Royal Wootton Bassett Academy
| Wootton Bassett School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Lime Kiln , , SN4 7HG | |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive community school |
| Motto | Cacelius es in Atrium |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-denominational |
| Local authority | Wiltshire |
| Specialist | Technology College |
| Department for Education URN | 126455 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headmaster | George Croxford |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 1539 [1] |
| Houses | 4 |
| Colour(s) | black, white, burgundy and gold |
| Website | http://www.woottonbassett.wilts.sch.uk/ |
Wootton Bassett School is a co-educational, comprehensive secondary school in the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett.
The school has technology college status, and operates an on-site Sixth Form department. These facilities have recently been developed, along with increased capacity parking and a larger on-site restaurant.
Facilities
The school's facilities include an artificial turf sports pitch and numerous sports facilities with catering for tennis, cricket, football, rugby and hockey.
The new Sixth Form centre includes many new classrooms, a reception desk and a lift (the complex is one storey taller than the surrounding buildings). The centre also provides a lecture theatre with retractable chairs, and as such is also used as a drama studio.
Layout
The school splits itself into three main categories, which it calls 'phases'. The 'Transition' phase is for children in years 7 to 9, and is presided over by an assistant headteacher with the title 'Head of Phase'. The second phase, called the 'Development' phase, is years 10 and 11, when the pupils are taking their GCSE's. Finally, the sixth form (years 12 and 13) are the 'Extension' phase.
The school operates via a system of tutor groups. Each tutor group is approximately 30 in size, and has a tutor to watch over them. The tutors themselves will be teachers in other areas of the school, and the tutor will rarely teach his or her tutor group any specific subject. The main role of the tutor group is to create a stable peer system which helps the students as they progress through the school (Tutors will usually stay with their tutor groups all the way from year 7 to year 13).
The physical layout of the school is highly organized in comparison to the old school. The school looks like two 'E's fit back to back, with the main corridor down the middle of the school nicknamed 'The Street' by both pupils and teachers alike. Each branch of the school is for a different subject. The wings are of varying lengths, with the longest three being the Admin/Reception wing, the School Hall and Gymnasium wing, and the Science and DT wing. Each floor of the wings are different subjects (For example, the English wing is underneath the Maths wing).
Until recently, the Modern Languages wing was the shortest in the school, being well under half the length of the others. When the school decided to build the new sixth form center, it was built onto the end of the Languages wing, extending it out.
Houses
The school has 4 houses, Brunel, Newton, Roddick and Whittle. The names represent notable British inventors and engineers. The houses were renamed from Winterbourne, Compton, Berwick and Wootton. There are colours associated with each house, Brunel is green, Newton is yellow, Roddick is blue and Whittle is red.
The Houses themselves were recently changed despite much protest from students and particularly sixth formers who opposed the move away from houses named after other villages in the local area which take part of their as Bassett. i.e. Compton Bassett, Winterbourne Bassett. The previous house names were Berwick, Compton, Wootton and Winterbourne, and prior to those there were eight house groups Bolingbroke, Langdon, Crispin, Clarendon, Despenser, Goddard, St John & Englefield.
Tragedy
The school gained publicity in July 2008 when Sean Foxcroft - the expedition leader of a school trip to South Africa - was killed in strong ocean currents during leisure activities.[2]
Notable alumni
- Matt Evans (rugby player)
- Paul Stonehouse Mansfield Town footballer
References
- ^ http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/126455 OFSTED profile
- ^ http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2412602.mostviewed.wootton_bassett_school_trip_ends_in_tragedy.php Gazette and Herald: "Wootton Bassett school trip ends in tragedy"