Downham Market High School
Encyclopedia
Downham Market High School is a state high school
situated in Downham Market
, Norfolk
, England
. The School has been awarded specialist Technology College
status by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
. The Bexwell and Ryston sites have a combined student population of approximately 2,000 pupils. The school is one of the largest in East Anglia
partially due to its large catchment area.
Downham Market High School and College is divided between two separate campuses, with the main Bexwell campus teaching students years 7 - 11 (ages 11 – 16) and the Ryston campus teaching further education to sixth form students years 12 - 13 (ages 16 – 18).
The Bexwell site dates back to 1956 and was originally organised as separate boys' and girls' secondary modern single-sex
schools. With building adaptations at the time of re-organisation in 1980, these former schools are now designated the Junior and Senior sides of the Bexwell site. The Upwell block was added as a consequence of the closure of Upwell Secondary in 1982 when around 220 additional pupils were added to the school roll. The Malcolm Arnold Room was opened by the famous composer Sir Malcolm Arnold
in 1984. Other buildings on the Bexwell site include the Technology Block (1997), the Arts Block, housing History, Music and Drama (2001) and the English Block (2005).
Ryston was formerly the premises of Downham Market Grammar School, built in 1930 in the extensive grounds of the White House dating back to the 17th century. The house was formerly occupied by the headmaster of the school and, later, by the sixth form. It became surplus to requirements and was sold back into the residential sector in 2000. Since reorganisation, two new blocks have been added on the Ryston site. The Art and Business centre was opened by Gillian Shepherd MP, Minister of State for Education.
The academic years 1980/01 and 1981/82 saw the phasing out of the previous grammar and secondary modern pattern of education and, from September 1982, Downham Market High School became a fully amalgamated county, co-educational, secondary, comprehensive, day school. Year 7 students were based at Ryston after reorganisation in 1980, due to Bexwell insufficient space for five year groups, and Ryston's additional space for the then much smaller sixth form. Ofsted
stressed the importance of uniting Key Stages 3 and 4 on the same site and this was duly achieved with the opening of the New Block on the Bexwell site in 2001. In September 1983, the existing transfer arrangements into the school were re-organised so that all pupils entered at 11+ and not, as hitherto, with pupils from the surrounding village primary schools entering at 11+ and pupils from Clackclose County Middle School and Hillcrest First and Middle School entering at 12+.
The school gained Grant-Maintained status in 1992 (which lasted until the change of Government in 1997) and was extended with new buildings, sports hall and swimming pool. Technology College status was gained in 1996 by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
.
The school provides extra-curricular programs including: musical, dramatic and sporting events, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
In 2009, the Downham Market Leisure Centre
extended and simultaneously refurbished its primary gym, the previous gym equipment was donated to the sports department at Downham Market High School.
The music department runs several orchestras and arranges instrument tuition for students. The department stages a number of concerts throughout the year including the annual Christmas and recital concerts.
) which holds a sports hall, gym and swimming pool, which the school regularly use.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
situated in Downham Market
Downham Market
Downham Market is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, some 20 km south of the town of King's Lynn, 60 km west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of Cambridge....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The School has been awarded specialist 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 by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
. The Bexwell and Ryston sites have a combined student population of approximately 2,000 pupils. The school is one of the largest in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
partially due to its large catchment area.
Downham Market High School and College is divided between two separate campuses, with the main Bexwell campus teaching students years 7 - 11 (ages 11 – 16) and the Ryston campus teaching further education to sixth form students years 12 - 13 (ages 16 – 18).
History
Downham Market High School opened in September 1980 as the amalgamation of three former secondary schools in Downham Market - Downham Market Grammar, Downham Market Boys' School and Downham Market Girls' School. It now occupies two sets of premises known as Bexwell and Ryston.The Bexwell site dates back to 1956 and was originally organised as separate boys' and girls' secondary modern single-sex
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
schools. With building adaptations at the time of re-organisation in 1980, these former schools are now designated the Junior and Senior sides of the Bexwell site. The Upwell block was added as a consequence of the closure of Upwell Secondary in 1982 when around 220 additional pupils were added to the school roll. The Malcolm Arnold Room was opened by the famous composer Sir Malcolm Arnold
Malcolm Arnold
Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold, CBE was an English composer and symphonist.Malcolm Arnold began his career playing trumpet professionally, but by age thirty his life was devoted to composition. He was ranked with Benjamin Britten as one of the most sought-after composers in Britain...
in 1984. Other buildings on the Bexwell site include the Technology Block (1997), the Arts Block, housing History, Music and Drama (2001) and the English Block (2005).
Ryston was formerly the premises of Downham Market Grammar School, built in 1930 in the extensive grounds of the White House dating back to the 17th century. The house was formerly occupied by the headmaster of the school and, later, by the sixth form. It became surplus to requirements and was sold back into the residential sector in 2000. Since reorganisation, two new blocks have been added on the Ryston site. The Art and Business centre was opened by Gillian Shepherd MP, Minister of State for Education.
The academic years 1980/01 and 1981/82 saw the phasing out of the previous grammar and secondary modern pattern of education and, from September 1982, Downham Market High School became a fully amalgamated county, co-educational, secondary, comprehensive, day school. Year 7 students were based at Ryston after reorganisation in 1980, due to Bexwell insufficient space for five year groups, and Ryston's additional space for the then much smaller sixth form. 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 ....
stressed the importance of uniting Key Stages 3 and 4 on the same site and this was duly achieved with the opening of the New Block on the Bexwell site in 2001. In September 1983, the existing transfer arrangements into the school were re-organised so that all pupils entered at 11+ and not, as hitherto, with pupils from the surrounding village primary schools entering at 11+ and pupils from Clackclose County Middle School and Hillcrest First and Middle School entering at 12+.
The school gained Grant-Maintained status in 1992 (which lasted until the change of Government in 1997) and was extended with new buildings, sports hall and swimming pool. Technology College status was gained in 1996 by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
.
Headteachers
Mr Lamport-Smith was the first Headmaster, succeeded by Maurice Pearson, after whom M and P got their form names. John Ingram became Head of Downham Market Grammar School in 1976 after Maurice Pearson's death and, and in 1980, after successfully amalgamating the Grammar School with the two Secondary Modern Schools became head of the newly formed High School. Mrs Mary Hunt was Acting Head of the girls' school at the time of reorganisation and Mr Harold Barnes was Head of the Boys' school. The initial Chair of Governors was Colonel A Parkin, O.B.E..- 1956–1969: Mr. Lamport-Smith (Grammar School)
- 1969–1975: Maurice Pearson (Grammar School)
- 1976–1980: John Ingram (Grammar School)
- 1980–1995: John Ingram (Downham Market High School)
- 1995–2001: Ian Gartshore
- 2001–2002: Anne-Marie Storey
- 2002–2008: Ian Bloom
- 2008–2010: Sarah Quantrill
- 2011 (January-June): Gordon Boyd
- 2011–Present: Jon Ford
Campuses and Facilities
Minor renovations to the Bexwell campus where completed in 2009. The renovations began around 2005 and include the migration of the reception from beneath the library to the A Block, an expanded cafeteria, and a the English Block. The Bexwell site also replaced most of the sites existing white boards with new interactive whiteboards, and also replaced most of the computers in the T Block with newer models.The school provides extra-curricular programs including: musical, dramatic and sporting events, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
In 2009, the Downham Market Leisure Centre
Downham Market Leisure Centre
Downham Market Leisure Centre, located on the Downham Market High School site, is a leisure centre owned by The Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk...
extended and simultaneously refurbished its primary gym, the previous gym equipment was donated to the sports department at Downham Market High School.
Drama and music
The drama department is active in the school, offering a range of extracurricular activities and producing a variety of productions each year. Sixth Sense Theatre Company is part of the drama department in the school and teaches senior students the art of touring a production. Every summer the company tours a production; in recent years they have performed in Scotland, The Channel Islands and Australia.The music department runs several orchestras and arranges instrument tuition for students. The department stages a number of concerts throughout the year including the annual Christmas and recital concerts.
Sports
The school has a good reputation for sports, and teams regularly compete with other schools and in championships. Sports facilities on site include football and hockey pitches, tennis courts, basketball courts, cricket nets and a leisure centre - (run by the Borough CouncilKing's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district and borough in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn.-History:...
) which holds a sports hall, gym and swimming pool, which the school regularly use.