Portland School, Worksop

Portland School
Portland School
Address
	Sparken Hill; Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 1AW; England
Coordinates	53°17′42″N 1°07′00″W / 53.295042°N 1.116765°W
Information
Type	Specialist Science College
Motto	"Achieving Success Aiming for Excellence"
Established	1956 (redeveloped 2007)
Closed	20 July 2011
Local authority	Nottinghamshire
Specialist	Specialist Science College
Gender	Coeducational
Age	11 to 16
Enrollment	1597
Houses	Welbeck, Sherwood, Clumber and Rufford.
Colour(s)	Navy Blue, Maroon, Gold
Website	http://www.portland.outwood.com

For schools of similar names, see Portland School.

Portland School was a specialist Science College situated in Worksop, United Kingdom.

The headteacher upon closing was Elaine Hamilton. The original school buildings were situated on Sparken Hill Worksop, and were built for when the school opened in 1956. The current school building, which is situated on Netherton road, was built in 2007. Portland School was in special measures, as it had an inadequate report from OFSTED after an inspection in March 2010, before its closure.

Early history

Technical school

The Winifred Portland County Secondary Technical School opened in September 1956. Previous to that there had been a Secondary Technical School separate from but within the Technical College on Blyth Road. The staff and pupils transferred to Winifred Portland when it opened. The school then became the Winifred Portland Technical Grammar school until it was renamed Portland Comprehensive and merged with both the Central and Priory Secondary Schools

Grammar school

Henry Hartland Grammar School opened in 1962, being officially opened on 21 June 1963 by Eric James, Baron James of Rusholme.

Comprehensive schools

In 1970 Worksop's secondary schools became comprehensive - The Hartland School and Portland Comprehensive School.

Merger with Hartland

In late 2003 the decision was made to merge the school with the Hartland secondary school which was north and next door to Portland school. This merger happened in 2004 though not without concerns by some parents [1]. The merge with the Hartland site created a site with: three canteens, two science blocks, two assembly halls, three outdoor sports courts including two large barn buildings, three fields including one large field equivalent to 9 football pitches.

Move to new site

Building of the new school site began in early 2006 with a contract between Nottinghamshire County Council, and Transform Schools. The work was completed in time for students to move in after the Christmas break, in early 2008. The former site was demolished soon after in mid 2008. The new school facilities include: one canteen, one large assembly hall with seating for 300 persons, three outdoor sports spaces including a floodlit Astroturf, a MUGA (Multi Use Games Area), and a large field, two indoor sports halls, and a small gym room with weights, running and rowing machines. The building was smaller than the cumulative size of the former Portland buildings and surrounding walkways

Further education

On 3 September 2008 Worksop Post-16 Centre opened as a consolidated site for further education in Worksop. The centre is situated on Valley Road, adjacent to Valley School.

Courses consist primarily of A-levels across a range of art, humanity and science subjects.

Academic performance

Portland School had often achieved GCSE results below the national average. The School achieved its highest GCSE results ever in 2011.

Closure

On 20 July 2011 the school officially closed to become part of the Outwood Grange of Schools and became Outwood Academy Portland upon reopening for the new school term. At closure all the existing students were presented with a commemorative Parker Pen.

Alumni

Henry Hartland Grammar School

Cynthia Bower, controversial first Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission
Krysia Michna-Nowak, artist
Anna Soubry (became comprehensive in her third year), Conservative MP since 2010 for Broxtowe, and former local television journalist

Portland Comprehensive School

Kevan Jones, Labour MP since 2001

External links

v t e Education in Nottinghamshire
Primary schools	Hempshill Hall Primary School The Minster School Nottingham Academy Serlby Park Academy
Secondary schools	Alderman White School All Saints' Catholic Academy Arnold Hill Academy Ashfield School The Becket School Bluecoat Aspley Academy Bluecoat Beechdale Academy Bluecoat Wollaton Academy Bramcote College The Brunts Academy The Bulwell Academy The Carlton Academy Carlton le Willows Academy Chilwell School Christ the King Catholic Academy Colonel Frank Seely Academy Djanogly City Academy The Dukeries Academy East Leake Academy The Elizabethan Academy Ellis Guilford School Farnborough Spencer Academy Fernwood School The Garibaldi School George Spencer Academy Hall Park Academy The Holgate Academy Joseph Whitaker School Kimberley School Magnus Church of England Academy The Manor Academy Meden School The Minster School The National Academy The Newark Academy Nottingham Academy Nottingham Emmanuel School Nottingham Free School Nottingham Girls' Academy Nottingham University Samworth Academy Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology The Oakwood Academy Outwood Academy Kirkby Outwood Academy Portland Outwood Academy Valley Park Vale Academy Quarrydale Academy Queen Elizabeth's Academy Redhill Academy Retford Oaks Academy Rushcliffe School Samworth Church Academy Selston High School Serlby Park Academy South Nottinghamshire Academy South Wolds Academy Sutton Community Academy Toot Hill School Trinity School Tuxford Academy The Wells Academy West Bridgford School
Independent schools	Dawn House School Hollygirt School Jamia Al-Hudaa Nottingham High School Nottingham Girls' High School Worksop College
Further education	Bilborough College Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies North Nottinghamshire College Nottingham College Vision West Nottinghamshire College Hucknall Sixth Form Centre
Higher education	University of Nottingham Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Law School
Defunct institutions	Al Karam Secondary School Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School Dagfa House School Bramcote Hills Sport & Community College Henry Mellish School Ordsall Hall School Portland School Retford King Edward VI Grammar School Rufford School St John's College, Nottingham Sherwood Academy William Crane Comprehensive School