East Point Academy
| East Point Academy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Kirkley Run , , NR33 0UQ England | |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Motto | To make our best better |
| Established | 2011 (1938 as Kirkley Community High School) |
| Local authority | Suffolk |
| Department for Education URN | 124827 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Principal | Liz Redpath |
| Deputy Principal | John Shanahan |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 11 to 16[2] |
| Enrollment | 798 [1] |
| Website | http://eastpointacademy.org/ |
East Point Academy is an academy located in the Kirkley district of Lowestoft, in the English county of Suffolk. It educates children from ages 11 to 16. Before September 2011, the school was known as Kirkley Community High School,[3][4][5] before converting to academy status as part of the Academies Enterprise Trust.
The academy, as Kirkley Community High School, was placed in special measures by Ofsted in March 2009.[1] It's most recent inspection, in June 2011, maintained this status.[1] The headteacher has been Liz Redpath since March 2011 when the previous headmaster, Mr. Richard Prickard left the school following an Ofsted monitoring visit.[1]
Gene Simmons' Rock School
In Autumn 2005, the second series of Channel 4's "Gene Simmons' Rock School" was filmed at the academy (when it was Kirkley Community High School). Auditions were held, and after much deliberation, 11 students were picked and were subsequently taught the basics of rock music by KISS bassist Gene Simmons. Simmons' eventually selected five of the students to perform as a rock group. The show culminated with the group opening for Judas Priest and Anthrax in front of 2,300 fans in LA.[6] The lead singer of the band, Lil' Chris, was signed to RCA records.[7]
K-Play Radio
The academy currently has a non-profit, streaming internet radio station. Entitled "K-Play Radio", the station currently broadcasts a wide range of Rock, Indie and UK Chart Music.[8] The station was founded in 2005, with initial funding coming from Adnams Brewery LTD. When originally opened by TV personality Helen McDermott in late 2007, the station was located in a newly-built classroom on the first floor of the academy. In June 2008, it was relocated to the KITE Media Centre, a newly-built centre located in the grounds of the academy.
KITE Media Centre
The KITE Media Centre is a state-of-the-art design and technology centre, equipped with a multi-media production studio, TV, Radio and Video workshops, a community information centre and a wireless internet connection. It is located on the exterior grounds of the school. The centre was built and opened on the site in late 2007. The centre itself also provides facilities for use in media studies lessons. The centre was given initial funding by the Kirkley High School's governing body and has also received a grant of £20,000 from the EU.[9]
Academy Lunch System
In 2007, the academy, as Kirkley Community High School, introduced a fingerprinting system for school lunches, allowing pupils to avoid paying cash at the till and having to carry money around with them and so they have to eat a nutritious dinner and not get junk food form the garage.[10]
Notable alumni
- Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins and Ed Graham of British rock group The Darkness are former pupils of the school.[11] They later returned to the school to open the new music wing in 2004.
- Singer and TV presenter Lil' Chris, who featured in the series of Rock School that was filmed at the school, went on to release two albums and four singles.
- International boxer and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack housemate Anthony Ogogo is a former pupil of the school.
References
- ^ a b c d Kirkley Community High School, Inspection Report, Ofsted, 2011-07-12. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
- ^ East Point Academy profile, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
- ^ Kirkley High’s academy switch delights headteacher, Lowestoft Journal, 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
- ^ New academy in Lowestoft ‘will inspire’, Lowestoft Journal, 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
- ^ Green light for Lowestoft academy, Lowestoft Journal, 2011-08-05. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ channel4.com - Rock School
- ^ RCA Label Group (UK) | Lil' Chris
- ^ "K Play Radio - Playing The Freshest Music for Kirkley & The Community". www.kplayradio.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ KITE Media Centre
- ^ "Fingerprint to order school lunch". BBC News. 2007-06-26.
- ^ Gods to return to the Waterfront, Lowestoft Journal, 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
