King Edward VI College, Nuneaton
Encyclopedia
King Edward VI College is a sixth form college
located in Nuneaton
, England
, in Warwickshire
. Currently, it teaches subjects in preparation for AS and A-level Examinations, for students generally aged sixteen to eighteen.
, following the grant of a royal charter by King Edward VI. The school was originally a fee paying school, although the county council provided some scholarships, and became non-fee paying as a result of the education act
of 1944. The voluntary aided school
had around 400 boys in the 1960s.
closed and was re-established as King Edward VI College. On 25 November 2000, five male teenagers at the college were killed in a car crash when travelling to a birthday party in a Hillman Imp
.
style by the architect C.C. Rolfe. The college was frequently extended during the 20th century to accommodate growing numbers of students. The Arnold Building, a new building opposite the main college site, was completed in 1994. In 2006 another small building was constructed next to the Arnold Building to hold the history department.
under a joint campus was announced in late 2007. The initial plan was for a new campus located in the town centre replacing several existing developments. A public consultation on the plans held in early 2008 found 47% of those taking part against them and 46% in favour. Ultimately the plan was rejected by Warwickshire County Council in May 2008. The colleges were considering expanding on the Hinckley Road site of the North Warwickshire and Hinckley College however this did not go ahead.
Committee', which consists of six elected positions:
Collectively the College Council and Student Executive Committee are responsible for: organising charity fund-raising events, College Parties and the end of year Valedictory Ball. They are also involved in planning the annual 'Celebrating Student Achievement Evening', they meet with the Board of Governors
and may make proposals regarding various student/college related issues to the Principal of the College.
Football Club (RFC) was initially founded in 1910 to provide rugby football for former pupils of the Grammar School, the club went open in 1955 allowing players from all backgrounds to join. The club is still active and is participating in the Midlands 3 West League.
, offering more flexible AS and A2 level options, and the recent need for further college expansion has led to renewed links between the colleges and the development of the 'new college' proposal.
and St. Thomas More Catholic School and Technology College the opportunity to undertake additional AS/A level courses.
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
located in Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
, 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 Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. Currently, it teaches subjects in preparation for AS and A-level Examinations, for students generally aged sixteen to eighteen.
Grammar school
King Edward VI Grammar School came into being on 11 May 1552 as a grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, following the grant of a royal charter by King Edward VI. The school was originally a fee paying school, although the county council provided some scholarships, and became non-fee paying as a result of the education act
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
of 1944. The voluntary aided school
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
had around 400 boys in the 1960s.
Sixth form college
In 1974 the grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
closed and was re-established as King Edward VI College. On 25 November 2000, five male teenagers at the college were killed in a car crash when travelling to a birthday party in a Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
.
Former headmasters
- Rowland P Brown OBE JP MA(Oxon) 1967-75 (President from 1985-6 of the Secondary Heads AssociationAssociation of School and College LeadersThe Association of School and College Leaders , formerly the Secondary Heads Association , is the British professional association for leaders of secondary schools and colleges.-History:...
)
The site
The oldest surviving school building located in the grounds of the St. Nicholas Church dates from 1595, was rebuilt in 1696 and was used as a school until 1880. In 1880 the Grammar school was relocated to the current site on King Edward Road, the other side of the church yard. The new building was built in a TudorTudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
style by the architect C.C. Rolfe. The college was frequently extended during the 20th century to accommodate growing numbers of students. The Arnold Building, a new building opposite the main college site, was completed in 1994. In 2006 another small building was constructed next to the Arnold Building to hold the history department.
The New College
Future college expansion to deal with an increasing student population is difficult as the original building is listed and the surrounding area is extremely close to Nuneaton's town centre. A plan for a 'new college' which amalgamates King Edward VI College and North Warwickshire and Hinckley CollegeNorth Warwickshire and Hinckley College
North Warwickshire and Hinckley College is a Further Education College with campuses in Leicestershire, Nuneaton & Bedworth and North Warwickshire...
under a joint campus was announced in late 2007. The initial plan was for a new campus located in the town centre replacing several existing developments. A public consultation on the plans held in early 2008 found 47% of those taking part against them and 46% in favour. Ultimately the plan was rejected by Warwickshire County Council in May 2008. The colleges were considering expanding on the Hinckley Road site of the North Warwickshire and Hinckley College however this did not go ahead.
The Student Voice
A codified constitution was created in 2007 which made provisions for student representation in college affairs. It identified two institutions responsible for representing the students of the college; the 'College Council' which consists of representatives from each tutor group in the college and the 'Student ExecutiveExecutive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
Committee', which consists of six elected positions:
- Male ChairChair (official)The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
- Chairs and oversees council meetings - Female ChairChair (official)The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
- Chairs and oversees council meetings - TreasurerTreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
- Manages the council's budget - SecretarySecretaryA secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
- Responsible for the minutes of each meeting - Entertainments Officer - Arranges college parties, charity events etc.
- Press Officer - Deals with the promotional activities involved in organising all events undertaken by the committee
Collectively the College Council and Student Executive Committee are responsible for: organising charity fund-raising events, College Parties and the end of year Valedictory Ball. They are also involved in planning the annual 'Celebrating Student Achievement Evening', they meet with the Board of Governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
and may make proposals regarding various student/college related issues to the Principal of the College.
College parties
One of the main responsibilities of the Student Council is the planning and budgeting of the College Parties, there are four parties each year and they are usually based around a specific theme (although dressing up to match the theme is optional). The parties take place off the college site, usually at the Nuneaton Co-operative club with decorations, music, ticket sales etc. arranged by the college council. The majority of the money raised by college parties is donated to a pre-selected charity. In addition to the four seasonal college parties, there is a Valedictory Ball for departing second years which takes place at the end of the college year.Sports teams
The Nuneaton Old Edwardians RugbyRugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
Football Club (RFC) was initially founded in 1910 to provide rugby football for former pupils of the Grammar School, the club went open in 1955 allowing players from all backgrounds to join. The club is still active and is participating in the Midlands 3 West League.
Enrichment activities
The college offers an enrichment programme which is designed to offer a wide-range of sporting and recreational opportunities to students. These timetabled activities take place once a week and are compulsory for first year students. Although enrichment is not compulsory for students after their first year, they are free to continue with it if they choose. Activities include various sporting activities, participation in college media (e.g. the college newspaper, radio station and film-making club) and a variety of clubs/societies.Academic performance
For a Sixth Form College, it gets below average A level results and under the England average for all types of schools. It is in the bottom fifth of Warwickshire schools and colleges.North Warwickshire and Hinckley College
The college maintains close links with a number of local educational establishments, most notably North Warwickshire and Hinckley College (originally known as North Warwickshire College of Technology and Art', the only other college located in the Nuneaton area). The links between the colleges allowed for students to undertake courses which required them to commute between both colleges, however changes to further education in the early 1990s and the merger between 'North Warwickshire College of Technology and Art' and 'Hinckley College' to become 'North Warwickshire and Hinckley College' in 1996 meant that this was no longer possible and ties between the colleges were severed. The introduction of Curriculum 2000Curriculum 2000
Curriculum 2000 was a reform of the A Level examination in the United Kingdom. It was introduced in September 2000 . An A Level now consists of four or six units studied over two years...
, offering more flexible AS and A2 level options, and the recent need for further college expansion has led to renewed links between the colleges and the development of the 'new college' proposal.
Secondary Schools
The college offers higher level students from local secondary schools Higham Lane SchoolHigham Lane School
Higham Lane School is a secondary school in Weddington, Nuneaton, England. The current headteacher is Mr Phil Kelly who became headmaster in January 2006, replacing Dr R. Tetlow. The school teaches pupils aged eleven to sixteen in preparation for their GCSEs...
and St. Thomas More Catholic School and Technology College the opportunity to undertake additional AS/A level courses.
King Edward VI College
- Marcus JonesMarcus Jones (UK politician)Marcus Charles Jones is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Nuneaton since 2010. Previously, he had been Leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.-Education and early career:...
, Conservative Member of Parliament for NuneatonNuneaton (UK Parliament constituency)Nuneaton is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Pre-2010 :...
(2010–Present)
King Edward VI Grammar School
- Geoffrey de HavillandGeoffrey de HavillandCaptain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS, was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer...
, aviation pioneer - Jim LeeJim Lee (Radio)Jim Lee is a freelance continuity announcer on BBC Radio 4, a newsreader and announcer at the BBC World Service and also provides links for BBC Radio 7. He often reads the Shipping Forecast.-Early life:...
, Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
announcer - Ken LoachKen LoachKenneth "Ken" Loach is a Palme D'Or winning English film and television director.He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist beliefs, which are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as homelessness , labour rights and child abuse at the...
, television and film director