Ponteland High School
Encyclopedia
Ponteland Community High School, previously Ponteland County High School, is a large secondary school in the village of Ponteland
, Northumberland
. Operating under the three-tier system
in Northumberland
the school takes pupils from ages 13–19.
status in 1995. In 2001, as a result of changes introduced in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
, the school changed from being a County High School to a Community High School offering courses and activities to the local community. Since 2000 there have been significant additions to and refurbishment of the school buildings including new science laboratories, a new sixth form centre and a four-classroom block added to the humanities area.
The school won the Bar National Mock Trial
in 2002 and 2009.
The school has a vast range of international activities in which pupils may participate and for which the school was awarded International School Award
for 1999–2001 and 2002-2004.
with Trust status. The original plan was to effect this change by 1 January 2010 involving four local partners namely Northumberland County Council
, the Co-operative Group, Newcastle Airport
and the Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University
.
The plans were delayed after opposition from the local community and staff who submitted as petition against it containing 76 signatures. Following this a new implementation date of April 2010 was announced. However this was further delayed by the decision of two of the four potential partner organisations in the trust, Newcastle Airport and the Newcastle Business School, to pull out in January 2010.
The Governors remain committed to the trust plan and have stated that they could have gone ahead without the two organisations, but have agreed to use their withdrawal as an opportunity to find new prospective partners.
Ponteland
Ponteland is a village situated in Northumberland near Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The name means island in the Pont , as the area consisted of a small piece of solid ground around St. Mary's church and the old bridge, surrounded by marshland. This marshland is now drained, with housing built on...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. Operating under the three-tier system
Three-tier education
Three-tier education refers to those structures of schooling, which exist in some parts of England, where pupils are taught in three distinct school types. A similar experiment was also trialled in Scotland....
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
the school takes pupils from ages 13–19.
History
The school opened in purpose-built accommodation in September 1972. It was the first state school in the country to gain Language CollegeLanguage College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
status in 1995. In 2001, as a result of changes introduced in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
School Standards and Framework Act 1998
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was the major education legislation passed by the incoming Labour government of Tony Blair.This Act:* imposed a limit of 30 on infant class sizes....
, the school changed from being a County High School to a Community High School offering courses and activities to the local community. Since 2000 there have been significant additions to and refurbishment of the school buildings including new science laboratories, a new sixth form centre and a four-classroom block added to the humanities area.
Academic and Extracurricular Activities
The school has high academic achievement. At GCSE Level its proportion of A*-C grades including English and Maths is 71%. At A Level its pass rate is 98% with 57% of students receiving A or B grades. Eighty percent of the school's Upper 6th Form Pupils go on to university.The school won the Bar National Mock Trial
Bar Mock Trials
The "Bar National Mock Trial Competition" which aims to give young people an insight to the workings of the legal system. Now in its 18th year, it involves over 2,000 students, 200 barristers/advocates and 90 judges from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.-Finalist 2010/2011:The...
in 2002 and 2009.
The school has a vast range of international activities in which pupils may participate and for which the school was awarded International School Award
International School Award
The International School Award is a British Council accreditation scheme rewarding schools with a notable global element in their curriculum.The scheme began in 1999 and since then, over 1000 International School Awards have been granted....
for 1999–2001 and 2002-2004.
Future and Foundation School Status
The School intends to free itself from Local Authority control and become a Foundation SchoolFoundation school
In England and Wales, a foundation school is a state-funded school in which the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools....
with Trust status. The original plan was to effect this change by 1 January 2010 involving four local partners namely Northumberland County Council
Northumberland County Council
Northumberland County Council is a unitary authority in North East England. It was originally formed in 1889 as the council for the administrative county of Northumberland and reformed in 1974 to cover a the newly formed non-metropolitan county of Northumberland...
, the Co-operative Group, Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
and the Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University
Northumbria University
Northumbria University is an academic institution located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. It is a member of the University Alliance.- History :...
.
The plans were delayed after opposition from the local community and staff who submitted as petition against it containing 76 signatures. Following this a new implementation date of April 2010 was announced. However this was further delayed by the decision of two of the four potential partner organisations in the trust, Newcastle Airport and the Newcastle Business School, to pull out in January 2010.
The Governors remain committed to the trust plan and have stated that they could have gone ahead without the two organisations, but have agreed to use their withdrawal as an opportunity to find new prospective partners.