Saffron Walden County High School
Encyclopedia
Saffron Walden County High School is a coeducational comprehensive school
for ages 11–18 in Saffron Walden
, Essex
, England. The headmaster is John Hartley.
Saffron Walden County High School is a specialist Technology College
and is accredited by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
as a training school
. It is much bigger than most secondary schools, with 1950 students on roll, 1552 of whom are in Years 7 to 11 (as of 2003).
In most year groups there are more boys than girls, although the balance varies from year to year. There are very few students from ethnic minority groups. A low proportion of students speak English as an additional language
. Recent intakes at Year 7 have been of 'above average ability', and GCSE examinations in recent years have won the school a reputation of success with similar levels of success in A level results in the school's excellent sixth form.
It consistently performs above average in secondary school league table scores and is one of the top performing comprehensive schools. The school is located in a semi-rural area of north-west Essex and has a farm unit on site. Students come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds but overall these are well above average, which is indicative of the wealth of the local area.
In 2006, it opened a brand new cinema known as Saffron Screen, which shared its premises with a brand new block of classrooms named the David Boatman Centre. This was named after the previous headmaster, who left in 2003.
It recently won an award from the Daily Mail and was praised by the Conservative Party
after a visit by the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
This school has now recently followed an alternative GCSE course system, whereby the options are taken in year 8 and start in year 9. The most able students will take an express course meaning they will take their GCSE subject in Year 10, the others sitting their exam after 3 years; in Year 11. For those having taken subjects in Year 10, enrichment options and sometimes AS levels are available. The new system allows students to expand their GCSE repertoire and study subjects that may have not been originally offered. One pupil, partaking in the new GCSE system, took 16 GCSE's from 2007–09, ,many have, by end of year 11, 11 GCSEs and one AS.
Recently the school has announced that they will be changing from a technology school to a science and maths school.
During the most recent years a "Green Group" has been formed (made of "eco-reps" voted for by forms) with the motto "Think green. Feel green. Go green." Some students from the group led an assembly outlining the importance of recycling and explaining their plans to make Saffron Walden County High School an ecological school, and hoping that other schools in the area will follow, unfortunately most would agree by ever measurement they have failed to make any impact.
The school has developed a growing sporting pedigree, particularly in Rugby Union
. Numerous forrays into the latter stages of the Daily Mail National Cup competition culminated in the under 15's achieving victory at Twickenham in the plate competition of 2011.
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...
for ages 11–18 in Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England. The headmaster is John Hartley.
Saffron Walden County High School is a specialist Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
and is accredited by the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
as a training school
Training school
For a juvenile correctional facility, see youth detention center-----A training school is an official designation, awarded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, to schools in England that provide exceptional facilities for in-service and work experience training of teachers...
. It is much bigger than most secondary schools, with 1950 students on roll, 1552 of whom are in Years 7 to 11 (as of 2003).
In most year groups there are more boys than girls, although the balance varies from year to year. There are very few students from ethnic minority groups. A low proportion of students speak English as an additional language
Second language
A second language or L2 is any language learned after the first language or mother tongue. Some languages, often called auxiliary languages, are used primarily as second languages or lingua francas ....
. Recent intakes at Year 7 have been of 'above average ability', and GCSE examinations in recent years have won the school a reputation of success with similar levels of success in A level results in the school's excellent sixth form.
It consistently performs above average in secondary school league table scores and is one of the top performing comprehensive schools. The school is located in a semi-rural area of north-west Essex and has a farm unit on site. Students come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds but overall these are well above average, which is indicative of the wealth of the local area.
In 2006, it opened a brand new cinema known as Saffron Screen, which shared its premises with a brand new block of classrooms named the David Boatman Centre. This was named after the previous headmaster, who left in 2003.
It recently won an award from the Daily Mail and was praised by the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
after a visit by the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
This school has now recently followed an alternative GCSE course system, whereby the options are taken in year 8 and start in year 9. The most able students will take an express course meaning they will take their GCSE subject in Year 10, the others sitting their exam after 3 years; in Year 11. For those having taken subjects in Year 10, enrichment options and sometimes AS levels are available. The new system allows students to expand their GCSE repertoire and study subjects that may have not been originally offered. One pupil, partaking in the new GCSE system, took 16 GCSE's from 2007–09, ,many have, by end of year 11, 11 GCSEs and one AS.
Recently the school has announced that they will be changing from a technology school to a science and maths school.
During the most recent years a "Green Group" has been formed (made of "eco-reps" voted for by forms) with the motto "Think green. Feel green. Go green." Some students from the group led an assembly outlining the importance of recycling and explaining their plans to make Saffron Walden County High School an ecological school, and hoping that other schools in the area will follow, unfortunately most would agree by ever measurement they have failed to make any impact.
The school has developed a growing sporting pedigree, particularly in Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. Numerous forrays into the latter stages of the Daily Mail National Cup competition culminated in the under 15's achieving victory at Twickenham in the plate competition of 2011.
Notable alumni
- Iain DaleIain DaleIain Campbell Dale is best known for his conservative-minded British political blog Iain Dale's Diary and for his frequent appearances on UK news channels as a political commentator. He is also a publisher, broadcaster and former Conservative Party politician...
, Conservative blogger - Mark Evans, Chief Executive, Harlequins FC
External links
- Saffron Walden County High School website
- OFSTED entry for Saffron Walden County High School
- Saffron walden cinema
- http://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/content/saffron/news/story.aspx?brand=SAFOnline&category=NewsSaffron&tBrand=HertsCambsOnline&tCategory=newslatestSAF&itemid=WEED15%20Jan%202010%2016:52:28:087
- http://www.sportsmarketing360.com/speakers.php