Bedford High School (Leigh)
Encyclopedia
Bedford High School is a comprehensive school
with specialist Business and Enterprise College
status in Leigh
, Greater Manchester
, England.
status and opened a construction
training facility in conjunction with the Construction Industry Training Board
(CITB).
passes at grade A* to C including Mathematics and English, while 75% achieved five A* to C grades overall. These results were a significant improvement over 2007, when 29% of pupils achieved five GCSE passes at grade A* to C including Mathematics and English,
The school's Ofsted
inspection in September 2004 stated that GCSE results were above that of similar schools.
The same Ofsted report rated the school as satisfactory with effective leadership and praised the school's relationship with the local community. It also highlighted issues with year 9 performance, the provision of modern languages and personal development, and the attitudes and behaviour of a number of boys in the school.
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
with specialist Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
status in Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England.
History
Bedford High School was established in 1976 when the town's grammar schools were abolished by the 1976 Education Act. It was formed by merging Leigh Boys´ Grammar School and Manchester Road Secondary Modern School, which were located next to each other. The former grammar school buildings now form the upper school and the secondary modern buildings form the lower school. In 2003 the school gained specialist Business and Enterprise CollegeBusiness and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
status and opened a construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
training facility in conjunction with the Construction Industry Training Board
Construction Industry Training Board
The Construction Industry Training Board is the Industry Training Board for the UK Construction Industry. It was established on 21 July 1964 by the Industrial Training Order 1964...
(CITB).
Performance
In 2008, 37% of pupils achieved five GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
passes at grade A* to C including Mathematics and English, while 75% achieved five A* to C grades overall. These results were a significant improvement over 2007, when 29% of pupils achieved five GCSE passes at grade A* to C including Mathematics and English,
The school's Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspection in September 2004 stated that GCSE results were above that of similar schools.
The same Ofsted report rated the school as satisfactory with effective leadership and praised the school's relationship with the local community. It also highlighted issues with year 9 performance, the provision of modern languages and personal development, and the attitudes and behaviour of a number of boys in the school.
Leigh Grammar School
- Sir John Lennard-Jones KBE FRS, theoretical chemist and physicist, first John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Theoretical ChemistryJohn Humphrey Plummer Professor of Theoretical ChemistryThe John Humphrey Plummer Professorship of Theoretical Chemistry was established in 1932 from a bequest of £200,000 under the will of John Humphrey Plummer, an estate agent of Southport, to the University of Cambridge for the advancement of science....
, University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
1932-1953 and second principal of the University College of North Staffordshire (now Keele UniversityKeele UniversityKeele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
) 1953-1954. (?-1912) - Robert Forbes CBE, pianist and conductor, Principal from 1929-53 of the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the Royal Northern College of MusicRoyal Northern College of MusicThe Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
), and President from 1938-39 of the Incorporated Society of MusiciansIncorporated Society of MusiciansIncorporated Society of Musicians is the UK's professional body for musicians. It champions the importance of music and protects the rights of those working within music through a range of services, campaigns, support and practical advice...
(1889–1896) - Prof John Speakman CBE, Professor of Textile Industries from 1939-63 at the University of Leeds (1909–16)
- Prof William Bradley, Professor of Colour Chemistry from 1948-63 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
(1914–21) - Meredith Evans, Professor of Physical Chemistry from 1949-52 at the University of ManchesterUniversity of ManchesterThe University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
(1916–23) - Prof Sir David Evans CBE, Director of the National Institute for Biological Standards and ControlNational Institute for Biological Standards and ControlThe National Institute for Biological Standards and Control is a global leader in the field of biological standardisation. It is a centre of the UK Health Protection Agency . It is responsible for developing and producing over 90% of the biological international standards in use around the world...
(NIBSC) from 1972-6, President of the Society for General MicrobiologySociety for General MicrobiologyThe Society for General Microbiology is a learned society based in the United Kingdom but with members in more than 60 countries. With approximately 5000 members, it is the largest microbiological society in Europe...
from 1972-5, and Professor of Bacteriology and Immunology from 1961-71 at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineThe London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a constituent college of the federal University of London, specialising in public health and tropical medicine...
, Director from 1971-2 of the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine (1921-8) - George Bolsover CBE, Director from 1947-76 of the School of Slavonic and East European StudiesSchool of Slavonic and East European StudiesThe UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies is a school of University College London . It is the largest centre for the study and research of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, and Russia in the United Kingdom...
(1922-9) - Prof Basil Lythgoe, Professor from 1953-78 of Organic Chemistry at the University of Leeds (1924–31)
- John Wallwork CBE, Chairman of the Press AssociationPress AssociationThe Press Association is the national news agency of the United Kingdom and Ireland, supplying multimedia news content to almost all national and regional newspapers, television and radio news, as well as many websites with text, pictures, video and data content globally...
from 1973-4, President of the Newspaper Society from 1977-8, and Managing Director from 1972-82 of Northcliffe Newspapers GroupNorthcliffe MediaNorthcliffe Media Ltd. is a large regional newspaper publisher in the UK and Central and Eastern Europe, owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. The company's name was changed to Northcliffe Media from Northcliffe Newspaper Group in 2007.It operates from over 30 publishing centres, and also...
(1930-7) - Sir Alan BattersbyAlan R. BattersbySir Alan Rushton Battersby FRS Sir Alan Rushton Battersby FRS Sir Alan Rushton Battersby FRS ((born 4 March 1925) is a British organic chemist known for his work on the genetic blueprint, structure, and synthetic pathway of Cyanocobalamin. This came in collaboration with a partner and also in...
, BP Professor of Organic ChemistryBP Professor of Organic ChemistryThe BP Professorship of Organic Chemistry is one of the senior professorships at the University of Cambridge.Founded in 1702 by the university as simply 'Professor of Chemistry', it was retitled as the Professorship of Organic Chemistry in 1943, and in 1991 was renamed after a benefaction from the...
from 1969-92 at the University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(1936–43) - Eric Hassall CBE, Director from 1994-2001 of the British Geological Survey BoardBritish Geological SurveyThe British Geological Survey is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. The BGS headquarters are in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, but other centres...
, President from 1997-9 of the Institute of Mining EngineersInstitute of Materials, Minerals and MiningThe Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining is a major UK engineering institution whose activities encompass the whole materials cycle, from exploration and extraction, through characterisation, processing, forming, finishing and application, to product recycling and land reuse...
(1942-9) - David Wyatt CBE, diplomat (1942-9)
- Sir Peter Maxwell DaviesPeter Maxwell DaviesSir Peter Maxwell Davies, CBE is an English composer and conductor and is currently Master of the Queen's Music.-Biography:...
CBE, conductor and composer and President since 1983 of the Schools Music Association, (1946–53) - Prof Michael Newton, Professor from 1984-2001 of Pharmaceutics at the School of Pharmacy, University of London (1947–54)
- James Maines CB, Director General from 1988-95 of Guided Weapons and Electronic Systems at the Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(1948–55) - Rev Eric Shegog, Head of Religious Broadcasting from 1984-1990 at the IBAIndependent Broadcasting AuthorityThe Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
(1948–55) - Sir David Phillips, Chief Constable from 1993-2003 of Kent PoliceKent PoliceKent Police is the territorial police force for Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway.-Area and organisation:The force covers an area of with an approximate population of 1,660,588 . The Chief Constable is currently Ian Learmonth, who was appointed in 2010 and is the former...
(1955–62) - Prof Robin Leatherbarrow, Professor of Biological and Biophysical Chemistry since 2002 and Director since 2001 of the Chemical Biology Centre at Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
(1970-5)