Biddenham Upper School
Encyclopedia
Biddenham Upper School is a 13-19 coeducational state comprehensive school
serving the Brickhill
, Harpur
and Queens Park
areas of Bedford
plus the village of Biddenham
, England. The school holds Specialist Sports College
status. It was formed in 1988 from the merger of John Howard
and Pilgrim schools using the site of the former.
Its first head teacher was Garry Fitzhugh; the head teacher, as of 2007, is David Bailey and the Principal is Mike Berrill.
. The award was made in recognition of Biddenham's international ethos and its links with schools abroad. Following this, the school planned to offer the International Baccalaureate to its sixth form
students as an alternative to A level courses from September 2010, however a lack of interest amongst students has led to the baccalaureate being withdrawn at the school for this academic year.
, Westfield Middle School
, Goldington Academy and Beauchamp Middle School
in Brickhill, with a few also coming from Lincroft Middle School
and Robert Bruce Middle School.
H, A, T, and R blocks all face a central quadrangle, where many students spend break and lunchtimes. The quad has recently (2007) been widened and refurbished with picnic benches.
From 1980 - 1989 The six blocks were named according to the core subjects taught in them:
8.00 - Lesson 1
9.15 - tutor time
9.35 - Break 2
10.50 - Lesson 2
11.05 - break 3
11.15 - lesson 3
12.30 - lunch time
1.15 - Lesson 4
2.30 - End of school day
After-school clubs take place from 2.45 until 4.00, and sixth formers may have a 5th lesson during this period on some days.
in Kempston in the next few years to a new campus on the site of Biddenham Upper School. Although the schools will share the same campus site, and may share some facilities, they will continue to operate individually, with separate school management teams.
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...
serving the Brickhill
Brickhill
Brickhill is a civil parish and electoral ward within northern Bedford in Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Brickhill are approximately Kimbolton Road to the east, Bedford Park and the old Bedford cemetery to the south, with Cemetery Hill and the Manton Heights Industrial Estate to the...
, Harpur
Harpur
Harpur is an electoral ward and area within the town of Bedford, England.The boundaries of Harpur are approximately Manton Lane to the north, De Parys Avenue to the east, Bromham Road to the south, with the Midland Main Line railway line to the west....
and Queens Park
Queens Park, Bedford
Queens Park is an electoral ward and area in Bedford, England. The areas borders are approximately Bromham Road and Beverley Crescent to the north, the Midland Main Line railway line to the east, and the River Great Ouse to the south....
areas of Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
plus the village of Biddenham
Biddenham
Biddenham is a large village and a civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, located to the west of Bedford near the A428 road.The village largely serves as a dormitory settlement for Bedford, and also for commuters to London, being on the same side of the town centre as Bedford railway station...
, England. The school holds Specialist Sports College
Sports 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. It was formed in 1988 from the merger of John Howard
John Howard Upper School
John Howard Upper School was a 13-19 coeducational state comprehensive school serving parts of Bedford between 1979 and 1988. After that the school was merged with Pilgrim Upper to form Biddenham Upper School on the John Howard site....
and Pilgrim schools using the site of the former.
Its first head teacher was Garry Fitzhugh; the head teacher, as of 2007, is David Bailey and the Principal is Mike Berrill.
International school
In October 2008 Biddenham Upper School was awarded International School status by the British CouncilBritish Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
. The award was made in recognition of Biddenham's international ethos and its links with schools abroad. Following this, the school planned to offer the International Baccalaureate to its sixth form
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,...
students as an alternative to A level courses from September 2010, however a lack of interest amongst students has led to the baccalaureate being withdrawn at the school for this academic year.
Catchment
Most of the schools students come from Newnham Middle SchoolNewnham Middle School
Newnham Middle School is a school in the De Parys area of Bedford, England.The middle school is situated on Polhill Avenue, and usually takes pupils aged 9-13 from the De Parys and Newnham areas of Bedford. Most of the schools graduating students go on to attend either Mark Rutherford Upper School...
, Westfield Middle School
Westfield Middle School
Westfield Middle School is a school in Queens Park, Bedford, UK.The School is situated on Chester Road, and is the Queens Park area's only Middle School. The school usually takes pupils from Queens Park Lower school and Priory Lower School...
, Goldington Academy and Beauchamp Middle School
Beauchamp Middle School
Beauchamp Middle School is a co-educational, comprehensive middle school in the Brickhill area of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.The school was created out of a merger of Parkwood and Brickhill Middle Schools in the early 1990s...
in Brickhill, with a few also coming from Lincroft Middle School
Lincroft Middle School
Lincroft Middle School is a middle school in the village of Oakley in Bedfordshire, England. It was opened in 1963. The school caters for children aged 9–13, in National Curriculum Years 5-8, corresponding to the later parts of Key Stage 2 and the earlier parts of Key Stage 3 .-Feeder lower...
and Robert Bruce Middle School.
Layout
Biddenham is divided into six main blocks rather than one whole building like most schools. The blocks were named in 2003 by competition winner Ian Whitmore, a student at Biddenham. These are:- Hurst (H) block (named after Geoff HurstGeoff HurstSir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE is a retired England footballer best remembered for his years with West Ham. He made his mark in World Cup history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win over West...
, the former English footballer) - Radcliffe (R) block (named after Paula RadcliffePaula RadcliffePaula Jane Radcliffe, MBE is an English long-distance runner. She is the current women's world record holder in the marathon with her time of 2:15:25 hours...
, the English runner) - Akabusi (A) block (named after Kriss AkabusiKriss AkabusiKriss Kezie Uche Chukwu Duru Akabusi MBE is a former sprint and hurdling athlete from the United Kingdom. During his career, he won the gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1990 European Championships, a gold in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1991 World Championships, and a silver medal in...
, the English athlete) - Tendulkar (T) block (named after Indian cricket legend Sachin TendulkarSachin TendulkarSachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
) - Davies (D) block (named after English swimmer Sharron DaviesSharron DaviesSharron Elizabeth Davies MBE is a retired swimmer from the United Kingdom. She won a silver medal in the 400 metre individual medley at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and two gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton...
) - Sports block (named after Tanni Grey-ThompsonTanni Grey-ThompsonCarys Davina "Tanni" Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson, DBE is a Welsh athlete and TV presenter.Grey-Thompson was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. She is considered to be one of the most successful disabled athletes in the UK...
, the English paralympic athlete)
H, A, T, and R blocks all face a central quadrangle, where many students spend break and lunchtimes. The quad has recently (2007) been widened and refurbished with picnic benches.
From 1980 - 1989 The six blocks were named according to the core subjects taught in them:
- H block ... Humanities taught subjects R.E. , Sociology, Humanities, Languages, Maths. Downstairs 3rd year common room, Upstairs 4th year common room
- R Block ... Resources ... Included the Library and the Canteen .. taught subjects English, History, Geography, 5th year & 6th Form common rooms
- A Block ... Administration.. Teachers offices, staff room, School assembly hall/theatre. Also music rooms and small sports room
- T Block ... Technology. Taught subjects Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Design & Craft, Woodwork, Metalwork
- S Block ... Sports Block ... included Sports hall and Changing rooms
- D Block ... Design ... Taught subject Arts ... also kitchens for Home Economics
Timetable
Biddenham has a somewhat unusual school day, consisting of only four 75-minute lessons and breaks between each lesson. Other unusual features include the absence of any morning registration (students are registered in each lesson), the fact that bells are not used, and the earlier start and finish times. A typical school day is as follows:8.00 - Lesson 1
9.15 - tutor time
9.35 - Break 2
10.50 - Lesson 2
11.05 - break 3
11.15 - lesson 3
12.30 - lunch time
1.15 - Lesson 4
2.30 - End of school day
After-school clubs take place from 2.45 until 4.00, and sixth formers may have a 5th lesson during this period on some days.
Secondary school
Bedford Borough Council has decided to implement a two-tier education system in the borough, meaning that Biddenham will be converted from an upper school to a secondary school, and take pupils from the age of 11. The changes are due to take effect from September 2015.Special School
In January 2010, Bedford Borough Council confirmed its intention to move St John’s SchoolSt John’s School (Kempston)
St John’s School is a coeducational special school, located in Kempston, Bedfordshire, England. The school accepts pupils from all over the Borough of Bedford....
in Kempston in the next few years to a new campus on the site of Biddenham Upper School. Although the schools will share the same campus site, and may share some facilities, they will continue to operate individually, with separate school management teams.