Finham Park School
Encyclopedia
Finham Park School is situated on Green Lane in Finham
, Coventry
, England
.
In September 2003, it became the first Mathematics and Computing College
in Coventry. The head teacher is Mr. Mark Bailie, with Deputy Head teachers Mr. R. Plester and Mrs. Maginnis. The previous headteacher had been Mr. Paul Logan who was head between 2002 and 2009.
The school has 1,500 students across the five mandatory years and the two optional years of the sixth form
. The student intake is from the Finham
, Styvechale
, Cheylesmore
, Green Lane and Fenside districts of the city, plus parts of Earlsdon.
Former England (1971-1975) rugby player Peter Rossborough was deputy headteacher at the school during the mid-1980s.
A sixth-form block was opened in 2006 and the old sixth-form block became used for Supportive Studies for the main school.
In 2005, Finham Park School became the first school in Coventry to offer the IB Diploma Programme
, as an alternative to A Levels. Upper sixth form students, the first to take the IB diploma from the school, sat their IB examinations in May 2007. As of 2008, Finham is still the only school in Coventry that offers the IB diploma.
In 2007, Finham Park was one of the first schools in England to test out the 'Biometric Cashless system' when buying food and drink items from school. Students have their thumbprint scan converted into an 11 digit number, and can only pay by having their thumbprint scanned into a system. Students can top up their account by putting money into an instant top up machine, or if they have a cheque they can give it to the Admin staff and they will add it manually; a downside being that it can take up to one hour to add the money onto a student's account.
Bishop Ullathorne RC School
is close by, towards the A45
. The school gates of the two schools are at 15–20 minutes walking distance.
The school now has four colleges:
These school houses were previously split up into Newton, Ada, Whittle and Galileo, but then in the new term of 2008 the houses were changed as above. Each pupil belongs to one of the houses and participates in competitions to earn points for their house.
From the 2008 school year, the house system changed along with a new vertical tutoring system.
Finham
Finham is a mainly residential part of the city of Coventry, West Midlands, England, and is the city's southernmost suburb, approximately from Coventry city centre. Finham shares its northern boundary along the A45 with the suburb of Styvechale/Stivichall to the north, and part of its southeastern...
, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, 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...
.
In September 2003, it became the first Mathematics and Computing College
Mathematics and Computing College
Mathematics and Computing Colleges were introduced in England in 2002 as part of the Government's Specialist Schools Programme which was designed to raise standards in secondary education. Specialist schools focus specifically on their chosen specialism but must also meet the requirements of the...
in Coventry. The head teacher is Mr. Mark Bailie, with Deputy Head teachers Mr. R. Plester and Mrs. Maginnis. The previous headteacher had been Mr. Paul Logan who was head between 2002 and 2009.
The school has 1,500 students across the five mandatory years and the two optional years of the 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,...
. The student intake is from the Finham
Finham
Finham is a mainly residential part of the city of Coventry, West Midlands, England, and is the city's southernmost suburb, approximately from Coventry city centre. Finham shares its northern boundary along the A45 with the suburb of Styvechale/Stivichall to the north, and part of its southeastern...
, Styvechale
Styvechale
Stivichall or Styvechale is a mainly residential area of south Coventry. It includes Fenside which forms part of southeast Stivichall. To the north and northwest Stivichall has a shared border with the War Memorial Park, along Coat of Arms Bridge Road. The district of Cheylesmore is to the...
, Cheylesmore
Cheylesmore
Cheylesmore is a suburb in the southern half of the city of Coventry, West Midlands, England. It is one of Coventry's largest suburbs, sharing borders with Whitley and Stivichall in the South, extending into Coventry city centre and bordering with Earlsdon in the North. Cheylesmore has two...
, Green Lane and Fenside districts of the city, plus parts of Earlsdon.
History
Finham Park School opened in 1970, but construction of the final school buildings was not completed until late 1971. Before Finham Park School opened, pupils in the area went to a variety of Coventry schools.Former England (1971-1975) rugby player Peter Rossborough was deputy headteacher at the school during the mid-1980s.
A sixth-form block was opened in 2006 and the old sixth-form block became used for Supportive Studies for the main school.
In 2005, Finham Park School became the first school in Coventry to offer the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
, as an alternative to A Levels. Upper sixth form students, the first to take the IB diploma from the school, sat their IB examinations in May 2007. As of 2008, Finham is still the only school in Coventry that offers the IB diploma.
In 2007, Finham Park was one of the first schools in England to test out the 'Biometric Cashless system' when buying food and drink items from school. Students have their thumbprint scan converted into an 11 digit number, and can only pay by having their thumbprint scanned into a system. Students can top up their account by putting money into an instant top up machine, or if they have a cheque they can give it to the Admin staff and they will add it manually; a downside being that it can take up to one hour to add the money onto a student's account.
Bishop Ullathorne RC School
Bishop Ullathorne RC School
Bishop Ullathorne RC School was established in Coventry in 1953. In 2006 it was awarded specialist status as a Humanities College. On 10 July 2007 Bishop Ullathorne Year 9 Cricket team won the Coventry Cricket Cup against King Henry VIII winning their first ever cricket cup in the schools history...
is close by, towards the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
. The school gates of the two schools are at 15–20 minutes walking distance.
Colleges
Originally the school was divided into eight Houses - Stretton, Leasowes, Manor, Ryton, Styvechale, Waverley, Kingswood, and Cryfield.The school now has four colleges:
| College | Colour | |
|---|---|---|
| Northgate | Blue | |
| Westgate | Green | |
| Southgate | Yellow | |
| Eastgate | Red | |
These school houses were previously split up into Newton, Ada, Whittle and Galileo, but then in the new term of 2008 the houses were changed as above. Each pupil belongs to one of the houses and participates in competitions to earn points for their house.
From the 2008 school year, the house system changed along with a new vertical tutoring system.
School buildings
- A Block - Reception, Psychology, Media, Drama, Gym and Sports Hall
- B Block - Modern Foreign Languages
- C Block - History and Religious Education
- D Block - Geography, Adult Education and the School Library
- E Block - 6th Form Centre, Canteen and Music
- H Block - Information Technology, Business Studies, Textiles, Art and Food Technology
- J Block - Maths and Science
- K Block - Art and Design Technology
- L Block - Science
- M Block - English and Canteen
- N Block - First Aid, Reprographics, Finance Offices
- P Block - WRL,Conextions and Careers
- R Block - Site Service Offices
- S Block - Personalised Learning Centre (PLC)