Brooke Weston Academy
| Brooke Weston College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Coomb Road , , NN18 8LA | |
| Information | |
| Type | City Technology College |
| Established | 1991 |
| Local authority | Northamptonshire |
| Principal | Trish Stringer MA |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 1200 |
| Colour(s) | Blue and Yellow |
| Website | http://www.brookeweston.org/ |
Brooke Weston College is a City Technology College in Corby, Northamptonshire, England, teaching students from age 11 to 18. It has consistently placed very highly in GCSE league tables and has above average scores in measures of added value.[1] Attainment on entry is well above average and the proportions of students with learning difficulties and disabilities or eligible for free school meals are much lower than average.[2]
Background
Founded in 1991, the school was opened as a City Technology College. The college's catchment area includes Corby, Kettering and surrounding towns and villages. Two businessmen, Hugh de Capell Brooke, a local landowner, and Garry Weston, owner of Associated British Foods donated land and funded the initial building of the school respectively, along with additional grants from the Weston Foundation. The Brooke and Weston families gave their name to the school and still play a large role in supporting it today.
Online Curriculum
The school produces and sells an ‘online curriculum’. This consists of a wide range of interactive learning materials and online tasks which all relate to various subject areas. The school's subsidiary company, @tain, then sells access to the content to other schools. In addition, the school also provides training days which allow teaching staff from other schools to attend seminars at the school and learn the methods in which the school teaches the courses provideed on its online curriculum and how to maximise the effectiveness of using it in a classroom environment.
Information Technology
The school makes use of electronic whiteboards in all classrooms, learning bases and study rooms. Every student and member of staff have their own user accounts and storage areas. The school also houses a large internal local area network, allowing students to access their work from any computer.
Other Facilities
The school also has a Design Technology suite, with CAD/CAM facilities and a laser cutter. The CAD/CAM suite also includes an A3 colour laser printer. The department also includes two workshops containig CNC lathes, wood-turning lathes, metal working lathes, scroll saws and pillar drills, as well as plenty of other equipment.
The school also has its own video editing studio with chroma-key (blue-screen) facility.
The School Day
Lessons begin within school at 8:35am, with all students signed into the school using their cards by 8:30am. There are 5 lessons within a school day all lasting 1 hour 15 minutes long, allowing for extra curricular learning. The school day ends at 4:05pm with school buses departing at 4:15pm from the front of the college. After school activities and clubs are also available for students wishing to stay on.
Achievements
The school is also well known for its sporting prowess, with regular success in many sports at county and regional levels.[citation needed]
Previous principal of the college, Peter Simpson, was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to education and the community.[3]
Academic Ranking
In 2005, 100% of Brooke Weston pupils gained the equivalent of 5 or more A*-C GCSEs.
In 2006 the scoring system for Secondary Schools league tables was adjusted to stipulate that GCSE Mathematics and English must be included in pupil’s performance. Brooke Weston achieved 89% of 5 or more top grade passes under the new system.
In 2007 86% of Brooke Weston pupils achieved the equivalent of 5 or more A*-C GCSEs.[1]
Expansion
In September 2008, Brooke Weston will be converting to an Academy. £5 million of Government money will be invested in the school, allowing the construction of the Creative and Digital Arts Centre. This will expand the school's music and drama performing facilities, as well as encompassing kitchens for Food Technology and a new TV studio.
As well as this, the school is in partnership with the new Corby Business Academy, which will replace the current Corby Community College. Former principal Peter Simpson will become the Executive Principal of the Brooke Weston Partnership, along with principals Trish Stringer and Andrew Campbell respectively in charge of each school.
References
- ^ a b "English Schools Tables 2007 - Brooke Weston CTC". BBC News. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ "Ofsted Inspection Report for Brooke Weston CTC" (PDF). 2006-11-19. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday 2006 Honours List". 2006-06-23. Retrieved 2008-06-22.