The Cooper School is a 980 student, 11-16, mixed comprehensive school

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...

 in the northern side of Bicester

Bicester

Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...

, Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....

, England.

Student locations

Most of its students come from the north and east of Bicester and surrounding villages which include amongst others: Charlton-on-Otmoor, Launton, Finmere, Fringford, Stratton Audley, Hethe and Fringford. It was awarded a specialist science college since 2005. The PE department also has a cardio centre.

Ofsted

The recent Ofsted

Ofsted

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 ....

 inspection commented “students enjoy school, and this is reflected by their attendance” and “students progress well because of good quality of teaching and learning”.

2008 GCSE results

The Cooper School is celebrating having achieved its best ever examination results at GCSE for the second year running. 60% of the students achieved 5 or more A*-C grades, an 8% increase on the figures for last year and 13% improvement on 2006. In addition, 98% of students achieved 5 or more A*-G passes with 100% gaining at least 1 or more A*-G grades. These results are a significant improvement on the figures achieved in previous years and bear testimony to the sustained hard work of the students themselves, the staff who taught and supported them and the encouragement and support of the students’ parents. This is the third consecutive year of sustained improvement and the school believes that the increased performance was also due to certain initiatives introduced since this cohort began their GCSE studies which included: a more personalised curriculum offering a greater diversity of courses to suit individual interests and abilities; continuing the arrangements for study leave began last year with targeted revision classes focused on individual examinations; ‘Aim Higher’ study initiatives; the use of ICT including specialist on-line revision materials and motivational prizes for excellent attendance and attainment.

Uniform

Since September 2008, The Cooper School has had a radical change of uniform. This now includes a blazer, shirt and tie.

Befrienders

Befrienders are a group of current year elevens who assist with helping new and current year sevens settle into secondary school life. Each form is supplied with two specific befrienders consisting of one boy and one girl. The befrienders are obliged to wear smiley faced badges to help year sevens identify them. There is also a "little room" where year sevens can speak in privacy with the befrienders.

The future

The Cooper School has recently been awarded a three million pound grant to build a new sixth form by 2011. The school has also had a major change in appearance.

External links

• School Website
• Ofsted