Reepham High School
Encyclopedia
Reepham High School and College is located in Reepham, a small market town in the English
county
of Norfolk
. It is a specialist Science, Applied Learning and Mathematics & Computing centre and has around 1100 pupils on roll. The majority of the students live in outlying villages. Prior to September 2009, when Reepham College opened, it was known as Reepham High School. Mark Farrar is the current acting principal.
, and the first head was Edward Riddell Smith.
reported that Reepham High was the only school in Norfolk to carry Ofsted
’s “Outstanding” ranking.. In September 2008, the school was ranked “Outstanding” for a third time, and the school scored the overall grade possible. The school’s website heralded the news thus:
In the early 2006–2007 school year, rumours were circulating that the school’s authorities were attempting to apply for an ‘Arts College’ specialism to add to their belt. However, at the Year 11 Awards Evening, 18 November 2006, Hassell revealed that the specialism would in fact be ‘vocationalism’, and since then Reepham High School and College has become a specialist Science, Mathematics and Vocational school.
It was announced, that because that particular year had been statistically the best performing the school had ever had, they were in fact the main reason funding and approval was able to be secured for both a second specialism and sixth form
. The school had been trying to acquire a sixth form for almost twenty years but both the LEA and nearby partnership school Fakenham High had voiced strong opposition, the LEA on financial grounds and Fakenham as this simply duplicated provision which already existed. Due to Reepham High School’s performance over the last few years, however, they were finally granted funding and approval to build a sixth form.
The school is renowned for its place at the heart of the community, offering pioneering adult education courses, many free of charge. On a more academic front, the school takes much pride in the AS-level courses it runs in Maths and Electronics, having produced students with A grades two years earlier than the usual sitting age for AS exams. The school has also been used as a case study by education giant LJGroup.
Reepham High School also acts as a placement school for many ITT courses, including the highly acclaimed UEA
PGCE.
RHS has been included in the Sunday Times “Best Schools Guide” for achieving the 23rd highest GCSE pass rate at A*–C as a percentage of examination entry in Britain’s state schools.
Then Education Secretary, Charles Clarke
; Martin Bell
, OBE; and local businessman Bernard Matthews
have all visited the establishment to commemorate the opening of other developments.
Sufferer of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, which took his life on the 23 November 2006 at age 16. Born 26 September 1990, Matthew lived all his life in Cawston
.
First diagnosed in November 2005, Fletcher achieved fame for his constant struggle against the illness while studying at Reepham High School, Norfolk, UK. He is credited for doing much to raise awareness for Leukaemia sufferers, particularly through his work with the Anthony Nolan Trust. His work and life earned him considerable attention in the local newspaper, the Eastern Daily Press
, often to the size of double-page-inside spreads.
Matthew recorded an audio diary for BBC Radio Norfolk
. Extracts from this audio diary were played on the BBC Radio 4
programme Pick of the Week presented by Robin Lustig
.
The week before his death Matthew was given the “Community Student of the Year” award from Reepham High School and a recorded video message from him was played to the school.
Acquired a rare supra tentorial primitive neuro-ectodermal brain tumour that affects only one in a million children. He died on 12 November 2006 after a 15-month battle. Like Fletcher, Stringer inspired much charity work, including several ‘sponsored silences’.
in 2008. He has also played for the u-16 England squad
and his shirt hangs high in the school's main hall. In 2010, Jed appeared on the video game FIFA 11
.
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...
county
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. It is a specialist Science, Applied Learning and Mathematics & Computing centre and has around 1100 pupils on roll. The majority of the students live in outlying villages. Prior to September 2009, when Reepham College opened, it was known as Reepham High School. Mark Farrar is the current acting principal.
History
The school opened with c. 200 pupils in 1961 as a secondary modern schoolSecondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
, and the first head was Edward Riddell Smith.
College
Recent fame has hit the school in the form of a new £2,000,000 sixth form development (as well as a new £280,000 playing field, and additional science classrooms) and its ongoing league table success.Achievements
In 2006, the Eastern Daily PressEastern Daily Press
The Eastern Daily Press, commonly referred to as the EDP, is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, and northern parts of Suffolk and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is published daily in Norwich, UK....
reported that Reepham High was the only school in Norfolk to carry Ofsted
Ofsted
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 ....
’s “Outstanding” ranking.. In September 2008, the school was ranked “Outstanding” for a third time, and the school scored the overall grade possible. The school’s website heralded the news thus:
In the early 2006–2007 school year, rumours were circulating that the school’s authorities were attempting to apply for an ‘Arts College’ specialism to add to their belt. However, at the Year 11 Awards Evening, 18 November 2006, Hassell revealed that the specialism would in fact be ‘vocationalism’, and since then Reepham High School and College has become a specialist Science, Mathematics and Vocational school.
It was announced, that because that particular year had been statistically the best performing the school had ever had, they were in fact the main reason funding and approval was able to be secured for both a second specialism and 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 had been trying to acquire a sixth form for almost twenty years but both the LEA and nearby partnership school Fakenham High had voiced strong opposition, the LEA on financial grounds and Fakenham as this simply duplicated provision which already existed. Due to Reepham High School’s performance over the last few years, however, they were finally granted funding and approval to build a sixth form.
The school is renowned for its place at the heart of the community, offering pioneering adult education courses, many free of charge. On a more academic front, the school takes much pride in the AS-level courses it runs in Maths and Electronics, having produced students with A grades two years earlier than the usual sitting age for AS exams. The school has also been used as a case study by education giant LJGroup.
Reepham High School also acts as a placement school for many ITT courses, including the highly acclaimed UEA
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
PGCE.
RHS has been included in the Sunday Times “Best Schools Guide” for achieving the 23rd highest GCSE pass rate at A*–C as a percentage of examination entry in Britain’s state schools.
Then Education Secretary, Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
; Martin Bell
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, OBE, is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician...
, OBE; and local businessman Bernard Matthews
Bernard Matthews
Bernard Matthews Farms Ltd is a British farming and food products business, which specialises in the farming of turkeys. Founded by Bernard Matthews in 1950, as Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd, the company is headquartered in Norwich, Norfolk, England, and has 56 farms throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and...
have all visited the establishment to commemorate the opening of other developments.
Events
The school’s art exhibition, displaying the final pieces of the school’s GCSE Art students, is a highlight of the its summer calendar.Matthew Fletcher
Cawston, Norfolk
Cawston is a small village located approximately North of Norwich, off the B1149 main road to Holt. Nearby villages are Reepham and Aylsham.-Church of St Agnes:...
.
First diagnosed in November 2005, Fletcher achieved fame for his constant struggle against the illness while studying at Reepham High School, Norfolk, UK. He is credited for doing much to raise awareness for Leukaemia sufferers, particularly through his work with the Anthony Nolan Trust. His work and life earned him considerable attention in the local newspaper, the Eastern Daily Press
Eastern Daily Press
The Eastern Daily Press, commonly referred to as the EDP, is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, and northern parts of Suffolk and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is published daily in Norwich, UK....
, often to the size of double-page-inside spreads.
Matthew recorded an audio diary for BBC Radio Norfolk
BBC Radio Norfolk
BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Norfolk, broadcasting since 11 September 1980. It broadcasts from the studios of BBC East in The Forum, Norwich on 95.1 FM , 104.4 FM , 95.6 FM , 855 kHz AM/MW , 873 kHz AM/MW BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC Local...
. Extracts from this audio diary were played on the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC 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...
programme Pick of the Week presented by Robin Lustig
Robin Lustig
Robin Francis Lustig is a BBC journalist and radio broadcaster who presents programmes for the BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4.- Early Career :...
.
The week before his death Matthew was given the “Community Student of the Year” award from Reepham High School and a recorded video message from him was played to the school.
Andrew Stringer
12 December 1992 – 12 November 2006Acquired a rare supra tentorial primitive neuro-ectodermal brain tumour that affects only one in a million children. He died on 12 November 2006 after a 15-month battle. Like Fletcher, Stringer inspired much charity work, including several ‘sponsored silences’.
Jed Steer
Jed Steer joined Norwich CityNorwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in 2008. He has also played for the u-16 England squad
England national under-16 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*...
and his shirt hangs high in the school's main hall. In 2010, Jed appeared on the video game FIFA 11
FIFA 11
FIFA 11 is the 18th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label...
.