Chew Valley School
Encyclopedia
Chew Valley School is situated within the Chew Valley
in Somerset
in South West England
. It is 8 miles (13 km) south of Bristol
in the village of Chew Stoke
, on a 30 acres (12 ha) site in open countryside overlooking the Chew Valley Lake
.
It is the only secondary school
in the area, providing further education to local children, from various local primary schools, and some pupils who live outside the catchment area in South Bristol. The school has approximately 1,201 pupils, including 226 in the Sixth Form.
The school was proposed in May 1955 in a public notice issued by Somerset County Council
Education Committee, to eventually comply with the 1944 Education Act
which had required secondary education for all, which had previously been provided by "all age primaries" in the area. The new school, which was originally called Chew Magna Secondary School, opened on 13 January 1958, although the official opening by Sir James Turner then president of the National Farmers Union was on 23 May.
In 2008, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary. In the same year a wind turbine was installed at the school, and unveiled by the local MP
Dan Norris
. The turbine was supported by the Go Zero campaign based in Chew Magna who have also supported a similar initiative in Tamil Nadu
, India
.
In April 2009, current Head Teacher, Mark Mallet, did a parachute jump from 10,000 feet above ground level in aid of a new Art and Sixth Form block which was completed in August that year.
On 1 August 2010, Chew Valley School became a foundation school
. A letter to parents described the aims as "to use Foundation Status to help to raise standards and make a direct contribution to raising achievement and improve the well being and aspirations of students." As part of the status change there was a legal transfer of land from the Local Authority to the School.
The school's letterhead now reads "A Foundation School serving the whole community"
report, in 2011, the school received was rated 'Outstanding', higher than previous ratings in 2004 and 2008. In 2010 68% of students achieved five or more A*-C (and equivalent) including English and maths GCSEs.
In March 2011 three students from the school's Sixth Form won the English Speaking Union's Great Shakespeare Debate, beating eleven other schools including Eton
, Wellingborough
and Magdalen College School.
in the Performing Arts in 2003. Productions are put on each term, there is an annual dance festival, concerts and cabarets.
Chew Valley
The Chew Valley is an area in North Somerset, England, named after the River Chew, which rises at Chewton Mendip, and joins the River Avon at Keynsham...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
in South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
. It is 8 miles (13 km) south of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in the village of Chew Stoke
Chew Stoke
Chew Stoke is a small village and civil parish in the Chew Valley, in Somerset, England, about south of Bristol. It is at the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, a region designated by the United Kingdom as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is within the Bristol/Bath green belt...
, on a 30 acres (12 ha) site in open countryside overlooking the Chew Valley Lake
Chew Valley Lake
Chew Valley Lake is a large reservoir in the Chew Valley, Somerset, England, and the fifth-largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom , with an area of 1,200 acres...
.
It is the only secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the area, providing further education to local children, from various local primary schools, and some pupils who live outside the catchment area in South Bristol. The school has approximately 1,201 pupils, including 226 in the Sixth Form.
History
Somerset County Council
Somerset County Council is the county council of Somerset in the South West of England, an elected local government authority responsible for the most significant local government services in most of the county.-Area covered:...
Education Committee, to eventually comply with the 1944 Education Act
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
which had required secondary education for all, which had previously been provided by "all age primaries" in the area. The new school, which was originally called Chew Magna Secondary School, opened on 13 January 1958, although the official opening by Sir James Turner then president of the National Farmers Union was on 23 May.
In 2008, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary. In the same year a wind turbine was installed at the school, and unveiled by the local MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Dan Norris
Dan Norris
Dan Norris is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Wansdyke from 1997 until 2010. He was also a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs....
. The turbine was supported by the Go Zero campaign based in Chew Magna who have also supported a similar initiative in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
In April 2009, current Head Teacher, Mark Mallet, did a parachute jump from 10,000 feet above ground level in aid of a new Art and Sixth Form block which was completed in August that year.
On 1 August 2010, Chew Valley School became a foundation school
Foundation school
In England and Wales, a foundation school is a state-funded school in which the governing body has greater freedom in the running of the school than in community schools....
. A letter to parents described the aims as "to use Foundation Status to help to raise standards and make a direct contribution to raising achievement and improve the well being and aspirations of students." As part of the status change there was a legal transfer of land from the Local Authority to the School.
The school's letterhead now reads "A Foundation School serving the whole community"
Academic achievement
In the most recent OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report, in 2011, the school received was rated 'Outstanding', higher than previous ratings in 2004 and 2008. In 2010 68% of students achieved five or more A*-C (and equivalent) including English and maths GCSEs.
In March 2011 three students from the school's Sixth Form won the English Speaking Union's Great Shakespeare Debate, beating eleven other schools including Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Wellingborough
Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School is an independent fee-paying day school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. It was established in 1595 and is one of the oldest schools in the country.-History:...
and Magdalen College School.
Performing arts
The school became a Specialist schoolSpecialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in the Performing Arts in 2003. Productions are put on each term, there is an annual dance festival, concerts and cabarets.