Bushey Meads School
Encyclopedia
Bushey Meads School is a foundation
Foundation school
In England and Wales, a foundation school is a state-funded school in which the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools....

 secondary school in Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...

, Hertfordshire, UK. The current head teacher is Mr Keith Douglas, B.A. Hons, M.A., who started as a new member of staff in the school in December 2005.

It achieves relatively well in comparison with other schools in the area and is a recommended place in Hertfordshire for Sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...

 studies. It offers a wide range of subjects.

Its close proximity to several TV studios (in particular Elstree
Elstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...

) have made it an excellent location when school scenes were desired. TV programs featuring the school include Grange Hill
Grange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...

, the comedy Roll Over Beethoven (starring Nigel Planer
Nigel Planer
Nigel George Planer is an English actor, comedian, novelist and playwright.Planer is perhaps best known for his role as Neil Pye in the cult BBC comedy The Young Ones. He has appeared in many West End musicals, including Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked and Hairspray...

), Buddy (with Roger Daltry) and Worms Alive! with Chas Fenton and also "Family Business" in which the students were involved.

Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....

 paid BMS a visit in 2002. He is known as the creator of the popular comics of Spider-Man and co-creator of other comic book characters such as X-men, Incredible Hulk, Daredevil and The Fantastic Four.

Founded

The school was founded in 1957 as Bushey Secondary Modern School.
It celebrated its 50th anniversary by taking a major role in the annual Bushey Carnival in 2007, basing some events on the history and successes of the school.

The name

The name "Bushey Meads" derives from the original surrounding area. The site where the school buildings now stand was once fields ("meads", from Old English ) surrounding the then small village of Bushey
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...

.

Uniform

Bushey Meads School operates a very strict uniform policy, stating on their website, "Please note that non-uniform items will be confiscated and kept in the school office until the end of the school day."
The stated aims of the policy are discipline and hiding differences in family wealth.

The uniform is relatively inexpensive, consisting of:
  • green or white polo shirt, with school logo,
  • green sweatshirt with school logo,
  • black or charcoal grey plain trousers or (for girls) plain unpleated skirt,
  • black or dark brown shoes.

Jewellery (other than one pair of simple studs for pierced ears) is forbidden.

Current technology

There are over 450 computers running Microsoft Windows XP across the site, complemented by Windows Server 2003 thin clients. In 2009 the school continues its commitment to technology with additional ICT provision in Science, Sixth Form and Media. An existing computer suite has also been refurbished with additional computers.

The school itself gained Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...

 status in 2002, entitling it to grants and financial support towards various technological applications.

Bushey Meads also runs its own Learning Platform using Windows Sharepoint Services, this allows students and staff members to take part in discussions, access learning resources and to submit work.

Renovation

The new head of the school, Mr Keith Douglas, is currently pressing forward with a major renovation project at the school. This includes much needed refurbishment and redecoration of the older rooms, and repairing and painting the outside of the older blocks. As well as this, facilities are being improved, such as new equipment and books for certain departments which needed it the most. In 2008 various areas of the school site are redecorated, with significant refurbishment work in the Design Technology block, including a modern Hospitality and Catering suite.

Development

Most of the school buildings are older, but there is a mid 1970s music block, a late '90s English block and a new science block completed in 2003. The Sixth Form Area has recently been renovated by giving it a new look to 'encourage studying'.

Notable alumni

  • George Michael
    George Michael
    George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

     – Global pop icon.
  • Andrew Ridgeley
    Andrew Ridgeley
    Andrew John Ridgeley is an English former pop singer-songwriter, guitarist and environmentalist. Andrew was a member of the 1980s pop music duo Wham!.-Early life:...

     – Partner of George Michael in the pop act Wham. During their time at the school, their school band was known as 'The Executive'.
  • Simon Phillips
    Simon Phillips
    Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...

     – World renowned session and live drummer, frequently playing with Pete Townshend
    Pete Townshend
    Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...

    in the late seventies and eighties.
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