Sacred Heart Catholic High School (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Encyclopedia
Sacred Heart High School is a comprehensive school on Fenham Hall Drive in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
.
This school has a generally good record with GCSE and A LEVEL results. Over 60% of students received A*-C grades at GCSE.
The school is, and has always been, single sex but the very latest of development plans involve the further mergence of the sixth form with St Cuthbert's. To the delight of many students, this has already resulted in boys taking A Level classes in Drama and Music at the school and one male in permanent residence at the school (in the sense of attendance as currently it is not possible to board at Sacred Heart).
Many Catholic schools across the diocese are 'feeder school', including Sacred Heart Primary, also situated on Fenham Hall Drive. From mid-September the school begins a vigorous campaign or promotion advertising the plethora of facilities Sacred Heart has to offer to prospective students. These range from aesthetical satisfying toilets to provide a positive sanitary experience to the availabity of chairs in almost every classroom.
The uniform is a navy blue blazer and jumper, and a Douglas Tartan
kilt (Dark blue, light blue, green and white). All students must wear their blazer around the school site. This rule has been contested on many occasions due to the overheating of students in Summer terms on account of the compulsory wearing of unnecessary insulative layers.
Next door is the St Mary's College of Newcastle University, now a hall of residence. This used to called St Mary's College of the Sacred Heart and was a Catholic College of Education (teacher training college), becoming part of Newcastle University's Institute of Education. Very near to the east is the private Dame Allan's School, Newcastle
.
, Newcastle upon Tyne.
in 1944, known as the Convent of the Sacred Heart Grammar School. Although it is unsure if they have kept the name, as it is now not going by the convent name.
In 2007 the school signed up to the Building Schools for the Future initiative which resulted in, amongst other benefits, the outsourcing of all IT services to a division of Newcastle City Council
named "City Service".
The school has recently (Roughly 2008) had many building works and has a new vocational building, including hair and beauty facilities (2008). The school consists of several different buildings, the main building, the P.E. block which also joins on to a maths and MFL (modern foreign languages) building, a new vocational building and the sixth form centre. There is also the technology building (lovingly known as the technology block by the students and staff) and the small Pottery building. The pottery building was recently created (Roughly 09-10) and the technology has been around nearly as long as the main building has.
"This is our school,
let peace dwell here,
let the rooms be full of joy,
let love abide here,
love of learning,
love of one another,
love of all people,
love of life itself,
and love of God,
let us remember that as many hands build a house,
so many hearts make a school."
The school is well known for staying open throughout adverse weather conditions. However, due to heavy snowfall on the 29th and 30th of November 2010, the school shut for the second time in roughly five years. It was regarded as a sensible decision owing to the wide catchment area of the school and the city-wide cancellation and irregularities of bus timetabling which would have inhibited many students from reaching the school safely.
Another Sacred Heart tradition is the Christmas pantomime. The pantomime is an annual phenomenon, headed by Year 13 pupils with much encouragement from teachers (both teachers within the drama department and outside of it). The pantomime is traditionally written in verse and inevitably features male teachers in dresses, water guns which are fired at students and festive music. It is looked upon with much joviality. Examples of staff-enhanced performance include the science department's rendition of 'Ghostbusters' and more recently 'YMCA', all in suitable attire.
In past years, the highlight of any Year Sevens' year was the counting up of Merit stickers received throughout the scholastic year and the distribution of corresponding reward certificates. Recently, however, this long-considered defunct system was replaced, thanks to innovative breakthroughs in merit technology, with an online system which allowed, for the first time in Sacred Heart history, for Concerns to be awarded for detrimental behaviour, thus allowing interested parents to be fully kept up to date with their children's development.
The VLE of Sacred Heart recently underwent a makeover, making it more accessible and more utilisable. The VLE of each student and teacher contains a "classroom" section which allows a connection between pupils and teachers at times where exchange is otherwise difficult. An example of such an occasion is the aforementioned snow days of Sacred Heart, where it was felt that the introduction of "snow tasks" would aid learning progression. These were then accessed though the VLE. The VLE is further student-friendly in that it contains what is amiably nicknamed by students as "tartan Facebook", owing to the interactive nature of the page, much like popular social networking site "Facebook", as well the tartan pattern which decorates said page.
As well as the maintenance of high educational standards, Sacred Heart has also played a major role in supporting local businesses through times of recession and indeed continues to do so. Examples of such businesses include the "Retro Sweet Shop" situated on Fenham Hall Drive, as well as the "Butty Box" and several corner shops. "Butty Box" provides feeding services for hungry students and is also a popular meeting spot owing to its immediate proximity with the school premises. The sweet shop sells vintage-esque sweetened goods, including lollies of flavours such as "cream soda" and "tutti frutti".
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, 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...
.
Admissions
The school educates around 1,300 girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen on the site which recently benefited from a near £10 million makeover.This school has a generally good record with GCSE and A LEVEL results. Over 60% of students received A*-C grades at GCSE.
The school is, and has always been, single sex but the very latest of development plans involve the further mergence of the sixth form with St Cuthbert's. To the delight of many students, this has already resulted in boys taking A Level classes in Drama and Music at the school and one male in permanent residence at the school (in the sense of attendance as currently it is not possible to board at Sacred Heart).
Many Catholic schools across the diocese are 'feeder school', including Sacred Heart Primary, also situated on Fenham Hall Drive. From mid-September the school begins a vigorous campaign or promotion advertising the plethora of facilities Sacred Heart has to offer to prospective students. These range from aesthetical satisfying toilets to provide a positive sanitary experience to the availabity of chairs in almost every classroom.
The uniform is a navy blue blazer and jumper, and a Douglas Tartan
Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient Scottish kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking its name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire, and thence spreading through the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian and beyond. The clan does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an armigerous clan.The...
kilt (Dark blue, light blue, green and white). All students must wear their blazer around the school site. This rule has been contested on many occasions due to the overheating of students in Summer terms on account of the compulsory wearing of unnecessary insulative layers.
Next door is the St Mary's College of Newcastle University, now a hall of residence. This used to called St Mary's College of the Sacred Heart and was a Catholic College of Education (teacher training college), becoming part of Newcastle University's Institute of Education. Very near to the east is the private Dame Allan's School, Newcastle
Dame Allan's School, Newcastle
Dame Allan's Schools were founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in England in 1705, and are two of the oldest schools in the city.-History:They were founded by Dame Eleanor Allan, the daughter of a local goldsmith and the widow of a tobacco merchant, to provide a proper education for "40 poor boys and 20...
.
History
It was established in 1905 as a small, fee-paying, all-female private secondary school in FenhamFenham
Fenham is an area of the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre, and is bounded on the north and east by a large area of open land known as the Town Moor. To the south lies Benwell, whilst West Denton lies to the west, Blakelaw and Cowgate to the north, and...
, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Grammar school
It became a direct grant grammar schoolDirect grant grammar school
A direct grant grammar school was a selective secondary school in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976 funded partly by the state and partly through private fees....
in 1944, known as the Convent of the Sacred Heart Grammar School. Although it is unsure if they have kept the name, as it is now not going by the convent name.
Comprehensive
In 1977 the grammar and secondary school on the Fenham site were amalgamated and became a comprehensive school. It became known as Sacred Heart Comprehensive School for Catholic Girls.In 2007 the school signed up to the Building Schools for the Future initiative which resulted in, amongst other benefits, the outsourcing of all IT services to a division of Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
named "City Service".
The school has recently (Roughly 2008) had many building works and has a new vocational building, including hair and beauty facilities (2008). The school consists of several different buildings, the main building, the P.E. block which also joins on to a maths and MFL (modern foreign languages) building, a new vocational building and the sixth form centre. There is also the technology building (lovingly known as the technology block by the students and staff) and the small Pottery building. The pottery building was recently created (Roughly 09-10) and the technology has been around nearly as long as the main building has.
Traditions
The school's prayer reads;"This is our school,
let peace dwell here,
let the rooms be full of joy,
let love abide here,
love of learning,
love of one another,
love of all people,
love of life itself,
and love of God,
let us remember that as many hands build a house,
so many hearts make a school."
The school is well known for staying open throughout adverse weather conditions. However, due to heavy snowfall on the 29th and 30th of November 2010, the school shut for the second time in roughly five years. It was regarded as a sensible decision owing to the wide catchment area of the school and the city-wide cancellation and irregularities of bus timetabling which would have inhibited many students from reaching the school safely.
Another Sacred Heart tradition is the Christmas pantomime. The pantomime is an annual phenomenon, headed by Year 13 pupils with much encouragement from teachers (both teachers within the drama department and outside of it). The pantomime is traditionally written in verse and inevitably features male teachers in dresses, water guns which are fired at students and festive music. It is looked upon with much joviality. Examples of staff-enhanced performance include the science department's rendition of 'Ghostbusters' and more recently 'YMCA', all in suitable attire.
In past years, the highlight of any Year Sevens' year was the counting up of Merit stickers received throughout the scholastic year and the distribution of corresponding reward certificates. Recently, however, this long-considered defunct system was replaced, thanks to innovative breakthroughs in merit technology, with an online system which allowed, for the first time in Sacred Heart history, for Concerns to be awarded for detrimental behaviour, thus allowing interested parents to be fully kept up to date with their children's development.
The VLE of Sacred Heart recently underwent a makeover, making it more accessible and more utilisable. The VLE of each student and teacher contains a "classroom" section which allows a connection between pupils and teachers at times where exchange is otherwise difficult. An example of such an occasion is the aforementioned snow days of Sacred Heart, where it was felt that the introduction of "snow tasks" would aid learning progression. These were then accessed though the VLE. The VLE is further student-friendly in that it contains what is amiably nicknamed by students as "tartan Facebook", owing to the interactive nature of the page, much like popular social networking site "Facebook", as well the tartan pattern which decorates said page.
As well as the maintenance of high educational standards, Sacred Heart has also played a major role in supporting local businesses through times of recession and indeed continues to do so. Examples of such businesses include the "Retro Sweet Shop" situated on Fenham Hall Drive, as well as the "Butty Box" and several corner shops. "Butty Box" provides feeding services for hungry students and is also a popular meeting spot owing to its immediate proximity with the school premises. The sweet shop sells vintage-esque sweetened goods, including lollies of flavours such as "cream soda" and "tutti frutti".
Sacred Heart Grammar School
- Frances LannonFrances LannonDr Frances Lannon, FRHS is a British academic and educator. She is Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.She was educated at Lady Margaret Hall and at St Antony's College...
, Principal since 2002 of Lady Margaret Hall, OxfordLady Margaret Hall, OxfordLady Margaret Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located at the end of Norham Gardens in north Oxford. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £34m.... - Dr Mo O'TooleMo O'TooleBarbara Maria O'Toole, known as Mo O'Toole is a former politician in the United Kingdom.O'Toole attended Sacred Heart Convent School in Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, then studied at Northumbria University. Soon afterwards, she married future Labour Party MP Alan Milburn, although the couple split...
, Professor of Creativity and Innovation since 2008 at Newcastle University Business School and Labour MEP from 1999-2004 for North East EnglandNorth East England (European Parliament constituency)North East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 3 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
, and former wife of Alan MilburnAlan MilburnAlan Milburn is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 until 2010...