John Mason School
Encyclopedia
John Mason School, or JMS, is a state secondary school
in Abingdon, Oxfordshire
, England. It has a specialist Arts College
status.
in 1960, JMS has now grown considerably, with, as of 2007, approximately 1000 students. Ms Di Mashiter began as the school's new head in January 2008. The school was named by the Berkshire Education Committee after sixteenth-century intellectual, diplomat and spy Sir John Mason, whose picture can be found hanging in the school hall. He was born in Abingdon and educated at the nearby Abingdon School
.
Situated on Wootton Road, John Mason is centrally located in a four-way partnership of Abingdon schools known as 14:19 Abingdon. The other members are Larkmead School
, Fitzharrys School
and Abingdon and Witney College
. The four partners share Sixth Form lessons and plans for the future are discussed between the head teachers of all three schools.
) of the same origin as the Abingdon School logo. JMS has a motto of "High Standards, Happy School, Committed Service, Creative Spirit" (formerly "High Standards, Happy School, Honourable Service"). In 2006 the school colours were changed from grey and orange to green and orange. The school has three houses, Ock, Stert, and Thames, of the colours green, red and blue respectively. There was a fourth house, Isis, but this was dissolved in 1993. The houses are named after watercourses in the town.
, folk musician John Spiers
and Paul Mayhew-Archer
(a writer on The Vicar of Dibley
and My Hero) who was formerly a teacher at JMS.
Past pupil Dr Mike Leahy presents his own TV programme Invasion of the Bodyscratchers and has appeared in many other medical programmes.
and the town of Llandovery
as well as being close to the Dolaucothi Gold Mines
(Landranger Grid Reference: ). It is surrounded by forested hills and sheep farms and is somewhat isolated from other properties. Students commonly undertake a four-day trip while in Year 9, and some have the option to revisit in Year 10 for a Geography Fieldwork trip, Year 11 for a Triple Science
Observational Cosmology
Trip and in Year 12
.
The John Mason Association (referred to as the JMA, the 'friends' of John Mason School) owns and runs the Welsh Farm, which is visited by nearly all students, and used for field trips, tutorial group visits and other specialised trips. The JMA purchased the farm in 1769 for £100 and renovation has been ongoing ever since. The majority of students admire the farm and many request to borrow it after they have finished their GCSEs in Year 11.
Troedrhiw is available for hire by the Crown Prince of Bahrain and his dignitaries.
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 Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England. It has a specialist Arts College
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 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, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
status.
History
Established as an old grammar schoolGrammar 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...
in 1960, JMS has now grown considerably, with, as of 2007, approximately 1000 students. Ms Di Mashiter began as the school's new head in January 2008. The school was named by the Berkshire Education Committee after sixteenth-century intellectual, diplomat and spy Sir John Mason, whose picture can be found hanging in the school hall. He was born in Abingdon and educated at the nearby Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
.
Situated on Wootton Road, John Mason is centrally located in a four-way partnership of Abingdon schools known as 14:19 Abingdon. The other members are Larkmead School
Larkmead School
Larkmead School is a state secondary school situated on Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It is one in a four-way partnership of Abingdon schools known as 14:19 Abingdon. The other members are John Mason School, Fitzharrys School and Abingdon and Witney College...
, Fitzharrys School
Fitzharrys School
Fitzharrys School, is a state secondary school located in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in England. Currently there are about 900 students attending. The current headteacher is Jonathan Dennett who took over from Susan Tranter in January 2011...
and Abingdon and Witney College
Abingdon and Witney College
Abingdon and Witney College is a further education college based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It was formed in 2001 after the mergers of Abingdon College and West Oxfordshire College and offers teaching and training to young people, adults and businesses. It has campuses in Abingdon, Witney...
. The four partners share Sixth Form lessons and plans for the future are discussed between the head teachers of all three schools.
Houses
The school logo is that of a double-headed lion (although many people mistakenly believe it to be a griffinGriffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
) of the same origin as the Abingdon School logo. JMS has a motto of "High Standards, Happy School, Committed Service, Creative Spirit" (formerly "High Standards, Happy School, Honourable Service"). In 2006 the school colours were changed from grey and orange to green and orange. The school has three houses, Ock, Stert, and Thames, of the colours green, red and blue respectively. There was a fourth house, Isis, but this was dissolved in 1993. The houses are named after watercourses in the town.
Notable alumni
Famous alumni include the Premiership footballer Matthew TaylorMatthew Taylor (footballer)
Matthew Simon "Matty" Taylor is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United. He is noted for his powerful long-range strikes.-Early career:...
, folk musician John Spiers
Spiers and Boden
Spiers and Boden are an English folk duo. John Spiers plays melodeon and concertina, while Jon Boden sings and plays fiddle and guitar while stamping the rhythm on a stomp box.-Biography:...
and Paul Mayhew-Archer
Paul Mayhew-Archer
Paul Mayhew-Archer is a writer, producer and script editor for the BBC.He studied English at Cambridge University after attending Eastbourne College, being a member of Reeves House. He spent his time at school writing plays...
(a writer on The Vicar of Dibley
The Vicar of Dibley
The Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom created by Richard Curtis and written for its lead actress, Dawn French, by Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer, with contributions from Kit Hesketh-Harvey. It aired from 1994 to 2007...
and My Hero) who was formerly a teacher at JMS.
Past pupil Dr Mike Leahy presents his own TV programme Invasion of the Bodyscratchers and has appeared in many other medical programmes.
Specialist School Status
The three schools in the Consortium were granted Specialist School Status in 2004. John Mason now specialises in the visual arts. This means it will now receive greater funding from the government to provide for specialist equipment. The school will continue to function as normal in all other departments, but with increased funding for visual learning equipment, such as data projectors. In 2006, JMS opened the 06 Gallery, a new construction reflecting this specialism.The Welsh Farm
A valuable and unusual asset of the school is the Welsh Farm of Troedyrhiwgellifawr ("House in the grove at the foot of the hill"), which lies towards the end of a remote valley in West Wales near the village of PumsaintPumsaint
Pumsaint is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales situated half way between Llanwrda and Lampeter on the A482 in the valley of the River Cothi. It forms part of the extensive estate of Dolaucothi which is owned by the National Trust....
and the town of Llandovery
Llandovery
Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...
as well as being close to the Dolaucothi Gold Mines
Dolaucothi Gold Mines
The Dolaucothi Gold Mines , also known as the Ogofau Gold Mine, are Roman surface and deep mines located in the valley of the River Cothi, near Pumsaint, Carmarthenshire, Wales...
(Landranger Grid Reference: ). It is surrounded by forested hills and sheep farms and is somewhat isolated from other properties. Students commonly undertake a four-day trip while in Year 9, and some have the option to revisit in Year 10 for a Geography Fieldwork trip, Year 11 for a Triple Science
Triple Award Science
Triple Award Science is the name for a course in the United Kingdom which delivers three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.The course is usually studied throughout Years 10 and 11, but may be started in the latter stages of Year 9...
Observational Cosmology
Observational cosmology
Observational cosmology is the study of the structure, the evolution and the origin of the universe through observation, using instruments such as telescopes and cosmic ray detectors.-Early observations:...
Trip and in Year 12
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 John Mason Association (referred to as the JMA, the 'friends' of John Mason School) owns and runs the Welsh Farm, which is visited by nearly all students, and used for field trips, tutorial group visits and other specialised trips. The JMA purchased the farm in 1769 for £100 and renovation has been ongoing ever since. The majority of students admire the farm and many request to borrow it after they have finished their GCSEs in Year 11.
Troedrhiw is available for hire by the Crown Prince of Bahrain and his dignitaries.