Beal High School
Encyclopedia
Beal High School is a secondary school in Ilford
, Essex, England. The school has over 1600 students (of which the overwhelming majority is of an ethnic minority background, mainly south Asian) and over 100 teachers with around 100 support assistants. The school begins at Year 7 and continues with compulsory schooling through to Year 11. Years 12 and 13 form the optional 6th form.
The school gained specialist school status in September 2004, becoming a Media Arts College
. In 2007 the school was recognised as a Highly Achieving Specialist School and allocated a second specialism in applied learning.
The school also has a Communications and Learning Department, (CLD Unit) for students with learning difficulties on the autistic spectrum.
in 1908. In 1931 it was transferred to Ley Street (the present Seven Kings High School site) as Beal Modern School. The Boys’ and Girls’ schools functioned as separate units, although on the same site. They became grammar schools in 1948. In 1957 the Boys’ school moved to the present Woodford Bridge Road site.
By 1982, Beal High School had become fully comprehensive. The transition had started in 1976, with the first comprehensive entry, and when the first girls arrived at the school.
A further transition took place in the life of Beal High School in 1997 when, as a result of the shortage of secondary school places in the London Borough of Redbridge, Beal High School expanded from 6 forms of entry (180 students per year group) to 8 forms of entry (240 students per year group).
As a result of the need to accommodate extra students, an enormous building programme took place. Not only were new classrooms built, but also extra specialist facilities: Drama Studios, Science Laboratories, a Library Resource Centre, Information Technology rooms, sixth form facilities, a new administrative area and expanded dining hall. In addition, the building programme was utilised to provide refurbished suited accommodation for all departments and to improve the circulation of students around the school.
In April 2007, a new 'Media Factory' was opened, to accommodate the school's new status as a Media Arts College. This new building consists of three media studies
classrooms built alongside the existing radio station and drama studio.
The uniform is a light tan brown for years seven to nine and a dark brown for years ten to eleven. Year 12 and 13 students studying in the sixth form have a uniform code of business wear, as opposed to previously having a navy blue uniform.
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
, Essex, England. The school has over 1600 students (of which the overwhelming majority is of an ethnic minority background, mainly south Asian) and over 100 teachers with around 100 support assistants. The school begins at Year 7 and continues with compulsory schooling through to Year 11. Years 12 and 13 form the optional 6th form.
The school gained specialist school status in September 2004, becoming a Media Arts College
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 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, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
. In 2007 the school was recognised as a Highly Achieving Specialist School and allocated a second specialism in applied learning.
The school also has a Communications and Learning Department, (CLD Unit) for students with learning difficulties on the autistic spectrum.
History
Beal's roots go back to the foundation of a senior department to South Park Primary SchoolSouth Park Primary School
South Park Primary School is a primary school located in Ilford in the London Borough of Redbridge. The headteacher is currently Debbie Keigwin, formerly headmistress of Wellington Way Primary School in nearby Tower Hamlets. She was appointed to the position in 2009 after the departure of Douglas...
in 1908. In 1931 it was transferred to Ley Street (the present Seven Kings High School site) as Beal Modern School. The Boys’ and Girls’ schools functioned as separate units, although on the same site. They became grammar schools in 1948. In 1957 the Boys’ school moved to the present Woodford Bridge Road site.
By 1982, Beal High School had become fully comprehensive. The transition had started in 1976, with the first comprehensive entry, and when the first girls arrived at the school.
A further transition took place in the life of Beal High School in 1997 when, as a result of the shortage of secondary school places in the London Borough of Redbridge, Beal High School expanded from 6 forms of entry (180 students per year group) to 8 forms of entry (240 students per year group).
As a result of the need to accommodate extra students, an enormous building programme took place. Not only were new classrooms built, but also extra specialist facilities: Drama Studios, Science Laboratories, a Library Resource Centre, Information Technology rooms, sixth form facilities, a new administrative area and expanded dining hall. In addition, the building programme was utilised to provide refurbished suited accommodation for all departments and to improve the circulation of students around the school.
In April 2007, a new 'Media Factory' was opened, to accommodate the school's new status as a Media Arts College. This new building consists of three media studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
classrooms built alongside the existing radio station and drama studio.
Students
Most of Beal's students come from Redbridge Primary School, Glade Primary School, Gearies Junior School, Highlands, Grangewood Independent School or Parkhill Junior School.The uniform is a light tan brown for years seven to nine and a dark brown for years ten to eleven. Year 12 and 13 students studying in the sixth form have a uniform code of business wear, as opposed to previously having a navy blue uniform.
Staff
The Headteacher is currently Miss Sue Snowdon. The Headteacher before was Mr John Manuel. The last Head of Beal as a Grammar School was Dr Elvet Lewis (1904–81). The School has received a number of awards for achievement and was recently designated as a 'Highly Achieving Specialist School'. Ofsted describe the school as "a very good school with outstanding features". The school offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities including a radio station 'Radio XL' that broadcasts locally for a week each year, and musical theatre productions. Students get the chance to participate in debating, enterprise activities a wide range of sport teams and musical groups. Staff and students are very involved in charity fund raising events, and once raised over £10,000 for charity.Notable alumni
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