De Aston School
| De Aston School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Willingham Road , , LN8 3RF England | |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christian |
| Established | 1863 |
| Department for Education URN | 136491 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Head teacher | Ellenor Beighton |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 1,067 pupils |
| Publication | De Aston Voice |
| Website | http://www.de-aston.lincs.sch.uk/ |
De Aston School is a mixed secondary school with academy status in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England. It also has a sixth form and boarding house. The school has a broad Christian ethos but accommodates those of other faiths or no faith.
Admissions
It has approximately 1,050 pupils.[1][failed verification] The school provides boarding accommodation for around 80 pupils, many of whom come from abroad. De Aston is a specialist school in mathematics and computing. The De Aston Sports Centre is shared with the school.[2][failed verification]
The school magazine is called the De Aston Voice.[citation needed] It is situated in the east of the town on Willingham Road (A631).
History
Grammar school
De Aston School was founded in 1863 as a small grammar school, as part of a legal settlement following a court case involving funds from the medieval charity of Thomas De Aston, a 13th century monk. Until recently, the school's Foundation Governors also owned the chapel at the site of the charity's Almshouses at Spital on the Street, a few miles away to the west.
The school's headmaster originally had his own house on the school site. The Victorian Gothic red brick house was built in 1863 and was designated as a Grade II listed building by English Heritage in 1984.[3] As a grammar school it was administered by the Lindsey Education Committee, based in Lincoln, and became co-educational in 1971.
Comprehensive
It became a comprehensive in 1974 (when Lincoln became comprehensive), amalgamating with Market Rasen Secondary Modern School on Kilnwell Road. At the same time, new buildings were opened.[citation needed]
Academy
The school converted to academy status in March 2011.
Headmasters
- Bruce McGowan 1957-64
- Andrew Lloyd Morgan 1964-84
Media
In March 2001, at the Secondary Heads Association's conference in Newport, Ellenor Beighton, head teacher, spoke out against the current funding system for schools.[4] Then in July 2001 Former Headmaster Anthony Neal disagreed with School Standards Minister Stephen Timms over the benefits of specialist schools saying that they create a two-tier system.[5] Homework was being publicly discussed in December 2001 in the wake of Cherie Blair's request to the Ministry of Defence for information to help with her son's homework. Neal commented that homework was essential and central to the fact that standards were rising.[6][failed verification]
Police apologised to the school, in November 2006, after a computer error wrongly put it at the top of a national table for the number of police call-outs.[7][failed verification]
Academic standards
The November 2009 inspection Ofsted rated the school Grade 2 (Good), on a four-point scale.[1][failed verification] In 2009 88% of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE.[citation needed] The school was placed[where?] in the top 200 most improved schools nationally.[citation needed]
Awards
Notable former pupils
 | This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (May 2015) |
- Phil Boulton, Professional Rugby Union player with Leicester Tigers, Rotherham Titans and Bedford Blues.
- Sir David Chadwick, Secretary from 1927-46 of the Imperial Economic Committee
- Bruce Barrymore Halpenny - military historian and author
- Sir Walter Liddall CBE, Conservative MP from 1931-45 for Lincoln
- Philippa Lowthorpe, television director whose credits include Jamaica Inn (2014) and Call the Midwife[8]
- Michael Oglesby, High Sheriff of Greater Manchester from 2007-08
- John Scupham OBE, Controller of Educational Broadcasting from 1963-65 of the BBC
- Rod Temperton - songwriter of Thriller
- Sir Richard Wakerley, barrister
- Edward Welbourne, Master of Emmanuel College Cambridge from 1951-64
- John Graham Wallace, illustrator
- Prof Charles Wilson CBE, Professor of Modern History from 1965-79 at the University of Cambridge
- Gordon White, Baron White of Hull, co-founder of Hanson plc
Market Rasen Secondary Modern School
- Bernie Taupin, lyricist
References
- ^ a b Inspection Report November 2009, Ofsted, published 15 January 2010
- ^ "Wolds Leisure - De Aston Sports Centre", West Lindsey District Council
- ^ Images of England website, reference no 196480
- ^ "Heads attack funding 'cut'", BBC News, 25 March 2001
- ^ "Specialist schools 'boost confidence'", BBC News, 17 July 2001
- ^ "Are parents trying too hard?", The Daily Telegraph, December 2001
- ^ "Police mistake brands school pupils violent", Lincolnshire Echo , 9 November 2006
- ^ "Philippa's direction to television success". Market Rasen Mail. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
Further reading
- Joan Harrop. A history of the development of De Aston School, Market Rasen. Middle Rasen: J Harrop, 1991.