Shenfield High School
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| Motto | Skills for Business, Skills for Life |
|---|---|
| Type | Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Carole Herman |
| Specialism | Business and Enterprise College |
| Location | Alexander Lane Shenfield Essex CM15 8RY England |
| Local authority | Essex |
| DfE URN | 115383 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 1,500 |
| Gender | Coeducational (see article) |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website | www.shenfield.essex.sch.uk |
Coordinates: 51°38′17″N 0°19′49″E / 51.6381°N 0.3302°E
Shenfield High School is a Business and Enterprise; and maths and computing specialist[1] state school in Shenfield, Essex. It is widely known as being a school that introduced splitting of boys and girls teaching classes in 1994 for Key Stage 3, and in core curriculum subjects in Key Stage 4 in order to combat declining test scores. The school also enjoys local and national sporting success, holding many titles in a wide variety of sports.[2]
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[edit] School Buildings
The school has a number of buildings, having one of the largest total areas of any school in the local area in order to cope with its 1,500 pupils. It has a total of 10 academic buildings, named A, C, E, H, i, P, S (with two buildings), T, and X, as well as a large sports centre, formerly owned by Brentwood Borough Council.[3]
[edit] School Grounds
The school itself has over 20 acres (81,000 m2) of playing fields,[4] which are used for breaktime recreation and physical education, as well as extracurricular activities. The school also has a gymnasium, 25 meter indoor swimming pool, an fitness room8-indoor rowing ergs and a 5 badminton court sports hall. As well as being host to local basketball club Champions Academy [5], EBL division 1 side the London Leopards alsoplay fixtures in the sports hall on occasions [6]. The school also has an expansive playground, which includes facilities for tennis nets to be erected for P.E. or club use. A large 3G astroturf pitch with associated changing and hospitality facilities was completed in 2010 and officially opened by England Women's football manager Hope Powell [7].
The school is also home to a variety of wildlife, both in the surrounding fields and trees, and in the small nature garden, which is used for school science lessons. Trees and hedges are planted between school buildings, and along the walkways that lead between the buildings.
[edit] Expressive Arts
The school prides itself with strong music and drama departments, especially with reference to extracurricular acitivites. Shenfield runs extremely successful concerts, which showcase the musical talent of the school. Traditionally, 2 Christmas concerts are held in early December, combining solo performances with ensemble items such as the school orchestra, swing band, and the traditional singing of carols by Year 7 students. Other notable ensembles include the Junior Wind band for younger students, and smaller groups such as the flute group and the clarinet group. The school also has a similar Easter Concert, and a musical is held nearer the end of the school year. In recent years, Shenfield has performed Joseph, Bugsy Malone, Back to The 80's, The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz, The Four Seasons Of Wounded Knee, High School Musical and We Will Rock You.
[edit] Academic
Shenfield High School was rated as "Good" (Level 2) overall by OFSTED, when the previous inspection happened on 23 January and 24 January 2007. The latest OFSTED inspection took place on 23 September and 24 September 2009, at which point the overall performance was rated as "Satisfactory" (Level 3).[8] This is a lower rating than Sawyers Hall College received on their last inspection, despite the impending closure of the latter. Speaking on Radio 4 in March 2010, the headteacher John Fairhurst was extremely critical of the Ofsted inspection which he claimed was too short in duration and insufficient in depth to reach the conclusions made in the report. The school's specialist status as a Business and Enterprise school has opened a wider range of business-oriented subjects within the school, including Business Studies (at GCSE, A-level and BTEC level 2 & 3), Accounting, Law and Economics. Many subjects are also encouraged to relate aspects of their teaching to business life. The schools' specialist status is confirmed until 2010.[9]
[edit] Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 at Shenfield High School enjoys above average academic success, with an aggregate average score of 246 in 2005, with the Essex Local Authority average at 224, and national average at 217.[10] This is a trend that has continued on from previous years. Students are examined in English, Science, and Maths at KS3 level, in the National Curriculum assessment exams. Around 80% of students passed each of these exams in 2005.
[edit] Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4, the schools' policy of splitting boys and girls only applies to English, Maths and Religious Education. All other subjects become mixed groups. In 2005, 58% of students obtained Level 2 (5 or more A* to C grades) in their GCSE examinations, only slightly above par with the Essex LA and national averages of 56%.[11]
[edit] Key Stage 5 / Sixth Form
The Sixth Form at Shenfield High School enjoys high levels of academic success, with an average UCAS point score of 283.8 per student. The average score per examination entry is 70.2 across the AS Level, A Level, and GNVQ examinations offered by the school.[12][13]
[edit] Physical Education and Sport
The Shenfield High School Physical Education department prides itself on being one of the most successful school's in the East of England by providing over 30 hours of extra-curricular clubs a week [14] and providing hundreds competitive sports fixture in the friendly,local Mid-Essex,County and National framework each year.
Since 2004 the school has won six national titles (two for basketball, two for football and two for futsal) as well as numerous county titles in cricket [15], basketball [16], futsal [17] and football.
However, the school also offers a variety of other competitive sports including netball, swimming, rowing, badminton, cross-country running, athletics, table-tennis, trampolining and volleyball.
In 2011 Shenfield High School took the momentous step of forming a football academy in conjunction with Colchester United Football Club [18]. Pupils on the academy are trained for upto 2 hours a day by a UEFA qualified coach alongside their academic studies, as well as competing in the weekly county academy league and national competition framework.
[edit] Notable alumni
- The Rt Hon Philip Hammond, MP
- Russell Tovey, Actor
- Sarah Champion, television presenter and disc jockey
- Ross Kemp, Actor
- Sarah Kane, Playwright
- Richard Madeley, Media personality
- Ben Walker , Actor, the Golden Compass [19]
- Matthew Salisbury, Cricketer, Essex CCC [20]
- Matthew McNaughton, Member of dance troupe Diversity
[edit] References
- ^ "DfES - Shenfield High School". http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?urn=115383&providerCategoryID=8192. Retrieved 30 May 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "ONE, TWO, THREE FOR SHENFIELD HIGH SCHOOL". 21 March 2007. http://www.brentwoodgazette.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=170532&command=displayContent&sourceNode=170515&contentPK=16918367&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch. Retrieved 30 May 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "CLUBS MAY BE LEFT HOMELESS". 7 March 2007. http://www.brentwoodgazette.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=170532&command=displayContent&sourceNode=170515&contentPK=16815896&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch. Retrieved 30 May 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Shenfield High School - Environment Information". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927220951/http://www.shenfield.essex.sch.uk/environ.htm. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ http://www.championsacademy.co.uk/
- ^ http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Leopards-double-winning-weekend/story-13543067-detail/story.html#
- ^ http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/England-coach-Powell-opens-new-pitch/story-12626764-detail/story.html
- ^ "Shenfield High School Inspection Report 2009" (PDF). http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=290229&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\\school\\115\\s5_115383_20070221.pdf. Retrieved 19 October 2009.[dead link]
- ^ The school obtained its status in 2004, and the status lasts for 4 years before renewal. It was renewed successfully in October 2007 for a further 3 years.
- ^ "DfES - Shenfield High School - KS3 Tables". http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfekx1_05.pl?School=8815467. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ "DfES - Shenfield High School - GCSE/GNVQ Tables". http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfe1x1_05.pl?School=8815467. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ "DfES - Shenfield High School - GCE/GNVQ Tables". http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfe2x1_05.pl?Mode=Z&Code=&School=8815467&Type=&back=&No=881. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ "How to read these tables". http://www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables/16to18_05/howtoread.shtml#a1. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ^ http://www.shenfield.org/index.phtml?d=33789
- ^ http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Schoolboys-lift-unprecedented-seventh-straight/story-13110123-detail/story.html
- ^ http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Shenfield-s-history-boys/story-12645568-detail/story.html
- ^ http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Double-delight-school-s-football-teams/story-12623874-detail/story.html
- ^ http://www.yellowadvertiser-today.co.uk/Sport.cfm?id=6676&headline=School%20launches%20football%20academy%20with%20league%20club
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2036501/
- ^ http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/524843.html
