Kingsmead Technology College
Encyclopedia
Kingsmead Technology College is a specialist school
in technology
. Established in 1938, it is located in Hednesford
, Staffordshire
, England. The head teacher
is Ian Bryant.
Approximately 1,300 mixed gender pupils are educated here. The school's intake is from 11-18 (Years 7-13). Notably the school shares a sixth form
with two other comprehensive school
s, Blake Valley Technology College
and Norton Canes High School.
Website
, the school accommodated children who had been evacuated
.
Subsequently the title changed to Kingsmead Comprehensive School and then to Kingsmead High School. It was renamed Kingsmead Technology College when it became a specialist school
in 2002.
The school was one of those selected in 2004 to test out a new Geography
GCSE
aimed at moving away from learning facts to understanding the big issues. Also in 2004 the then head teacher Julia Almond was appointed as Staffordshire's new deputy education director.
A student and teacher exchange programme was introduced in 1999 with teacher exchange visits with two Zambia
n schools - Helen Kaunda High School and Mukuba High School in Kitwe
. This started a series of partnerships between Zambian and UK schools and there are now over 30 such school partnerships. Students from Kingsmead paid a visit to the Kitwe schools in 2005.
An investigation was held in September 2006 after leaflets promoting a series of 'adult' club nights for 11 to 16-year-olds, at Cannock
's Civic Suite, were distributed outside the school.
In their report following the January 2006 inspection Ofsted
rated the school as Satisfactory, point three on a four point scale. In a special visit, in October 2007, to look at the provision of Religious Education
, overall effectiveness for this subject was considered to be Good.
nasium would be built at the school to serve the whole of the West Midlands
.
In September 2003 the school, received £60,000 of lottery cash
to improve the surfaces of its playing fields.
on 3 July 2005 at the The Prince of Wales Centre in Cannock as part of the nationwide Shakespeare festival organised by the BBC.
was voted the nation's favourite Page 3 model and has also appeared on television shows including Fear Factor
and The Weakest Link
.
Chris Overton played the Young Phantom in Joel Schumacher
's 2004 The Phantom of the Opera
. He subsequently took the part of Noah Claypole in Roman Polanski
's 2005 remake of Oliver Twist
.
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in technology
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...
. Established in 1938, it is located in Hednesford
Hednesford
Hednesford is a small town and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, within Cannock Chase District. It adjoins Cannock Chase to the north, and the town of Cannock to the south. It had a 2010 mid-year estimated population of 16,928.-History:...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England. The head teacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
is Ian Bryant.
Approximately 1,300 mixed gender pupils are educated here. The school's intake is from 11-18 (Years 7-13). Notably the school shares a 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,...
with two other comprehensive 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...
s, Blake Valley Technology College
Blake Valley Technology College
Blake Valley Technology College is a co-educational comprehensive school in Marston Road, Hednesford, Staffordshire, England....
and Norton Canes High School.
Website
History
Since its establishment in 1938, the school has had several name changes. Originally it was known as Littleworth School. In the early days there were separate boys' and girls' schools. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the school accommodated children who had been evacuated
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
.
Subsequently the title changed to Kingsmead Comprehensive School and then to Kingsmead High School. It was renamed Kingsmead Technology College when it became a specialist school
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in 2002.
The school was one of those selected in 2004 to test out a new Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
GCSE
General 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...
aimed at moving away from learning facts to understanding the big issues. Also in 2004 the then head teacher Julia Almond was appointed as Staffordshire's new deputy education director.
A student and teacher exchange programme was introduced in 1999 with teacher exchange visits with two Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
n schools - Helen Kaunda High School and Mukuba High School in Kitwe
Kitwe
Kitwe is the second largest city in terms of size and population in Zambia. With a population of 547,700 Kitwe is one of the most developed commercial and industrial areas in the nation, alongside Ndola and Lusaka...
. This started a series of partnerships between Zambian and UK schools and there are now over 30 such school partnerships. Students from Kingsmead paid a visit to the Kitwe schools in 2005.
An investigation was held in September 2006 after leaflets promoting a series of 'adult' club nights for 11 to 16-year-olds, at Cannock
Cannock
Cannock is the most populous of three towns in the district of Cannock Chase in the central southern part of the county of Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England....
's Civic Suite, were distributed outside the school.
Academic standards
Absenteeism, authorised and unauthorised, is below both the local and national average by about a quarter.In their report following the January 2006 inspection Ofsted
Office for Standards in Education
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 ....
rated the school as Satisfactory, point three on a four point scale. In a special visit, in October 2007, to look at the provision of Religious Education
Religious Education
Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a...
, overall effectiveness for this subject was considered to be Good.
Sport
In April 1998 it was announced that a gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium would be built at the school to serve the whole of the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
.
In September 2003 the school, received £60,000 of lottery cash
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
to improve the surfaces of its playing fields.
Extracurricular activities
The school performed MacbethMacbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
on 3 July 2005 at the The Prince of Wales Centre in Cannock as part of the nationwide Shakespeare festival organised by the BBC.
Notable students
Glamour model Jakki DeggJakki Degg
Jakki Degg is an English glamour model and actress. While the bulk of her work has been done in England, she has appeared in American film and television, and has posed for posters and magazine pictorials.-Early life:...
was voted the nation's favourite Page 3 model and has also appeared on television shows including Fear Factor
Fear Factor
Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare reality game show. The original Dutch version was called Now or Neverland. When Endemol USA and NBC adapted it to the American market in 2001, they changed the name to Fear Factor. The show pits contestants against each other in a variety of stunts for a...
and The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
.
Chris Overton played the Young Phantom in Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
's 2004 The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film)
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux....
. He subsequently took the part of Noah Claypole in Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
's 2005 remake of Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist (2005 film)
Oliver Twist is a 2005 British drama film directed by Roman Polanski. The screenplay by Ronald Harwood is based on the 1838 novel of the same title by Charles Dickens....
.