Winstanley College
Encyclopedia
Winstanley College is a sixth form
college in the Billinge Higher End area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
, Greater Manchester
.
, Bolton
, Warrington
and St Helens
areas.
Winstanley College is highly oversubscribed due to its outstanding Ofsted Reports and A Level performance. For 2012-2013 entry, potential students must achieve 50 points in their best eight GCSE results, based on a system where an A* is equal to 10 points, an A, 8, a B, 6 and a C, 4.
Points of interest when visiting the college include:
Usually each member of the Student Union Executive is a second year student, elected by Lower Sixth students, going into the Upper Sixth year.
During WWII the grammar school had its own Air Cadet Squadron - 1439 (Beacon) squadron with the headmaster Alfred Maggs BA MSc as the first commanding officer (Flt Lt A. Maggs RAFVR(T))
, Winstanley College is at the forefront of the top 10 colleges in the UK in terms of A-level PPS (points per student) — ranked 1st in the Guardian's country-wide collation of A-Level results in 2010.
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,...
college in the Billinge Higher End area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
Admissions
In the academic year 2007–08 it had 1,803 full time students. The catchment area spreads across the WiganMetropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
, Bolton
Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...
, Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
and St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
areas.
Winstanley College is highly oversubscribed due to its outstanding Ofsted Reports and A Level performance. For 2012-2013 entry, potential students must achieve 50 points in their best eight GCSE results, based on a system where an A* is equal to 10 points, an A, 8, a B, 6 and a C, 4.
Buildings
The College has undergone a major re-development; including the building of a part student-designed English and Politics building, and the Head of Politics Elaine Mulroy has received an award for the top teacher of Politics within England and Wales.Points of interest when visiting the college include:
- The Art and Psychology Departments for their imaginative architecture
- A computer suite
- The Student Centre.
- The new English and Politics/Law/Sociology (PLS) building (including subject-specific study areas).
- Learning Resource Centre (LRC).
- Dramatic arts department.
- Extensive Sporting and Gym facilities including several large sports fields.
- A brand New £5M development for Media, Music & Performing Arts opening July 2012.
Student Union
Winstanley College Students' Union is an independent union and a member of the National Union of Students. The student union is run by the Student Union Executive.Usually each member of the Student Union Executive is a second year student, elected by Lower Sixth students, going into the Upper Sixth year.
Grammar school
The College began life as Upholland Grammar School, which was founded in 1661. The grammar school moved to its present site on Winstanley Road in Billinge Higher End in September 1953. it had 600 boys and girls in the 1960s and had 750 by 1976.During WWII the grammar school had its own Air Cadet Squadron - 1439 (Beacon) squadron with the headmaster Alfred Maggs BA MSc as the first commanding officer (Flt Lt A. Maggs RAFVR(T))
Sixth form college
It was renamed Winstanley College in August 1977, and at that time, it ceased to enrol new pupils at age 11, gradually becoming a sixth form college. By September 1981, no pupils remained in the lower forms, and the transformation to a sixth-form college was complete. In early 2009, plans were unveiled for an extensive redevelopment of the grounds, which was subsequently put to the Student Council for approval. If passed, the extensions will be carried out over the coming 18 months by Robinson's Developments, a Westhead-based firm. In mid-2009, the project was shelved as funding was suddenly unavailable.Academic performance
A portal to higher educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, Winstanley College is at the forefront of the top 10 colleges in the UK in terms of A-level PPS (points per student) — ranked 1st in the Guardian's country-wide collation of A-Level results in 2010.
Notable alumni
- Richard AshcroftRichard AshcroftRichard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
, Pete Salisbury, Simon Jones & Nick McCabeNick McCabeNick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
- from the band The VerveThe VerveThe Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
. - Shaun BriscoeShaun BriscoeShaun Briscoe is an English professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Widnes Vikings of Super League. An England international representative outside back, he has played club football for Wigan, Hull, and Hull Kingston Rovers....
- rugby league footballer for Hull Kingston RoversHull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
formerly of Wigan WarriorsWigan WarriorsWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and Hull - Sam DarbyshireSam DarbyshireSam Darbyshire is a television actor best known for his role as Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He has, however, also appeared in several advertisements and had a small role in Coronation Street. He belongs to a local youth theatre group in Wigan, Willpower Youth...
- HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
Jamie "Fletch" Fletcher - Roger DraperRoger DraperRoger Draper is a British sports administrator. He was chief executive of Sport England from 2003 to 2006. Since 2006 he has been chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association.-External links:*...
, Chief Executive since 2006 of the Lawn Tennis AssociationLawn Tennis AssociationThe Lawn Tennis Association is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.As the governing body, the LTA is responsible for the coaching and development of junior players, offering courses and qualifications on coaching, as well as the... - David GrindleyDavid GrindleyDavid Allan Grindley is a British former 400 metres runner who reached the final of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.-Athletics career:...
- BritishGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
400 metre400 metresThe 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
runner. Bronze medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games - Leah HackettLeah HackettLeah Hackett , is an English actress, most notable for her role as Tina Reilly in Hollyoaks.-Background and personal life:...
- HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
Tina McQueen - Leon OsmanLeon OsmanLeon Osman is an English football player who plays for Everton in the Premier League. He has spent his whole career as an Everton player, though he has spent time on loan at Carlisle United and Derby County.-Biography:...
- professional footballer for Everton FC - Carley StensonCarley StensonCarley Anne Stenson is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. She also appeared as a performer in Abbamania, and is a member of the all-female band Diamond...
- HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
Steph Deanp - Georgia TaylorGeorgia TaylorGeorgia Taylor is an English actress, known for her role as Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street and currently for playing Ruth Winters on Casualty. She was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester....
- 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...
Toyah Battersby, CasualtyCasualty (TV series)Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
Ruth Winters - Lucy GaskellLucy GaskellLucy Gaskell is an English actress. She studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 1998.Gaskell is known for the roles of Ruby Ferris in the BBC1 drama series Cutting It and Kirsty Clements in Casualty...
- CasualtyCasualty (TV series)Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
Kirsty Clements - Dr Mark Pennington B.A, PHD, Reader in Political Economy at QMUL, Senior Fellow at the Cobden Centre, Fellow at the Institute for Economic Affairs
- Dr Henry Hitchen, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Caen.
Upholland Grammar School
- John Ashcroft CBE, Chief Executive from 1982-6 of ColorollColorollColoroll is a United Kingdom wallpaper brand, currently owned by retailer ...instore.Developed from a family owned wallpaper company founded in the 1970s, during the 1980s Coloroll Group became a dominant publicly listed home furnishings business, which collapsed in 1990 through excessive debt...
- Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of UphollandCatherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of UphollandCatherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, , is a British Labour politician who in 2009 became the European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy...
- High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, former Leader of the House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and European Commissioner for TradeEuropean Commissioner for TradeThe European Commissioner for Trade is the member of the European Commission responsible for the European Union's common commercial policy... - Thomas BerridgeThomas BerridgeThomas Henry Devereux Berridge was a British Liberal politician and solicitor.-Family and education:Berridge was the son of the Reverend W Berridge the Vicar of Lowton St. Mary’s in Lancashire. He was educated privately and at Upholland Grammar School where his father was the headmaster. In 1887...
, Liberal MP from 1906-10 for Warwick and Leamington (his father was a former headmaster) - John Gaskell, Telegraph reporter
- Prof Robert Dickinson, Professor of Geography from 1958-67 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
- Dr. Charles Bamforth, Professor of Brewing at the University of California
- Prebendary Tom Kerfoot OBE, founder and first General Secretary of the International Christian Maritime AssociationInternational Christian Maritime AssociationThe International Christian Maritime Association is an ecumenical association of 27 Christian organisations, representing different churches and Christian communities. The members are all non-profit making organisations actively engaged in welfare work for seafarers. It is registered as a charity...
- Prof Kenneth Pye, sedimentologistSedimentologySedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud , and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and sedimentary...
- Prof Peter Thompson, Professor of Anatomy from 1909-21 at the University of BirminghamUniversity of BirminghamThe University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
- Canon Frank Wright