Tewkesbury School
Encyclopedia
Tewkesbury School is a comprehensive school
in the English
town of Tewkesbury
in Gloucestershire
. The Head Teacher
is temporarily Martin McLeman before Gary Watson takes the post in January 2012.
Formerly Tewkesbury had had four secondary schools: the Grammar School for Boys, located at Southwick Park to the south of the town (now Equinox Maintenance Limited and previously the Severn-Trent Water Authority's premises); the Grammar School for Girls, known as the "High School", in Church Street (later the Abbey School, now private premises under development); the Secondary Modern School for Boys in Chance Street (now the C of E Primary School); and Elmbury Secondary Modern School for Girls, a modern premises on the Ashchurch Road. It was the latter whose buildings were chosen to form the nucleus of a new Tewkesbury Comprehensive School, with all of the town's secondary education being concentrated on the one site, and the former schools closing.
After a major building programme, enlarging the old Elmbury School to several times its original size, the new comprehensive, known as Tewkesbury School, was opened on 5 September 1972 with about 1,200 pupils on its books, and John Faull as its first Head Teacher.
A couple of months later, on Thursday 16 November 1972, the official opening took place, performed by Professor Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-1994), Chancellor
of Bristol University from 1970 till 1988, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
in 1964 and the Copley Medal
from the Royal Society
in 1976.
and Artsmark
awards, whilst also qualifying as an Investor in People
.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2010, the school attained a good result from the inspection with the summary letter to the school's students stating "The school looks after you well and you make good progress in your personal development and your learning".
A sled used as part of the famous Antarctic
expedition to the South Pole
by Captain Robert Falcon Scott
and his team is housed in the Humanities building at the school due to the school's links with Dr. Edward Adrian Wilson
.
The sled was donated to the school by Sir Raymond Priestley
who was born in Tewkesbury and who participated in the Antarctic Expeditions of Shackleton and Scott.
In July 2011 John Reilly resigned from headteacher to be replaced by Martin McLeman as interim headteacher. In July 2011 it was announced that Gary Watson would take over the position from January 2012.
Comprehensive 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...
in the English
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...
town of Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. The Head Teacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
is temporarily Martin McLeman before Gary Watson takes the post in January 2012.
History
The school was the product of the decision taken in 1969 to make Tewkesbury switch to comprehensive secondary education, the first town in Gloucestershire to do so.Formerly Tewkesbury had had four secondary schools: the Grammar School for Boys, located at Southwick Park to the south of the town (now Equinox Maintenance Limited and previously the Severn-Trent Water Authority's premises); the Grammar School for Girls, known as the "High School", in Church Street (later the Abbey School, now private premises under development); the Secondary Modern School for Boys in Chance Street (now the C of E Primary School); and Elmbury Secondary Modern School for Girls, a modern premises on the Ashchurch Road. It was the latter whose buildings were chosen to form the nucleus of a new Tewkesbury Comprehensive School, with all of the town's secondary education being concentrated on the one site, and the former schools closing.
After a major building programme, enlarging the old Elmbury School to several times its original size, the new comprehensive, known as Tewkesbury School, was opened on 5 September 1972 with about 1,200 pupils on its books, and John Faull as its first Head Teacher.
A couple of months later, on Thursday 16 November 1972, the official opening took place, performed by Professor Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-1994), Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of Bristol University from 1970 till 1988, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
in 1964 and the Copley Medal
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society of London for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science, and alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences"...
from the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1976.
Present day
The school has 1703 Students including 378 Sixth Form students.. It has gained both SportsmarkSportsmark
Sportsmark is Sport England's accreditation scheme for secondary schools. The scheme recognises a school's out of hours sports provision.Sportsmark awards are given to secondary schools for provision for sport and physical education. They are currently being reviewed along with Activemark awards...
and Artsmark
Artsmark
Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England. The scheme, that is open to all schools in England, recognises schools with a high level of provision in the arts.There are three levels of award:* Artsmark Gold* Artsmark Silver...
awards, whilst also qualifying as an Investor in People
Investors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2010, the school attained a good result from the inspection with the summary letter to the school's students stating "The school looks after you well and you make good progress in your personal development and your learning".
A sled used as part of the famous Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
expedition to the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
by Captain Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
and his team is housed in the Humanities building at the school due to the school's links with Dr. Edward Adrian Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson
Edward Adrian Wilson was a notable English polar explorer, physician, naturalist, painter and ornithologist.-Early life:...
.
The sled was donated to the school by Sir Raymond Priestley
Raymond Priestley
Sir Raymond Edward Priestley was a British geologist and early Antarctic explorer.-Biography:Raymond Priestley was born in Bredon's Norton,Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, in 1886, the second son and second of eight children of Joseph Edward Priestley, headmaster of Tewkesbury grammar school, and his...
who was born in Tewkesbury and who participated in the Antarctic Expeditions of Shackleton and Scott.
In July 2011 John Reilly resigned from headteacher to be replaced by Martin McLeman as interim headteacher. In July 2011 it was announced that Gary Watson would take over the position from January 2012.