Graveney School
Encyclopedia
Graveney School is a foundation
specialist school
with Technology College
status in the Furzedown
area of Tooting
, south west London
. The Principal is Graham Stapleton and the Headteacher is Keith Barbrook. It teaches years 7 to 11 (ages 11 to 16), with nine classes per year averaging thirty students each. In 2011 there were 1911 pupils on the school roll, including 634 in the sixth form
. The school has a partially-selective
admissions policy.
At the beginning of 2011 Graveney was assessed in an Ofsted
inspection report as outstanding.
, the modern Graveney was established in 1986 as an amalgamation
of Ensham School
(for girls) and Furzedown Secondary School
(mixed). Furzedown was itself formed in 1977 as an amalgamation of Battersea Grammar School
(for boys) and Rosa Bassett School
(for girls).
Created as a standard comprehensive school
under the control of the local education authority
(initially the ILEA
, later Wandsworth
), a significant change occurred in 1991 when Graveney became a grant-maintained school
, giving far greater control to the school governors. Following the changes resulting from the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
, which abolished grant-maintained status, the school preserved a degree of independence by electing to become a foundation school
.
The school achieved Technology College
status in 1995 and also moved to a partially-selective
admissions policy in September of that year. From the introduction of selection the school was permitted to choose up to 50% of pupils by ability, however this was reduced to 25% in 2000, increased to 30% in 2001 and reduced back to 25% in 2004, where it remains in 2008.
Students are often moved across sets depending on their ability.
The workload is ever so slightly higher in Upper than in Middle. Students in the Support class receive personal mentoring by the school.
Two additional subjects are usually chosen, with the option to do 'Twilight' Drama, Dance or Latin as an extra out of school GCSE.
With regards to Science, the majority of people do the Triple Science award - a GCSE for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whereas some do the Double award. There are a number of students who instead do BTEC Science.
The results of the Year 9 exams determines what sets the students will be in.
college, offering a wide range of subjects to study at A-level. The sixth form is open for application to both internal students (students that studied at Graveney School), and external candidates (students that received their secondary education elsewhere).
The sixth form offers a range of subjects that were not available to take at GCSE level, such as Archaeology
, Critical Thinking
, Film Studies
, Government
& Politics
, Law
, Further Mathematics
, Media Studies
, Philosophy
, Photography
and Psychology
. Students can also retake GCSEs, or follow Open University
enrichment courses. The sixth form has minimum entry requirements of 5 A*-Cs at GCSE level for internal students, and 7 A*-Cs for external applicants. For a student to graduate from year 12 to year 13, they must have attained minimum grades of two Es at AS level.
Graveney sixth form does not have a uniform policy, however students must wear their ID card visibly at all times.
The part of the site on the southern side of Welham Road is the former Rosa Bassett School, the main building of which was opened in 1913. The larger area to the north of the road is the former Furzedown Training College (a teacher training college), which was opened in 1915. The buildings surround a tree-lined campus and include Furzedown House, a Grade II-listed Georgian
house, built in 1794.
The other buildings include: Red House, College House, Lower School, Upper Science, Lower Science, Atkins Technology Centre, the Tech block, an independent study centre, a sports hall and a multigym.
Each building is dedicated to two or more subject.
On the north side of Welham Road, there is also a recreation area which is owned by Wandsworth Council but is on the site of Graveney. The area consists of a small running track, an astro turf pitch, 2 tennis courts and a cricket area.
John Phillips had been headmaster of both Battersea Grammar and Furzedown Secondary Schools prior to his appointment at Graveney.
Graveney now has a separate Principal and Headteacher (First Vice-Principal); the current headteacher is Keith Barbrook.
for inter-house competitions and other similar activities. The house names are linked to the three original schools that merged to form Graveney:
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....
specialist school
Specialist 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...
with Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
status in the Furzedown
Furzedown
Furzedown is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth in South West London. It is a mainly residential area bordering the larger communities of Streatham and Tooting. Besides containing Furzedown halls of Residence, a part of the University of the Arts London, it contains Graveney Secondary...
area of Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, south west London
London
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...
. The Principal is Graham Stapleton and the Headteacher is Keith Barbrook. It teaches years 7 to 11 (ages 11 to 16), with nine classes per year averaging thirty students each. In 2011 there were 1911 pupils on the school roll, including 634 in the 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,...
. The school has a partially-selective
Partially selective school (England)
In England, a partially selective school is one of a few dozen state-funded secondary schools that select a proportion of their intake by ability or aptitude, permitted as a continuation of arrangements that existed prior to 1997....
admissions policy.
At the beginning of 2011 Graveney was assessed in an 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 report as outstanding.
History
Whilst Graveney School can trace its origins back to a school founded in the late 1660s by Sir Walter St John, 3rd Baronet, in BatterseaBattersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, the modern Graveney was established in 1986 as an amalgamation
Consolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
of Ensham School
Ensham School
Ensham School was a girls' comprehensive school in Tooting, South London. During the 1930s it was a mixed central school. By the 1950s it had become a girls' secondary modern school...
(for girls) and Furzedown Secondary School
Furzedown Secondary School
Furzedown Secondary School was a mixed comprehensive school in South London. It was established in Welham Road on the boundary between Streatham and Tooting in 1977, following the amalgamation of Battersea Grammar boys' school and Rosa Bassett girls' grammar school.The school closed when it was...
(mixed). Furzedown was itself formed in 1977 as an amalgamation of Battersea Grammar School
Battersea Grammar School
Battersea Grammar School was a Voluntary-Controlled Secondary Grammar School in South London. It was established in Battersea by the Sir Walter St John Trust in 1875 and moved to larger premises in Streatham in 1936....
(for boys) and Rosa Bassett School
Rosa Bassett School
Rosa Bassett School was a grammar school for girls in South London. It was established in Stockwell in 1906 as the Stockwell County Secondary School and in 1913 moved to Welham Road on the boundary between Streatham and Tooting, becoming the County Secondary School, Streatham, often referred to as...
(for girls).
Created as a standard 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...
under the control of the local education authority
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
(initially the ILEA
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
, later Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
), a significant change occurred in 1991 when Graveney became a grant-maintained school
Grant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
, giving far greater control to the school governors. Following the changes resulting from the School Standards and Framework Act 1998
School Standards and Framework Act 1998
The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was the major education legislation passed by the incoming Labour government of Tony Blair.This Act:* imposed a limit of 30 on infant class sizes....
, which abolished grant-maintained status, the school preserved a degree of independence by electing to become 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....
.
The school achieved Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
status in 1995 and also moved to a partially-selective
Partially selective school (England)
In England, a partially selective school is one of a few dozen state-funded secondary schools that select a proportion of their intake by ability or aptitude, permitted as a continuation of arrangements that existed prior to 1997....
admissions policy in September of that year. From the introduction of selection the school was permitted to choose up to 50% of pupils by ability, however this was reduced to 25% in 2000, increased to 30% in 2001 and reduced back to 25% in 2004, where it remains in 2008.
Years 7 to 11
When students begin their life at Graveney in Year 7, they are placed into sets depending on their Year 6 SATs. Students can either be put into Extension (3 classes), Upper (3 classes), Middle (2 classes), or Support (1 class).Students are often moved across sets depending on their ability.
The workload is ever so slightly higher in Upper than in Middle. Students in the Support class receive personal mentoring by the school.
Years 7 to 9
The Extension classes study two Modern Foreign Languages as opposed to a single language in the other sets for these 3 years.Years 10 to 11
At the end of Year 9, students pick their GCSE options. English Language and Literature, Maths, Science, PE, and a MFL are compulsory for the two years.Two additional subjects are usually chosen, with the option to do 'Twilight' Drama, Dance or Latin as an extra out of school GCSE.
With regards to Science, the majority of people do the Triple Science award - a GCSE for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whereas some do the Double award. There are a number of students who instead do BTEC Science.
The results of the Year 9 exams determines what sets the students will be in.
The Sixth Form
Graveney School also has a large sixth formSixth 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,...
college, offering a wide range of subjects to study at A-level. The sixth form is open for application to both internal students (students that studied at Graveney School), and external candidates (students that received their secondary education elsewhere).
The sixth form offers a range of subjects that were not available to take at GCSE level, such as Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
, Critical Thinking
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the process or method of thinking that questions assumptions. It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false, or sometimes true and sometimes false, or partly true and partly false. The origins of critical thinking can be traced in Western thought to the Socratic...
, Film Studies
Film studies
Film studies is an academic discipline that deals with various theoretical, historical, and critical approaches to films. It is sometimes subsumed within media studies and is often compared to television studies...
, Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
& Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics is the title given to a number of advanced secondary mathematics courses. Higher and Further Mathematics may also refer to any of several advanced mathematics courses at many institutions....
, 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...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. Students can also retake GCSEs, or follow Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
enrichment courses. The sixth form has minimum entry requirements of 5 A*-Cs at GCSE level for internal students, and 7 A*-Cs for external applicants. For a student to graduate from year 12 to year 13, they must have attained minimum grades of two Es at AS level.
Graveney sixth form does not have a uniform policy, however students must wear their ID card visibly at all times.
Site and buildings
Graveney initially operated on both the former Furzedown and Ensham sites, however the Ensham building was soon closed and the school now occupies what was Furzedown Secondary School on either side of Welham Road in Tooting, south west London.The part of the site on the southern side of Welham Road is the former Rosa Bassett School, the main building of which was opened in 1913. The larger area to the north of the road is the former Furzedown Training College (a teacher training college), which was opened in 1915. The buildings surround a tree-lined campus and include Furzedown House, a Grade II-listed Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
house, built in 1794.
The other buildings include: Red House, College House, Lower School, Upper Science, Lower Science, Atkins Technology Centre, the Tech block, an independent study centre, a sports hall and a multigym.
Each building is dedicated to two or more subject.
- Red House - English, Economics and Business Studies, Media Studies, Film Studies, Drama and Government & Politics
- Furzedown House - Art, Music, Drama and English
- Theatre - Drama and English
- College House - Maths, Geography, IT, Sports Studies, Citizenship and PSHE
- Lower School - Languages, History, Religious Studies, IT, Sociology, Archaeology, Critical Thinking, Philosophy, PSHE and Citizenship
- Lower Science - Biology, Chemistry and Physics
- Upper Science - Biology, Chemistry and Physics
- Atkins Technology Centre - Electronics, Resistant Materials and Graphics
- Technology Block - Food and Textiles
- Sixth Form Study Centre - For Sixth Form students only
- Sports Hall - Sports Studies and PE
- Multigym - Sports Studies and PE
On the north side of Welham Road, there is also a recreation area which is owned by Wandsworth Council but is on the site of Graveney. The area consists of a small running track, an astro turf pitch, 2 tennis courts and a cricket area.
Headteachers and Principals
- 1986–1989 John A. Phillips, BA (Oxon)
- 1989– Graham Stapleton, MA (Cantab) (now Principal)
John Phillips had been headmaster of both Battersea Grammar and Furzedown Secondary Schools prior to his appointment at Graveney.
Graveney now has a separate Principal and Headteacher (First Vice-Principal); the current headteacher is Keith Barbrook.
House system
Graveney operates a system in years 7 to 9 whereby the students are divided into housesHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
for inter-house competitions and other similar activities. The house names are linked to the three original schools that merged to form Graveney:
- St. John's – named after Sir Walter St John, 3rd Baronet, who founded the school that became Battersea Grammar School; the house emblem, a gold falcon, is derived from the crestCrest (heraldry)A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
on Sir Walter's coat of armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. Motto: Gloria Brevis, Honor Longus. - Rosa Bassett – named after Rosa BassettRosa BassettRosa Bassett, MBE was an English educationist and headmistress of the County Secondary School, Streatham, in London....
, the first headmistress of County Secondary School Streatham, which became Rosa Bassett School. The house's motto, Honesta Obtinete, and the scarlet pimpernel emblem are both taken from those of Rosa Bassett School. - Ensham – named after Ensham school. Motto: Per Ardua Ad Alta.