Priory Community School
Encyclopedia
Priory Community School, often shortened to PCSA, is a school in Worle
, a suburb of Weston-super-Mare
in North Somerset
, England.
The school is an Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.
Ofsted
rated the school as, 'good with many outstanding features' in July 2010.
Grades 1 (outstanding) were given for behaviour, care, guidance and support and safety.
20 'good' grades were also given in the July 2010 inspection.
Priory Pre-School is owned and operated by PCSA on site.
The Principal is former West of England teacher of the year - Neville Coles.
Mr Coles is a keen sportsman and Loughborough PE graduate.
83% got five A* to C grades in any subject - up 4%.
English was at 84%.
Maths at 72%.
Science was at 89%.
These 2011 results placed the school in the nation's top 10% and well ahead of all other Weston schools.
PCSA was just 0.6% behind North Somerset Schools at Backwell and Gordano as North Somerset's top state schools.
It was 11% above Churchill.
Priory converted to an Academy Trust on 17 August 2011.
module and television programme.
Priory gained Technology College status in 1998. During 2006, a £7 million extension and refurbishment scheme saw the school move into a new main block, secure a humanities block extension, and a new sixth form
block.
Neville Coles was appointed Head / Principal from September 2007 upon the retirement of Ron Richards. He was a National Teaching Award Finalist (2007) and is an advocate of new technologies and 21st century learning. He was formerly the Deputy Head / Director of Learning from 2002–2007 in a period of great improvement and change for the school. Results improved by 25% in the 2002–2007 five year period — they continue to rise with the school achieving 84% in 2011. A three year upper school is in place. PCS became a Trust School in 2009 and an Academy in 2011. A new building program of £8million was completed in 2007.
Worle
Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Despite this, Worle pre-dates Weston and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the book, it is said that Worle was owned by Walter of Douai, and consisted of and valued at 6.5...
, a suburb of Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
in North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
, England.
The school is an Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.
Admissions
There are 1,210 students on roll.Ofsted
Ofsted
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 ....
rated the school as, 'good with many outstanding features' in July 2010.
Grades 1 (outstanding) were given for behaviour, care, guidance and support and safety.
20 'good' grades were also given in the July 2010 inspection.
Priory Pre-School is owned and operated by PCSA on site.
The Principal is former West of England teacher of the year - Neville Coles.
Mr Coles is a keen sportsman and Loughborough PE graduate.
Exam results
In 2011, 69% of GCSE students got five A* to C grades with English and Maths - up 15%.83% got five A* to C grades in any subject - up 4%.
English was at 84%.
Maths at 72%.
Science was at 89%.
These 2011 results placed the school in the nation's top 10% and well ahead of all other Weston schools.
PCSA was just 0.6% behind North Somerset Schools at Backwell and Gordano as North Somerset's top state schools.
It was 11% above Churchill.
Priory converted to an Academy Trust on 17 August 2011.
History and future developments
The school was founded in September 1975, and moved to a purpose-built site during autumn 1977. During the 1980s, the school ran an unusual timetable, blocking an entire half-year to take the same subject at the same time. This allowed both setting and mixed-ability teaching in the same subject. This timetable management was the subject of an Open UniversityOpen University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
module and television programme.
Priory gained Technology College status in 1998. During 2006, a £7 million extension and refurbishment scheme saw the school move into a new main block, secure a humanities block extension, and a new sixth form
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,...
block.
Neville Coles was appointed Head / Principal from September 2007 upon the retirement of Ron Richards. He was a National Teaching Award Finalist (2007) and is an advocate of new technologies and 21st century learning. He was formerly the Deputy Head / Director of Learning from 2002–2007 in a period of great improvement and change for the school. Results improved by 25% in the 2002–2007 five year period — they continue to rise with the school achieving 84% in 2011. A three year upper school is in place. PCS became a Trust School in 2009 and an Academy in 2011. A new building program of £8million was completed in 2007.
Head teachers
- Arthur Spencer: 1976–1985
- David Dennis: 1985–2000
- Paul MacIntyre: 2000–2003
- Ron Richards: 2003–2007
- Neville Coles: since 2007