High Arcal School
Encyclopedia
High Arcal School is a comprehensive secondary school situated in Sedgley
, West Midlands
, England
. It was opened in 1961 as a grammar school
and became comprehensive
in 1975. The school holds Specialist Science College
status. Along with one for applied learning
It was originally a grammar school for 11-18 year olds in Sedgley and Coseley who passed the 11 plus examination, but is now a comprehensive school most serving the eastern part of Sedgley and the western part of Coseley. After nearly two decades serving the 12-18 age range, it was reorganised to form an 11-16 school and now covers a wider catchment area including parts of Dudley and Tipton.
, with the catchment area being altered from September 1966 when the bulk of Sedgley was absorbed into the borough of Dudley
; approximately half of Coseley remained in the catchment area as part of the expanded Dudley borough, but significant portions of the old urban district were merged into Wolverhampton
and West Bromwich
and removed from the catchment area of High Arcal.
The school's age range was altered to 12-18 from September 1972, and its status changed from grammar to comprehensive in September 1975.
The school's sixth form closed in July 1990 as part of further reorganisation by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, and from September that year the age range was altered to 11-16 with 11-year-olds being readmitted to High Arcal after 18 years as a 12+ school. Since then, places at the school have been obtainable to pupils living in Tipton
(just beyond the Dudley borough's borders in Sandwell
, where the secondary transfer age has always been 11 years) and the school has consequently become a popular choice for children living in Tipton, particularly in the Tipton Green
district.
The school's current head teacher is Mrs Jo Manson, who took the position on a temporary basis in August 2006 following the resignation of Mr Jeffrey Williams, who quit after being fined at Wolverhampton
Crown Court
following a conviction for kerb-crawling
. He had been head at the school for 14 years, and had seen a major turnaround in the school's fortunes since the retirement of previous head teacher Mr John Gerrish in December 1992, who in turn succeeded the foundation headmaster Mr John Ardern. He had taught at a school in Shropshire
for several years prior to becoming head of High Arcal, having once been a subject teacher at High Arcal.
The highlight of the school's recent uprise in fortunes came in 2002, when it came highest of Sedgley's three secondary schools in the GCSE
tables for the first time in more than a decade. Further success came in 2006, when High Arcal came seventh out of the borough's 22 schools - ahead of 12th placed Dormston and 14th placed Ellowes. Its rising standards have attracted a growing number of pupils from areas which previously attracted a much lower intake. It gets GCSE results at the England average.
, Malvern
, Wenlock
and Wrekin
(after local hill ranges) and were changed once more in the 1990s to the latest names. The houses compete in both physical and academic events, competing in sports such as cricket
, football
and rugby
.
and, until its closure in 2006, Sycamore Green Primary School. It has also been a popular destination for former Tipton Green Junior School pupils since 1990.
.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=500129&in_page_id=1770 A series of fundraising events have since taken place at the school and a memorial garden is set to be erected in Stephanie's memory.
Sedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was opened in 1961 as a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
and became comprehensive
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 1975. The school holds Specialist Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 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, science and mathematics...
status. Along with one for applied learning
Admissions
The school is situated between the A457 (Tipton Road) and the A459 (Dudley Road) in Woodsetton, to the east of Sedgley town centre.It was originally a grammar school for 11-18 year olds in Sedgley and Coseley who passed the 11 plus examination, but is now a comprehensive school most serving the eastern part of Sedgley and the western part of Coseley. After nearly two decades serving the 12-18 age range, it was reorganised to form an 11-16 school and now covers a wider catchment area including parts of Dudley and Tipton.
History
The school opened in September 1961 as a grammar school to serve the urban district councils of Sedgley and CoseleyCoseley
Coseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Part of the Black Country, it lies south east of Wolverhampton and north of Dudley....
, with the catchment area being altered from September 1966 when the bulk of Sedgley was absorbed into the borough of Dudley
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
; approximately half of Coseley remained in the catchment area as part of the expanded Dudley borough, but significant portions of the old urban district were merged into Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and West Bromwich
West Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
and removed from the catchment area of High Arcal.
The school's age range was altered to 12-18 from September 1972, and its status changed from grammar to comprehensive in September 1975.
The school's sixth form closed in July 1990 as part of further reorganisation by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, and from September that year the age range was altered to 11-16 with 11-year-olds being readmitted to High Arcal after 18 years as a 12+ school. Since then, places at the school have been obtainable to pupils living in Tipton
Tipton
Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
(just beyond the Dudley borough's borders in Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
, where the secondary transfer age has always been 11 years) and the school has consequently become a popular choice for children living in Tipton, particularly in the Tipton Green
Tipton Green
Tipton Green is the central area of Tipton, a town in the West Midlands of England. It was heavily developed for industry during the 19th century, as Tipton was one of the most significant towns during the Industrial Revolution. Tipton Green is one of three electoral wards covering Tipton for...
district.
The school's current head teacher is Mrs Jo Manson, who took the position on a temporary basis in August 2006 following the resignation of Mr Jeffrey Williams, who quit after being fined at Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
following a conviction for kerb-crawling
Kerb crawler
A kerb crawler is a person who drives around areas known for street prostitution soliciting prostitutes for sex. The act is known as "kerb crawling" because the person will typically drive very slowly along the kerbside....
. He had been head at the school for 14 years, and had seen a major turnaround in the school's fortunes since the retirement of previous head teacher Mr John Gerrish in December 1992, who in turn succeeded the foundation headmaster Mr John Ardern. He had taught at a school in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
for several years prior to becoming head of High Arcal, having once been a subject teacher at High Arcal.
The highlight of the school's recent uprise in fortunes came in 2002, when it came highest of Sedgley's three secondary schools in the GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
tables for the first time in more than a decade. Further success came in 2006, when High Arcal came seventh out of the borough's 22 schools - ahead of 12th placed Dormston and 14th placed Ellowes. Its rising standards have attracted a growing number of pupils from areas which previously attracted a much lower intake. It gets GCSE results at the England average.
Houses
Pupils are divided into four groups known as "houses", all of which take their names from local stately homes. The original house names were Abbey, Beacon, Castle and Priory but changed in the 1980s to CleeClee Hills
The Clee Hills are a range of hills in Shropshire, England near Ludlow, consisting of Brown Clee Hill , the highest peak in Shropshire, and Titterstone Clee Hill...
, Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
, Wenlock
Wenlock Edge
Wenlock Edge is a limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England. It is long and runs from South West to North East between Craven Arms and Much Wenlock. It is roughly 330 metres high...
and Wrekin
The Wrekin
The Wrekin is a hill in east Shropshire, England. It is located some west of Telford, on the border between the unitary authorities of Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. Rising to a height of above the Shropshire Plain, it is a prominent and well-known landmark, marking the entrance to Shropshire...
(after local hill ranges) and were changed once more in the 1990s to the latest names. The houses compete in both physical and academic events, competing in sports such as cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
.
- AttinghamAttingham ParkAttingham Park is a country house in Shropshire, England, which is owned by the National Trust. It is a Grade I listed building.- Location :It is located near to the village of Atcham, on the B4380 Shrewsbury to Wellington road.- History :...
- HimleyHimleyHimley is a village located in Staffordshire, England. It is most notable for being the location of Himley Hall and the location of the death or capture of a group of conspirators following the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.- The area :...
- BoscobelBoscobelBoscobel is a very small civil parish in the east of Shropshire, England, on the border with Staffordshire. To the north is the Staffordshire village of Bishops Wood....
- WightwickWightwickWightwick is a part of Tettenhall Wightwick ward in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is named after an ancient local family the "de Wightwicks". It is on the western fringe of Wolverhampton and borders the rural South Staffordshire area that includes neighbourhoods such as Perton.Of note...
Feeder schools
The majority of pupils enrolling at the school are former pupils at Bramford Primary School, Foxyards Primary School, Hurst Hill Primary School, Cotwall End Primary SchoolCotwall End Primary School
Cotwall End Primary School is a primary school for boys and girls in Sedgley, West Midlands, England. There are approximately 420 pupils on the school roll. The school's head teacher is Mrs Nicole Anderton.-History:...
and, until its closure in 2006, Sycamore Green Primary School. It has also been a popular destination for former Tipton Green Junior School pupils since 1990.
Sport
The school also takes much pride in its continued good performance in competitions against other schools, in various sporting competitions.Stephanie Faulkner Tragedy
The school endured a tragedy in August 2007 when 14-year-old pupil Stephanie Faulkner died after suffering an anaphylactic shock. A subsequent inquest revealed that the fatal shock was caused by a nut allergy which had been aggravated by a chicken tikka masalaChicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala is a curry dish of roasted chicken chunks in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured...
.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=500129&in_page_id=1770 A series of fundraising events have since taken place at the school and a memorial garden is set to be erected in Stephanie's memory.
Timeline
- September 1961 - High Arcal Grammar School is opened to serve as the first grammar school for the SedgleySedgleySedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
and CoseleyCoseleyCoseley is a town located mostly within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands. Part of the Black Country, it lies south east of Wolverhampton and north of Dudley....
areas. Education is provided for pupils aged 11 to 18 years. - April 1966 - Control of High Arcal Grammar School passes to Dudley CouncilMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
due to SedgleySedgleySedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
Urban DistrictUrban districtIn the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
Council being absorbed into Dudley. - September 1972 - As with other schools in the County BoroughCounty boroughCounty borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, the starting age for pupils at High Arcal is increased from 11 to 12 years. - September 1975 - High Arcal Grammar School becomes The High Arcal School due to a transition to Comprehensive status.
- July 1990 - High Arcal's Sixth FormSixth formIn 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,...
centre closes after 29 years. - September 1990 - As with all other schools in the Dudley borough, the school's starting age decreases from 12 to 11.
- December 1992 - Head teacher Mr John Gerrish retires.
- January 1993 - Mr Jeffrey Williams, a former teacher at the school, returns to take on the role of head teacher.
- September 2002 - Sixth form facilities return to High Arcal for the first time in more than a decade, with a new sixth form being opened at the school by Dudley CollegeDudley CollegeDudley College is a college of further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:In 1862 the Dudley Public Hall and Mechanics Institute was built. In 1896 this was expanded to become the Dudley Technical School, which became Dudley Technical College in 1926...
. - August 2006 - Mr Jeffrey Williams resigns as headteacher after more than 10 years in the role, having been fined at Wolverhampton Crown Court for kerb crawling. His successor is Mrs Jo Manson, previously a deputy head at the school.
- August 2007 - Pupil Stephanie Faulkner, 14, dies after suffering an allergic reaction to a Chicken tikka masalaChicken Tikka MasalaChicken tikka masala is a curry dish of roasted chicken chunks in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured...
at an IndiaIndiaIndia , 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...
n restaurant in TiptonTiptonTipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
.
Alumni
- Andrew Griffiths MPAndrew Griffiths (politician)Andrew James Griffiths is an English politician. He is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Burton.-Early life:Griffiths grew up in Sedgley and attended Bramford Primary School and High Arcal School. His father, Bob Griffiths, served as Mayor of Dudley in 1982...
, Conservative politician - Prof Clive Holes, Khalid Bin Abdullah Al-Saud Professor for the Study of the Contemporary Arab World at the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
since 1997 - Ian Powell, Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
(UK) since July 2008 - Chris Wood (1970-77), Deputy British Ambassador to China since 2009