Aldworth Science College
Encyclopedia
Aldworth Science College is a secondary school, formerly Richard Aldworth Community School, in Basingstoke
, Hampshire
, England
. The school holds Specialist Science College
status.
merchant, whose mother, Jane South, came from a prominent Basingstoke family involved in the wool trade. When he died in December 1646, he left money to Christ's Hospital
, where he was a governor and to found and support Blue Coat Schools in Reading
and Basingstoke. The School in Basingstoke opened around 1649 and closed in 1896 due to bankruptcy. Its building however survived until 1966 until it was demolished during the redevelopment of the town. Its site in Cross Street is now marked by a statue of a Blue Coat Boy
Due to funding from earning the science status, certain areas of the school have been redeveloped. Major work was carried out over the summer of 2008, including the renovation of the Dartmouth Block. It has been changed so now the middle floor is for the Community to use; the whole block is now easily accessible for disabled students, and the I.T rooms on the bottom floor have been upgraded, so now the rooms can have people from outside the school go in and use the rooms. Lately, in 2011, the top floor computer suites; which were in dire need of replacement, were upgraded. Also, work has started on a new drama studio, which is yet to be finished.
The school was briefly called South Ham Secondary School, I bought a book which was being cleared from the library when I attended the school between 1978-1983, and the library stamp was 'South Ham Secondary School',
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, 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...
. The school holds Specialist Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics...
status.
Founder
The School takes its name from Richard Aldworth, a wealthy LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
merchant, whose mother, Jane South, came from a prominent Basingstoke family involved in the wool trade. When he died in December 1646, he left money to Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, where he was a governor and to found and support Blue Coat Schools in Reading
Reading Blue Coat School
Reading Blue Coat School is a boys' independent school in Holme Park in the village of Sonning, in the English county of Berkshire, to the east of the town of Reading...
and Basingstoke. The School in Basingstoke opened around 1649 and closed in 1896 due to bankruptcy. Its building however survived until 1966 until it was demolished during the redevelopment of the town. Its site in Cross Street is now marked by a statue of a Blue Coat Boy
History and Current News
The school was built in 1963 and when it was opened in September of that year, a stone plaque from the old Blue Coat School building was incorporated in the main entrance. It changed its name from Richard Aldworth School to Aldworth Science College in September 2005.Due to funding from earning the science status, certain areas of the school have been redeveloped. Major work was carried out over the summer of 2008, including the renovation of the Dartmouth Block. It has been changed so now the middle floor is for the Community to use; the whole block is now easily accessible for disabled students, and the I.T rooms on the bottom floor have been upgraded, so now the rooms can have people from outside the school go in and use the rooms. Lately, in 2011, the top floor computer suites; which were in dire need of replacement, were upgraded. Also, work has started on a new drama studio, which is yet to be finished.
The school was briefly called South Ham Secondary School, I bought a book which was being cleared from the library when I attended the school between 1978-1983, and the library stamp was 'South Ham Secondary School',
Notable alumni
- Robert SteadmanRobert SteadmanRobert Steadman is a British composerof classical music who mostly works in a post-minimalist style but also writes lighter music, including musicals, and compositions for educational purposes...
, composer