Larkmead School
Encyclopedia
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. The four partners share Sixth Form lessons and plans for the future are discussed between the head teachers of all three schools.
Larkmead was granted specialist school status
as a Performing Arts College
in 2004.
, Abingdon borough decided that a larger school was desperately needed. The names Larkhill and Willowside were originally suggested for the school, but in the end the name 'Larkmead' was settled upon.
The new school's buildings were completed by Easter 1956, and on Friday 8 June the school was officially opened by Sir John Douglas Cockcroft. Several additions were made to the school over the coming years, including a Kitchen (1958), a Caretaker's bungalow and Swimming Pool (1960) and a new Design Technology
building (1969).
In 1972, with the school preparing for comprehensive
status, it was deemed necessary to update and extend the school's buildings. A new collection of buildings were built away from the main teaching areas to house the administrative centre of the school, where the Office and Learning Resource Centre
are situated today.
Up to the present day the school has made several new additions to its buildings, including a much needed Music
Centre - including a performance room and several practice and technology rooms - and there are several initiatives ongoing to improve the facilities at the school.
The School achieved the status of a Specialist School in the Visual and Performing Arts after much hard work from retired headteacher Richard Bysouth and the enthusiasm of Pupils and Parents who helped reach the required figure of £150,000 to complete the application. The merits of becoming a specialist school are widely disputed, with a recent paper suggesting that it made very little difference to exam results even in those subjects the school specialised in, and it is debatable whether the status has been good for Larkmead School.
in May 2008, and overall it received a Level 4 (broadly average to above average) for 'Overall Effectiveness'. It's Key Stage 3
performance was highly praised, with particular emphasis on the progress made from 'below average performance' before joining the School, to 'average performance' at the end of Key Stage 3
.
However, Key Stage 4 performance was widely condemned in the report with GCSE performance described as ' average overall' although the school was praised for actively working towards improving these grades.
Overall, aspects of the school that were praised included the behaviour of students, strong leadership from both the Headteacher and the Board of Governors and the provision of extra-curricular activities in line with the school's specialist status. Aspects of the school that were highlighted for improvement included the improvement of lessons to reflect individual learners, and also the School's poor attendance
figures.
The school was not singled out to receive either special measures
or a notice to improve.
In 2007, Larkmead students achieved 323.9 as an average total points score, compared to the Oxfordshire average of 367.9 and the National average of 378.2. According to the school, their GCSE results 'exactly met our predicted results', although the reader is advised to make their own mind up about the statistics contained within the School's internal publication.
In the 2007 GCSE Results, '5% of Larkmead students achieved 10 Grade A*/A's' (sic) which was a higher percentage than any of the other schools in the Abingdon consortium.
Key Stage 3 Results
Larkmead's Key Stage 3 results were their best achievement in the year 2007, with 90% of students either meeting or exceeding their predicted grades. Another outstanding result was Larkmead's performance in the Key Stage 3 English examinations, where the school exceeded the county average by 9%. The school is in the top 5% of schools nationwide in terms of value added performance at Key Stage 3. However, the school fails to comment on their position nationally in terms of absolute results.
Advanced Level Results
Larkmead's performance at Key Stage 5 is complicated by the fact that students from across the Abingdon consortium attend lessons and are examined at this institution. 47% of students entered at Larkmead were passed at a grade A or B, and 98% of all exams entered were pass grades, compared to the national average of 96%. At AS, the results were less impressive, with 81% of students gaining a pass grade in each subject.
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...
situated on Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
, 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 is one in a four-way partnership of Abingdon schools known as 14:19 Abingdon. The other members are John Mason School
John Mason School
John Mason School, or JMS, is a state secondary school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. It has a specialist Arts College status.-History:Established as an old grammar school in 1960, JMS has now grown considerably, with, as of 2007, approximately 1000 students. Ms Di Mashiter began as the...
, 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. The four partners share Sixth Form lessons and plans for the future are discussed between the head teachers of all three schools.
Larkmead was granted specialist school status
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...
as a Performing 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...
in 2004.
History
At the close of the war in 1945, and the introduction of primary and secondary education under R.A. Butler's Education Act 1944Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
, Abingdon borough decided that a larger school was desperately needed. The names Larkhill and Willowside were originally suggested for the school, but in the end the name 'Larkmead' was settled upon.
The new school's buildings were completed by Easter 1956, and on Friday 8 June the school was officially opened by Sir John Douglas Cockcroft. Several additions were made to the school over the coming years, including a Kitchen (1958), a Caretaker's bungalow and Swimming Pool (1960) and a new Design Technology
Design Technology
Design and Technology is a school subject offered at all levels of primary and secondary school. In some countries such as England it is a part of the National Curriculum. It is offered in many countries around the world such as Brunei, Bermuda, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Jordan...
building (1969).
In 1972, with the school preparing for 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...
status, it was deemed necessary to update and extend the school's buildings. A new collection of buildings were built away from the main teaching areas to house the administrative centre of the school, where the Office and Learning Resource Centre
Learning Resource Centre
Learning Resource Centre is a term which is used in the United Kingdom to describe a type of library that exists within an educational setting such as Secondary Schools, Further Education Colleges and Universities...
are situated today.
Up to the present day the school has made several new additions to its buildings, including a much needed Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
Centre - including a performance room and several practice and technology rooms - and there are several initiatives ongoing to improve the facilities at the school.
The School achieved the status of a Specialist School in the Visual and Performing Arts after much hard work from retired headteacher Richard Bysouth and the enthusiasm of Pupils and Parents who helped reach the required figure of £150,000 to complete the application. The merits of becoming a specialist school are widely disputed, with a recent paper suggesting that it made very little difference to exam results even in those subjects the school specialised in, and it is debatable whether the status has been good for Larkmead School.
Performance
The performance of a school can be judged by many criteria, including Ofsted Reports and Examination Performance.Ofsted Inspections
Larkmead School was last inspected by OFSTEDOfsted
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 ....
in May 2008, and overall it received a Level 4 (broadly average to above average) for 'Overall Effectiveness'. It's Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
performance was highly praised, with particular emphasis on the progress made from 'below average performance' before joining the School, to 'average performance' at the end of Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
.
However, Key Stage 4 performance was widely condemned in the report with GCSE performance described as ' average overall' although the school was praised for actively working towards improving these grades.
Overall, aspects of the school that were praised included the behaviour of students, strong leadership from both the Headteacher and the Board of Governors and the provision of extra-curricular activities in line with the school's specialist status. Aspects of the school that were highlighted for improvement included the improvement of lessons to reflect individual learners, and also the School's poor attendance
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
figures.
The school was not singled out to receive either special measures
Special measures
Special measures is a status applied by Ofsted and Estyn, the schools inspection agencies, to schools in England and Wales, respectively, when it considers that they fail to supply an acceptable level of education and appear to lack the leadership capacity necessary to secure improvements...
or a notice to improve.
Public Examination Results
GCSE ResultsIn 2007, Larkmead students achieved 323.9 as an average total points score, compared to the Oxfordshire average of 367.9 and the National average of 378.2. According to the school, their GCSE results 'exactly met our predicted results', although the reader is advised to make their own mind up about the statistics contained within the School's internal publication.
In the 2007 GCSE Results, '5% of Larkmead students achieved 10 Grade A*/A's' (sic) which was a higher percentage than any of the other schools in the Abingdon consortium.
Key Stage 3 Results
Larkmead's Key Stage 3 results were their best achievement in the year 2007, with 90% of students either meeting or exceeding their predicted grades. Another outstanding result was Larkmead's performance in the Key Stage 3 English examinations, where the school exceeded the county average by 9%. The school is in the top 5% of schools nationwide in terms of value added performance at Key Stage 3. However, the school fails to comment on their position nationally in terms of absolute results.
Advanced Level Results
Larkmead's performance at Key Stage 5 is complicated by the fact that students from across the Abingdon consortium attend lessons and are examined at this institution. 47% of students entered at Larkmead were passed at a grade A or B, and 98% of all exams entered were pass grades, compared to the national average of 96%. At AS, the results were less impressive, with 81% of students gaining a pass grade in each subject.