newcastle upon Tyne East, from 1967-74 for Brierley Hill, and from 1974-97 for Altrincham and Sale West
- James Porteous, Chairman and Chief Executive from 1990-2 of the Yorkshire Electricity Group plc
- Alan Price, musician
- Maj-Gen Eric Younson OBE, President from 1972-3 of the Ordnance Board
[edit] Springfield Comprehensive School
- Alan Donnelly, Labour MEP from 1989-99 for Tyne and Wear
- Stephen Hepburn, Labour MP since 1997 for Jarrow
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.jarrowschool.com/
- ^ Jarrow School
- ^ "Head of troubled school quits". BBC News Online (BBC). 2003-12-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3346257.stm. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
