Norton School
Encyclopedia
Norton School was a secondary school
in Letchworth
, Hertfordshire
that was founded in 1905 and which closed in 2002 following a period of being in special measures
. It has since been partially demolished and redeveloped as a collection of housing and apartments by Miller Homes.
. It was built in a quadrangle with a courtyard for open-air teaching and to allow lots of light and movement of air. These principles were later to become standard in school design but were very innovative at the time. Over the decades since its foundation, Norton School saw great expansion as pupil numbers grew, with various teaching blocks being added to accommodate these increasing numbers.
In its last year the school's thirty-two staff comprised thirteen staff on temporary contracts and nine from overseas - eight from South Africa
and one from Jamaica
. Fifteen of the staff joined the school in September 2001. In its final year Norton School was taken over by The Knights' Templar School
in neighbouring Baldock
, and was renamed 'The Knights Templar School in Letchworth'. At this time the Norton School uniform of a sweat shirt was replaced with the Knights Templar uniform of jacket (with school badge) and school tie.
Following closure, pupils primarily transferred to Knights Templar School
, while others transferred to the nearby Highfield School
and Fearnhill 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...
in Letchworth
Letchworth
Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The town's name is taken from one of the three villages it surrounded - all of which featured in the Domesday Book. The land used was first purchased by Quakers who had intended to farm the...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
that was founded in 1905 and which closed in 2002 following a period of being in 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...
. It has since been partially demolished and redeveloped as a collection of housing and apartments by Miller Homes.
History
Originally named Norton Road School, the school was designed by Raymond UnwinRaymond Unwin
Sir Raymond Unwin was a prominent and influential English engineer, architect and town planner, with an emphasis on improvements in working class housing.-Early years:...
. It was built in a quadrangle with a courtyard for open-air teaching and to allow lots of light and movement of air. These principles were later to become standard in school design but were very innovative at the time. Over the decades since its foundation, Norton School saw great expansion as pupil numbers grew, with various teaching blocks being added to accommodate these increasing numbers.
In its last year the school's thirty-two staff comprised thirteen staff on temporary contracts and nine from overseas - eight from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and one from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Fifteen of the staff joined the school in September 2001. In its final year Norton School was taken over by The Knights' Templar School
Knights Templar School
Knights Templar School is a co-educational secondary school located in the market town of Baldock in North Hertfordshire, England. In a February 2006 OFSTED report, the school was described as "outstanding", one of only eight secondary schools in Hertfordshire to be so recognised. It retained its...
in neighbouring Baldock
Baldock
Baldock is a historic market town in the local government district of North Hertfordshire in the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, England where the River Ivel rises. It lies north of London, southeast of Bedford, and north northwest of the county town of Hertford...
, and was renamed 'The Knights Templar School in Letchworth'. At this time the Norton School uniform of a sweat shirt was replaced with the Knights Templar uniform of jacket (with school badge) and school tie.
Following closure, pupils primarily transferred to Knights Templar School
Knights Templar School
Knights Templar School is a co-educational secondary school located in the market town of Baldock in North Hertfordshire, England. In a February 2006 OFSTED report, the school was described as "outstanding", one of only eight secondary schools in Hertfordshire to be so recognised. It retained its...
, while others transferred to the nearby Highfield School
The Highfield School
The Highfield School is a specialist Science College for secondary education in Letchworth, Hertfordshire. The Highfield School teaches students aged 11-18 from Year 7 through to Year 13. The school is part of the Letchworth Sixth Form Consortium with Fearnhill School...
and Fearnhill School
Fearnhill School
Fearnhill School is a comprehensive school located in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England.-Admissions:It is a specialist school and a Maths and Computing College. It educates over 1,000 students and is one of a minority of high schools with a sixth form...
.
Former Headmasters
- Edgar John
- Peter Wall
- Keith Wadsworth
- Amanda Roberts
- Peter Chapman (Headmaster of Knights Templar SchoolKnights Templar SchoolKnights Templar School is a co-educational secondary school located in the market town of Baldock in North Hertfordshire, England. In a February 2006 OFSTED report, the school was described as "outstanding", one of only eight secondary schools in Hertfordshire to be so recognised. It retained its...
, and Associate Head with Amanda Roberts)
External links
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/mar/22/teachershortage.schools'School could close for lack of good teachers' The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
22 March 2002]