Rossmore Community College
Encyclopedia
St Aldhelm's Academy is a 12–18 mixed specialist school
with Sports College
status serving the Rossmore, Parkstone
, Newtown, Wallisdown
and Alderney
areas of Poole
, United Kingdom
. It was previously named the Martin-Kemp Welch School, but was renamed Rossmore Community College in 2001.
The school became a secondary modern
after the Second World War
and expanded rapidly in 1963 to house 600 students in both schools. An East Block was built onto the girls' school, housing additional classrooms, art rooms and a music room. The West Block was built across the boys' playground and housed classrooms, science labs and the boys' music room. Prior to this, new work shops and kitchens had been built. The boys' gym was built onto the rear of the boys' half of the main block (now the technology block) and the girls' gym was built on the school field and is now part of the leisure centre
.
In 1974 the two schools merged to form one large school and the age was changed from 11–16 to 12–16. Not a great deal changed at the school over the next 15 years and the school fell into a state of disrepair. Pupil numbers dropped in the 1980s and 1990s leaving the school with empty classrooms. The leisure centre first opened onto the former girls' gym in 1992 and the second phase opened in 1998. In 1994 the school opened its sixth form
. Despite this, the school was being seen as a 'rough school' with many parents in the local area sending their children to other schools. In 1999 only half of the children from Branksome Heath Middle School
(largest in catchment) went to Kemp-Welch with the remainder going to either Poole
or Parkstone Grammar School
, Poole High
or St Edwards
Schools.
and the school aimed to improve itself in time for its next Ofsted visit or face closure. The school changed its name to Rossmore Community College and underwent a major building program to reinvent itself.
Changes included:
For a short time, in the Autumn term of 2001, Maths and English rooms were being refurbished which meant Maths and English were using any other classroom possible in the school, but January 2002 saw the new rooms open which were half the size larger than before with new carpets and furniture.
much to the disgust of the neighbouring st aldhelm combined school due to people thinking the schools are related.
, and is adjoined by a sports field and tennis court
s.
The original Leisure Centre was built in 1992 onto the sports block and included the gym, sports hall, fitness studio and a new canteen for the school (used for parties for the public). In 1998 the centre was extended further with a new swimming pool (the Herbert Ballam pool), new fitness studio (the old studio became a bar) and a gymnastics hall which has trained Olympic contestants. The centre was original Kemp-Welch Leisure Centre, but became Rossmore Leisure Centre in January 2003.
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...
with Sports College
Sports College
Sports Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, PE, sports and dance. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Sports...
status serving the Rossmore, Parkstone
Parkstone
Parkstone is an area of Poole, Dorset. It is divided into 'Lower' and 'Upper' Parkstone. Upper Parkstone - "Up-on-'ill" as it used to be known in local parlance - is so-called because it is largely on higher ground slightly to the north of the lower-lying area of Lower Parkstone - "The Village" -...
, Newtown, Wallisdown
Wallisdown
Wallisdown is a residential and commercial area situated partly in Bournemouth and partly in Poole, in southern England.- Geography :Wallisdown is situated on the border between Bournemouth and Poole...
and Alderney
Alderney, Dorset
Alderney is a suburb and electoral ward in the town of Poole in Dorset, England with a population of 11,196. It is Poole's second most densely populated area with 31 people to each hectare and suffers much higher than average levels of poverty, illiteracy and crime.-External links:...
areas of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was previously named the Martin-Kemp Welch School, but was renamed Rossmore Community College in 2001.
School history
The school opened in October 1938 as Kemp-Welch Senior Council School and taught boys and girls in two different departments—the boys were housed in the west side of the building, while the girls were housed in the east. This was typical for a school of its time and there was a 'quad' in the middle of the school which divided the two schools.The school became a secondary modern
Secondary 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...
after the Second World War
World 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...
and expanded rapidly in 1963 to house 600 students in both schools. An East Block was built onto the girls' school, housing additional classrooms, art rooms and a music room. The West Block was built across the boys' playground and housed classrooms, science labs and the boys' music room. Prior to this, new work shops and kitchens had been built. The boys' gym was built onto the rear of the boys' half of the main block (now the technology block) and the girls' gym was built on the school field and is now part of the leisure centre
Leisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
.
In 1974 the two schools merged to form one large school and the age was changed from 11–16 to 12–16. Not a great deal changed at the school over the next 15 years and the school fell into a state of disrepair. Pupil numbers dropped in the 1980s and 1990s leaving the school with empty classrooms. The leisure centre first opened onto the former girls' gym in 1992 and the second phase opened in 1998. In 1994 the school opened its 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,...
. Despite this, the school was being seen as a 'rough school' with many parents in the local area sending their children to other schools. In 1999 only half of the children from Branksome Heath Middle School
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
(largest in catchment) went to Kemp-Welch with the remainder going to either Poole
Poole Grammar School
Poole Grammar School is a selective, all boys grammar school in Poole, on the south coast of England.-Admissions:...
or Parkstone Grammar School
Parkstone Grammar School
Parkstone Grammar School is a selective, all girls state-school in Poole, on the southern coast of England.-Admissions:...
, Poole High
Poole High School
Poole High School is a mixed gender high school and sixth form for 12-18 year olds located in the centre of Poole, Dorset on the South Coast of England...
or St Edwards
St Edward's Roman Catholic Church of England School
St Edward's Roman Catholic/Church of England School is a voluntary aided secondary school in Poole, Dorset in South West England.St Edwards turned 40 years old in 2003, and is one of only nine joint Roman Catholic and Church of England secondary schools in the country.Originally the school was only...
Schools.
2001 changes
In 2000 the school was put into 'special measures' by OfstedOfsted
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 ....
and the school aimed to improve itself in time for its next Ofsted visit or face closure. The school changed its name to Rossmore Community College and underwent a major building program to reinvent itself.
Changes included:
- New science labs were built in 2001 to replace the labs in the West Block
- Former West Block labs became Food Tech and Textiles rooms
- Former Food Tech and Textiles became languages (French, German etc.)
- Former French rooms in East Block became Sixth Form
- Former Sixth Form and empty classrooms in West Block became Humanities (History, Geography and Religious StudiesReligious studiesReligious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
) - Humanities which were in the front of the school created extra space for the enlarged Maths Rooms
- English Rooms were enlarged after ICT moved to the former Music room and empty classrooms in East Block
- Music moved into a temporary hut
For a short time, in the Autumn term of 2001, Maths and English rooms were being refurbished which meant Maths and English were using any other classroom possible in the school, but January 2002 saw the new rooms open which were half the size larger than before with new carpets and furniture.
Later changes
After 2002 a small number of further changes were made, such as the repainting of the corridors and new carpets in older classrooms. January 2005 saw the new Rossmore Library move from Herbert Avenue to the school (site of former caretaker's house) and in September 2005 the new Technology block opened on the site that was once the boys' gym.in 2010 the school renamed it self St Aldhelm academy and got a new uniformmuch to the disgust of the neighbouring st aldhelm combined school due to people thinking the schools are related.
Leisure centre
Rossmore Leisure Centre is located next to the school. This facility is used for Physical Education lessons, and is also open to the public. It comprises a sports hall, gym, fitness suite and a swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, and is adjoined by a sports field and tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s.
The original Leisure Centre was built in 1992 onto the sports block and included the gym, sports hall, fitness studio and a new canteen for the school (used for parties for the public). In 1998 the centre was extended further with a new swimming pool (the Herbert Ballam pool), new fitness studio (the old studio became a bar) and a gymnastics hall which has trained Olympic contestants. The centre was original Kemp-Welch Leisure Centre, but became Rossmore Leisure Centre in January 2003.