Plymstock School
Encyclopedia
Plymstock School is a state comprehensive secondary school
(ages 11–18) in Plymstock
, a popular suburb of Plymouth
, Devon
, England
. It was the first West Devon comprehensive school (built on the core of a post war secondary school) and is now a Specialist Sports College
.
it has some 1,600 students, of whom 240 are in the sixth form
. The school claims to be "the most oversubscribed school in Devon".
Plymstock School was maintained by Devon County Council
until 1 April 1967, when it was tranferred to Plymouth City Council which has maintained it since then. In 2003 it underwent what was reported as a budget crisis, forcing redundancies and reduced spending on new classrooms to replace temporary facilities. The school offers AS and A levels as the sixth form option, having no plans despite the large pupil numbers, to teach the International Baccalaureat or the pre-U despite the IB now being offered in many leading schools in the city and county including Ivybridge Community College
, Plymouth High School for Girls
, Plymouth College
and Exeter School
on the basis that such qualifications are not essential in England.
In many of the last School ratings in Local, and National Newspapers, have claimed Plymstock to be in the top 5 of Plymouth, with the higher ranked schools being Private (11+ examination schools) and within the top 800 of England. (Herald, The Independent). As of the 2009 OFSTED report, this school has been rated as 'Outstanding'.
Its local feeder primary schools include: Elburton Primary; Hooe Primary; Dunstone Primary; Pomphlett Primary; and Oreston Primary.
, and the buildings were extended between 1969 and 1970 to accommodate a further 300 pupils.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
(ages 11–18) in Plymstock
Plymstock
Plymstock is a civil parish and commuter suburb of Plymouth in the English county of Devon.The earliest surviving documentary reference to the place is as Plemestocha in the Domesday Book and its name is derived from Old English meaning either "outlying farm with a plum-tree" or, if it is short for...
, a popular suburb of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, 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...
. It was the first West Devon comprehensive school (built on the core of a post war secondary school) and is now a Specialist Sports College
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...
.
it has some 1,600 students, of whom 240 are in 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 school claims to be "the most oversubscribed school in Devon".
Plymstock School was maintained by Devon County Council
Devon County Council
Devon County Council is the county council administering the English county of Devon. Based in the city of Exeter, the council covers the non-metropolitan county area of Devon...
until 1 April 1967, when it was tranferred to Plymouth City Council which has maintained it since then. In 2003 it underwent what was reported as a budget crisis, forcing redundancies and reduced spending on new classrooms to replace temporary facilities. The school offers AS and A levels as the sixth form option, having no plans despite the large pupil numbers, to teach the International Baccalaureat or the pre-U despite the IB now being offered in many leading schools in the city and county including Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College is a state funded secondary school in Ivybridge, Devon, England. It is apparently the second-largest secondary school in Devon. Since 2010, Rob Haring has been the principal. It was awarded a sports specialism in 1997, a specialism in Science in 2004 and a third...
, Plymouth High School for Girls
Plymouth High School for Girls
Plymouth High School for Girls is a girls' grammar school founded in 1874. It is located on St Lawrence Road in Plymouth, Devon, England close to Mutley Plain and Plymouth city centre...
, Plymouth College
Plymouth College
Plymouth College is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon, England, for day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 to 18...
and Exeter School
Exeter School
Exeter School is a selective independent co-educational day school for pupils between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England. In 2010 there were around 180 pupils in the Junior School and 670 in the Senior School...
on the basis that such qualifications are not essential in England.
In many of the last School ratings in Local, and National Newspapers, have claimed Plymstock to be in the top 5 of Plymouth, with the higher ranked schools being Private (11+ examination schools) and within the top 800 of England. (Herald, The Independent). As of the 2009 OFSTED report, this school has been rated as 'Outstanding'.
Its local feeder primary schools include: Elburton Primary; Hooe Primary; Dunstone Primary; Pomphlett Primary; and Oreston Primary.
History
The school was opened on 26 April 1911 as the Plymstock Senior Mixed School, and replaced the Dean Cross Elementary School for Boys. The first headmaster was T F Jarvis. Its name was changed to Plymstock County Senior Mixed School, and then to Plymstock County Secondary School, and in September 1961 to its current name. In 1965, it became a comprehensive schoolComprehensive 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...
, and the buildings were extended between 1969 and 1970 to accommodate a further 300 pupils.
Notable alumni
- Sharron DaviesSharron DaviesSharron Elizabeth Davies MBE is a retired swimmer from the United Kingdom. She won a silver medal in the 400 metre individual medley at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and two gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton...
- Olympic swimmer and television presenter - Mecia SimsonMecia SimsonMecia Simone Simson is a British model, who was announced as the winner of the fifth cycle of Britain's Next Top Model in July 2009.- Britain's Next Top Model :...
- Britain's Next Top Model Cycle 5 Winner - Vince Freeman - Musician winner of the MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
indie musician of the year award - Liz White - Actress credits include popular BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
drama series Life on Mars (TV Series)Life on Mars (TV series)Life on Mars is a British television series broadcast on BBC One between January 2006 and April 2007. The series combines elements of science fiction and police procedural....
and the film Vera DrakeVera DrakeVera Drake is a 2004 British drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, telling the story of a working-class woman in London in 1950 who performs illegal abortions... - Antony JinmanAntony Jinman-Early life:Jinman was born in Wembury, Plymouth. He attended school at Wembury Primary School and then Plymstock School. After four years in the British Armed Forces he left to become an expedition leader.-Baffin Island:...
- Polar explorer - Heather Knight - cricketer