Ifield Community College
Encyclopedia
Ifield Community College (ICC) is a maintained comprehensive
secondary school
for pupils aged 11 to 18.
. It is situated in the west of Crawley, next to the A23
. Ifield railway station
is nearby to the south.
The school is entirely comprehensive, providing education for around 1000 pupils aged between 11 and 18 of all abilities.
Most pupils attending the school live within the catchment area, and transfer from one of the local primary schools:
. It began life as a free school opened by Mrs Sarah Robinson in the village of Crawley. A new building was opened in 1854 in what was later to become known as Robinson Road in honour of the teacher. In 1953, the school lost its primary-aged pupils with the opening of the new West Green county junior and infants' school
. Many older pupils were moved to the newly-opened Hazelwick School
with the remainder transferring to the new Sarah Robinson secondary modern School buildings opened on the Ifield campus in 1956.
By 1984 there were some 1600 pupils on roll - including Keith Newell who went on to play cricket for Sussex County Cricket Club
.
Developments in the early 1980s saw the two separate buildings co-locating, with former buildings becoming the home of Ifield Middle School in 1985. In 2005, a new school building opened in the centre of the campus, with the old buildings being demolished.
alongside the A23
. It was shared with St Margaret's Church of England primary school, and later the Holy Cross Intermediate School.
In 2005, a new building for the school was opened in the south eastern-most corner of the large campus, maintaining the existing tree-lined boundaries. The campus is still shared with St Margaret's School, and now The Mill Primary School and the Manor Green special schools.
The choir, led by Patrick Allen (music educator)
, has performed at some of Europe's major venues, including St Mark's Basilica
in Venice (2008),the Royal Festival Hall
, London
, Barcelona Cathedral, the Auditorium Stravinski in Montreux and a recent collaboration with the BBC Singers
saw them performing and recording at Maida Vale Studios
. They have been five times finalists at the National Festival of Music for Youth
, most recently in 2009 and 2010.
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...
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...
for pupils aged 11 to 18.
Admissions
It caters for around 1000 pupils in years 7 to 13, including over 100 in its 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,...
. It is situated in the west of Crawley, next to the A23
A23 road
The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex. It became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the Turnpike Trusts...
. Ifield railway station
Ifield railway station
Ifield railway station serves the neighbourhoods of Ifield and Gossops Green in the West Sussex town of Crawley. It is on the Arun Valley Line, and is miles from London Bridge. Train services are provided by Southern.-History:...
is nearby to the south.
The school is entirely comprehensive, providing education for around 1000 pupils aged between 11 and 18 of all abilities.
Most pupils attending the school live within the catchment area, and transfer from one of the local primary schools:
- Mill Primary School, Crawley|The Mill Primary School
- Waterfield Primary School
- West Green Primary SchoolWest Green Primary School, CrawleyWest Green Primary School is a maintained primary school situated in the West Green neighbourhood of Crawley, West Sussex for pupils aged 4 to 11. It currently caters for approximately 150 pupils. Twenty percent of the students have special education needs, higher than the national average...
- Bewbush Primary School
- Gossops Green Primary School
- Langley Green Primary School
History
The school has history dating back to 1852 - nearly 100 years before the coming of the new townNew town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
. It began life as a free school opened by Mrs Sarah Robinson in the village of Crawley. A new building was opened in 1854 in what was later to become known as Robinson Road in honour of the teacher. In 1953, the school lost its primary-aged pupils with the opening of the new West Green county junior and infants' school
West Green Primary School, Crawley
West Green Primary School is a maintained primary school situated in the West Green neighbourhood of Crawley, West Sussex for pupils aged 4 to 11. It currently caters for approximately 150 pupils. Twenty percent of the students have special education needs, higher than the national average...
. Many older pupils were moved to the newly-opened Hazelwick School
Hazelwick School
Hazelwick School is an Academy Co-educational Comprehensive School for pupils aged 11 to 18, located in Crawley, West Sussex.-History:Hazelwick School is a Secondary school for pupils aged 11-18. The school was finished being built in 1952 although it did not officially open until 1953 as a...
with the remainder transferring to the new Sarah Robinson secondary modern School buildings opened on the Ifield campus in 1956.
Comprehensive
At this time, the secondary modern school shared a campus with the newly-opened Ifield County Grammar School, built in 1955. The schools worked closely together, eventually merging in 1966 to become Ifield comprehensive school following retirement of the Headteacher at the Sarah Robinson school. A distinguished headmaster, Mr Bomford, was brought in to oversee the transition and he introduced a new formality, with senior teachers wearing gowns in assemblies for the first time. As one of the biggest schools in England, Ifield had a considerable reputation for sport, particularly soccer and athletics. The pupils at this time included Jeff Bryant, who went on to be a professional footballer with Wimbledon and Alan Minter, a future World Boxing Champion.By 1984 there were some 1600 pupils on roll - including Keith Newell who went on to play cricket for Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
.
Developments in the early 1980s saw the two separate buildings co-locating, with former buildings becoming the home of Ifield Middle School in 1985. In 2005, a new school building opened in the centre of the campus, with the old buildings being demolished.
Campus
The campus for the school was set aside in the masterplan for Crawley New Town along the eastern edge of the neighbourhood of IfieldIfield, Crawley
Ifield is a former village and now a neighbourhood within the town of Crawley in West Sussex, England. Ifield is in the west of the town and is bordered by Ifield West, Horsham, Langley Green to the north east, West Green to the east across the ring road and Gossops Green and Bewbush to the south...
alongside the A23
A23 road
The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex. It became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the Turnpike Trusts...
. It was shared with St Margaret's Church of England primary school, and later the Holy Cross Intermediate School.
In 2005, a new building for the school was opened in the south eastern-most corner of the large campus, maintaining the existing tree-lined boundaries. The campus is still shared with St Margaret's School, and now The Mill Primary School and the Manor Green special schools.
Choir
Ifield Community College has a very successful and accomplished choir made up of students from all age groups in the school. The choir has recently completed a short tour of Barcelona in July 2009, performing at Barcelona Cathedral, amongst other venues.The choir, led by Patrick Allen (music educator)
Patrick Allen (music educator)
Patrick Allen is the English author of Singing Matters , which won the Times Educational Supplement Schoolbook Award in 1999. He also won The Guardian Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School in 2004...
, has performed at some of Europe's major venues, including St Mark's Basilica
St Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture...
in Venice (2008),the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
, 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...
, Barcelona Cathedral, the Auditorium Stravinski in Montreux and a recent collaboration with the BBC Singers
BBC Singers
The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...
saw them performing and recording at Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC studios on Delaware Road, Maida Vale, London.It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 from 1946 to the present...
. They have been five times finalists at the National Festival of Music for Youth
Music for Youth
Music for Youth is a British charity which provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for groups of young musicians and audiences through a series of festivals and concerts throughout the UK. 2 million children have taken part in Music for Youth events since 1971...
, most recently in 2009 and 2010.
Ifield Grammar School
- Michael Keating, Director of Education since 2005 at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council