Wilmslow High School
Encyclopedia
Wilmslow High School, an 11-18 comprehensive, is the only secondary school in the town of Wilmslow
, Cheshire
. The school was designated as a specialist Sports College in September 2003. It is situated just west of the A34
roundabout next to the railway line, south-east of the town centre.
on 24 March 1961. A girls' grammar school was built on 14 acres (56,656 m²) of the former Colshaw Hall Farm, and situated on Dean Row Road. It opened in 1965 and had 750 girls. The school on Holly Road became a boys' school.
in Macclesfield
. There was the Thorngrove County High School for Girls and the Hough County Secondary Modern School for Boys, which opened in 1965 on Thorngrove Road - on land now occupied by the A34 bypass. The girls' grammar school became Dean Row High School.
It was known as Harefield County High School when it became a sixth form-entry comprehensive in 1978, gradually becoming comprehensive year by year. In the mid 1980s it became Wilmslow County High School, then Wilmslow High School in 1991.
status in September 2003.
(GCSE) programmes, Business & Technology Education Council
programmes (BTEC), and General Certificate of Education
Advanced Level (AS/A2) programmes. Alternative accredited programmes are also available.
Gill Bremner is the head teacher.
students are going to Kenya
with the company to carry out various charity work and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Competitive sport is a feature of the school’s extracurricular programme "Sports Xtra".
, Handforth
and Alderley Edge
, from where the majority of its students come. The school has 300 places available in each year and a Sixth Form that has the capacity to provide programmes for some 500 students. 2% of students have statements of special educational need, 2.1% have English as a second language and 8.1% are entitled to free school meal
s.
The school will admit any student into the sixth form if they are currently on roll at Wilmslow High School, providing they meet the minimum entry criteria. Students must obtain a minimum of five GCSEs with grades A* - C (or equivalent) with at least a 'C' grade in English Language at GCSE.
(LEA) project relating to provision for autistic students and a member of staff based at the school has responsibility for supporting such students.
The school is a centre for adult education and has developed strong links with the local community and major local employers: the Wilmslow High Partnership was established in 1997. Community involvement and links are also manifest in student placements, musical concerts, the annual Arts Festival that includes all of the local primary schools, and wide-ranging activity in support of local charities. The school acts as the host for the annual Wilmslow Show
: a major community event.
The school has, subsequent to the Ofsted Inspection, commenced a fundamental review of current provision within a ‘Futures Thinking’ debate with the aim of transforming an already very good school into an ‘exceptional’ school.
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. The school was designated as a specialist Sports College in September 2003. It is situated just west of the A34
A34 road
The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. It forms a large part of the major trunk route from Southampton, via Oxford, to Birmingham, The Potteries and Manchester...
roundabout next to the railway line, south-east of the town centre.
Grammar school
It began life as the co-educational Wilmslow County Grammar School in September 1960 with 900 pupils. The new county grammar school was opened by Sir James Mountford, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
on 24 March 1961. A girls' grammar school was built on 14 acres (56,656 m²) of the former Colshaw Hall Farm, and situated on Dean Row Road. It opened in 1965 and had 750 girls. The school on Holly Road became a boys' school.
Comprehensive
Other former schools in Wilmslow included the Wilmslow County Secondary School for Girls on Wycliffe Avenue in Wilmslow. Wycliffe Avenue Secondary Modern School moved to Fallibroome High SchoolFallibroome High School
The Fallibroome Academy is a comprehensive school for girls and boys aged 11 – 18 in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. Fallibrome specialises in Performing arts and has at least 1500 plus students and contains a high quality sixth form of over 345. Fallibroome was opened as a purpose-built...
in Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
. There was the Thorngrove County High School for Girls and the Hough County Secondary Modern School for Boys, which opened in 1965 on Thorngrove Road - on land now occupied by the A34 bypass. The girls' grammar school became Dean Row High School.
It was known as Harefield County High School when it became a sixth form-entry comprehensive in 1978, gradually becoming comprehensive year by year. In the mid 1980s it became Wilmslow County High School, then Wilmslow High School in 1991.
Sports College
Wilmslow High School was awarded specialist Sports CollegeSports 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 in September 2003.
Curriculum
The school’s curriculum offers a wide range of programmes that meet National Curriculum requirements. Students progressing through the school are able increasingly to tailor programmes to meet their particular learning needs with a wide range of General Certificate of Secondary EducationGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
(GCSE) programmes, Business & Technology Education Council
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
programmes (BTEC), and General Certificate of Education
General Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
Advanced Level (AS/A2) programmes. Alternative accredited programmes are also available.
Non-academic work
The school places particular emphasis on personal, health, social and citizenship education and operates a system that links curricular activity, tutorial activity and three "Personal, Health, Social & Citizenship Education" (PHSCE) Days. All Year 10 students have a one-week work experience placement, with further course-related work experience in Year 12.Gill Bremner is the head teacher.
Extracurricular activities
The school’s curriculum is enriched by a wide range of visits and fieldwork activity and is supplemented by extracurricular activities that offer the opportunity for students to develop and follow their interests and talents in music, drama, sport and other activities. The school operates the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, and a bi-annual ‘World Challenge’ expedition is available to older students, which for the last three years has been run through Camps International. In 2011 some of the Sixth FormSixth 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,...
students are going to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
with the company to carry out various charity work and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Competitive sport is a feature of the school’s extracurricular programme "Sports Xtra".
Academic performance
The school gets well-above average results at GCSE, but below average results for A level. However in previous years numerous students have secured places to study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.Admissions
It works in partnership with the twelve primary schools in WilmslowWilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
, Handforth
Handforth
Handforth is a suburban area situated between Wilmslow, Heald Green, and Styal in Cheshire, England. Travelling south from Manchester, Handforth is the first place in Cheshire, although other areas nearer Manchester lie within the historic boundaries of the county.In the 1950s, two overspill...
and Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,409....
, from where the majority of its students come. The school has 300 places available in each year and a Sixth Form that has the capacity to provide programmes for some 500 students. 2% of students have statements of special educational need, 2.1% have English as a second language and 8.1% are entitled to free school meal
Free school meal
A Free School Meal, provided to a child or young person during a school break, is paid for by Government. For a child to qualify for a Free School Meal, their parent or carer must be receiving particular qualifying benefits as stated by Government...
s.
The school will admit any student into the sixth form if they are currently on roll at Wilmslow High School, providing they meet the minimum entry criteria. Students must obtain a minimum of five GCSEs with grades A* - C (or equivalent) with at least a 'C' grade in English Language at GCSE.
Learning support
The school’s Learning Support team caters for students who have learning difficulties. Provision includes a fully integrated 8-place unit for children who have impaired hearing. The school is leading a Local Education AuthorityLocal Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
(LEA) project relating to provision for autistic students and a member of staff based at the school has responsibility for supporting such students.
Community Links
The school’s Parent-Teacher Association organises a wide range of social, educational and fund-raising activities.The school is a centre for adult education and has developed strong links with the local community and major local employers: the Wilmslow High Partnership was established in 1997. Community involvement and links are also manifest in student placements, musical concerts, the annual Arts Festival that includes all of the local primary schools, and wide-ranging activity in support of local charities. The school acts as the host for the annual Wilmslow Show
Wilmslow Show
Wilmslow Show is held at Wilmslow High School, Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, as a one-day event on a Sunday – usually the second Sunday in July. Sections include Horticulture, Dogs, Classic Cars, etc.-Early history:...
: a major community event.
The future
Wilmslow High School has developed significantly over recent years and now enjoys an enviable reputation. The Ofsted Inspection Report of March 2003 described the school as, ‘very effective’ and found that: -- Standards are above average and achievement is good
- The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school
- Pupils have positive attitudes to the school and their studies
- Leadership and management are good
- Arrangements for pupils’ welfare are good
- Provision for pupils’ personal development is
- The range of extracurricular activities is very good
The school has, subsequent to the Ofsted Inspection, commenced a fundamental review of current provision within a ‘Futures Thinking’ debate with the aim of transforming an already very good school into an ‘exceptional’ school.
Alumni
- Doves - English Indie Rock Band, formed within Wilmslow High School. Their most popular song "Black and White Town" is a song referenced to that of WilmslowWilmslow-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
town. - Richard FleeshmanRichard FleeshmanRichard Jonathan Fleeshman is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His television career began as a twelve year old, playing Craig Harris for four years in Coronation Street and most recently "All The Small Things"...
- Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
actor and singer-songwriter - Dan Green, former England lacrosse captain
- Sarah HadlandSarah HadlandSarah Hadland is an English actress who has a career spanning theatre, film, and television and as a voice-over artist.-Early life and education:...
- actress - John Harris (critic)John Harris (critic)John Rhys Harris is a British journalist, writer, and critic.-Early life:Harris was raised in Wilmslow in north Cheshire by a university lecturer and a teacher, daughter of a nuclear research chemist...
, Guardian columnist. - Johnny GormanJohnny GormanRory John McCaughan "Johnny" Gorman is an English-born Northern Ireland international footballer signed to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.-Career:Gorman joined Wolves Academy in 2009, after six years at Manchester United...
, Northern Ireland international footballer.
Wilmslow County Grammar School for Boys
- Clive Bates, Director from 1997-2003 of Action on Smoking and HealthAction on Smoking and HealthAction on Smoking and Health is the name of a number of autonomous pressure groups/charities throughout the world which seek to publicize the risks associated with tobacco smoking and campaigns for greater restrictions on cigarette and tobacco sales....
(ASH) - Andy FanshaweAndy FanshaweAndy Fanshawe was a British mountaineer.-Biography:He started climbing as a student at Wilmslow Grammar School...
, mountaineer - John WaiteJohn Waite (broadcaster)John Waite is a presenter on British radio and occasionally television. He has been working at the British Broadcasting Corporation for more than thirty-three years.-Early life:...
, Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC 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...
investigative broadcaster, notably for Face the FactsFace the FactsFace the Facts is a consumer affairs programme on BBC Radio 4, featuring investigative journalism, that has been running since the mid-1980s. Currently introduced by John Waite, cousin of the well-known humanitarian and churchman Terry Waite, it usually focuses on individuals or organisations...