St. Michael's Catholic High School
Encyclopedia
St. Michael's Catholic High School is located in the town of Watford
, Hertfordshire
. A Section 5 Ofsted
inspection in October 2007 and a Section 48 Inspection by the Archdiocese of Westminster in November 2007 both judged the school as outstanding. In September 2010, headteacher John Murphy was succeeded by Edward Conway.
was founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1955, opening its gates for the first time in September of the same year. The choice of location was a direct result of an influx of Irish immigrants
to Watford
who came to construct the M1 Motorway
. Prior to the school's opening, there was no Roman Catholic Secondary School
in the county. This caused considerable challenges to the existing Holy Rood Primary School
, which provided education to the age of 14. The opening of St. Michael's Catholic High School was planned in conjunction with new feeder primaries.
Originally a secondary modern school
, St. Michael's Catholic High School became a comprehensive school
in 1966, thus catering for the full range of student abilities. This brought with it the first significant enlargement of the facilities. The science laboratories and new classrooms supplemented the original main corridor as part of the restructuring. In the 1990s the school spent a period of time under grant-maintained schools status. This led to the construction of the current administration block. Since 2000 there has been considerable upgrading of existing buildings in addition to construction of completely new wings. The first of these was the St. Martin de Porres
wing which houses the English
department and Drama Studio. Next came a floodlit astroturf
, providing all-weather outdoor sports facilities. Then came the St. Mary
Wing, housing the Geography
department and a media centre
. A new Sixth Form
block, the Aquinas Centre, was opened by Watford M.P. Claire Ward
in September 2008. This was followed by the new St. Bernadette Sports Hall in March 2010.
, Iona Abbey
, Abbey of Kells
, Lindisfarne Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey
and Whitby Abbey
.
Students generally remain with the same tutor group throughout their education and year groups are therefore crossed vertically by house groups. Assemblies are conducted in year groups whereas school Masses are celebrated in house groups. Each year group is led by a Pastoral Academic Learning Co-Ordinator (PALC), who is in turn supported by six tutors and additional staff. Students aged 16–18 progress into the Sixth Form.
specialist college. The additional funding that came with this accolade was primarily used to construct the St. Mary Wing. Lead departments are under the title of Theology
and Philosophy
, English and Geography. All three departments have a lasting track record of excellence in examination results.
, The Archdiocese of Westminster and Hertfordshire County Council
(Children, Schools and Families). As a Catholic community the school is Christocentric and emphasises, through its ambitious Mission Statement "Bringing Christ to All and All to Christ", excellence in all things, particularly in relationships and care for the most needy. There is a longstanding tradition of excellence in musicals, going back to the earliest days of the school under Sister Francis O.P. The most recent of these has been Godspell performed in January 2010. The community choir regularly sings in neighbouring parishes, both Roman Catholic, Anglican and other denominations. The orchestra regularly performs at St. Mary's Church in central Watford. Both the choir and orchestra are regularly involved in Archdiocesan liturgical celebrations.
The school regularly produces its news magazine, The Word. Since September 2007, this has been sponsored by the Watford Observer newspaper, which publishes the magazine on a termly basis a supplement to its newspaper.
Further afield, the Rwandan Partnership encourages students to think on a global Christian scale. Having already equipped a clinic in Mbuga, through sponsored walks and enterprise initiatives the school went on to purchase a four wheel drive
ambulance
and houses. The next project, spearheaded by a sponsored walk in October 2010, is to rebuild the crumbling walls of a reservoir. This will sustain clean drinking water for children and avert an environmental catastrophe.
's awarding of Sportsmark
gold to the school. There is an annual Gym and Dance Display. In March 2010, over 250 students took part.
The Investors in People
Award has been a feature of the school for the last five years. This recognises the importance of staff training as well as students and is seen as an integral part of the school as an active Christian community. Following a revisit by Investors in People, the school is now deemed to be in the "outstanding" category, recognising the school's focus on healthy living and professional development.
In March 2010, the school was designated a Centre of Excellence in Geography, one of only eighteen in the country.
There has been a long standing partnership with the Catholic Junior schools in the Deanery. The One World Festival in October celebrates shared Catholic values through music, dance, drama and prayer. The Annual Sports Day with Junior Schools cements mutual commitment to a healthy life style and healthy eating. The Annual Master Classes in Philosophy and the laboratory National Curriculum Science Days mean that the most able budding scientists from the Junior Schools can benefit from senior school facilities.
The Garston Campus partnership involves St. Michael's Catholic High School and Parmiter's School
, both of which are situated on High Elms Lane. Inter-school departmental meetings take place twice per academic year.
The 14-19 St Alban's Consortium comprises St Michael's Catholic High School, Nicholas Breakspear School
, St Albans Girls' School
and Loreto College
. The Consortium was formed in response to the government's Extended Schools initiative. St. Michael's Catholic High School is the hub school for this group.
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, 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...
. A Section 5 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 ....
inspection in October 2007 and a Section 48 Inspection by the Archdiocese of Westminster in November 2007 both judged the school as outstanding. In September 2010, headteacher John Murphy was succeeded by Edward Conway.
History
St. Michael's Catholic High SchoolCatholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
was founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1955, opening its gates for the first time in September of the same year. The choice of location was a direct result of an influx of Irish immigrants
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
to Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
who came to construct the M1 Motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
. Prior to the school's opening, there was no Roman Catholic Secondary School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the county. This caused considerable challenges to the existing Holy Rood Primary School
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, which provided education to the age of 14. The opening of St. Michael's Catholic High School was planned in conjunction with new feeder primaries.
Originally a secondary modern school
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
, St. Michael's Catholic High School became a comprehensive school
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...
in 1966, thus catering for the full range of student abilities. This brought with it the first significant enlargement of the facilities. The science laboratories and new classrooms supplemented the original main corridor as part of the restructuring. In the 1990s the school spent a period of time under grant-maintained schools status. This led to the construction of the current administration block. Since 2000 there has been considerable upgrading of existing buildings in addition to construction of completely new wings. The first of these was the St. Martin de Porres
Martin de Porres
Martin de Porres was a lay brother of the Dominican Order who was beatified in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and canonized in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony.He was noted for work on behalf of the poor, establishing an...
wing which houses the English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
department and Drama Studio. Next came a floodlit astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, providing all-weather outdoor sports facilities. Then came the St. Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
Wing, housing the Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
department and a media centre
Hybrid library
Hybrid library is a term used by librarians to describe libraries containing a mix of traditional print library resources and the growing number of electronic resources.-Overview:...
. 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, the Aquinas Centre, was opened by Watford M.P. Claire Ward
Claire Ward
Claire Margaret Ward is a British Labour Party politician. She served as the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Watford from 1997 to 2010, and was a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice from 2009 to 2010....
in September 2008. This was followed by the new St. Bernadette Sports Hall in March 2010.
Pastoral structure
The school standard intake number is 168, but can accommodate up to 180 students per annum in six tutor groups. Each tutor group is named after a monastic institution of learning, namely: Fountains AbbeyFountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey is near to Aldfield, approximately two miles southwest of Ripon in North Yorkshire, England. It is a ruined Cistercian monastery, founded in 1132. Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved Cistercian houses in England. It is a Grade I listed building and owned by the...
, Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey is located on the Isle of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest and most important religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic...
, Abbey of Kells
Abbey of Kells
The Abbey of Kells is a former monastery located in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, 40 miles north of Dublin. It was founded in the early ninth century, and the Book of Kells was kept there during the later medieval and early modern periods before finally leaving the Abbey in the 1650s...
, Lindisfarne Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey headed by the Abbot of Rievaulx. It is located in Rievaulx , near Helmsley in North Yorkshire, England.It was one of the wealthiest abbeys in England and was dissolved by Henry VIII of England in 1538...
and Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry VIII...
.
Students generally remain with the same tutor group throughout their education and year groups are therefore crossed vertically by house groups. Assemblies are conducted in year groups whereas school Masses are celebrated in house groups. Each year group is led by a Pastoral Academic Learning Co-Ordinator (PALC), who is in turn supported by six tutors and additional staff. Students aged 16–18 progress into the Sixth Form.
Specialist status
In keeping with current government policy that schools in England and Wales should adopt a specialism, since September 2005, St. Michael's Catholic High School has been a HumanitiesHumanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
specialist college. The additional funding that came with this accolade was primarily used to construct the St. Mary Wing. Lead departments are under the title of Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, English and Geography. All three departments have a lasting track record of excellence in examination results.
Community
St. Michael's Catholic High School is held in high esteem by the local community in WatfordWatford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, The Archdiocese of Westminster and Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. It currently consists of 77 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, which has 55 councillors, 17 Liberal Democrats, versus 3 Labour...
(Children, Schools and Families). As a Catholic community the school is Christocentric and emphasises, through its ambitious Mission Statement "Bringing Christ to All and All to Christ", excellence in all things, particularly in relationships and care for the most needy. There is a longstanding tradition of excellence in musicals, going back to the earliest days of the school under Sister Francis O.P. The most recent of these has been Godspell performed in January 2010. The community choir regularly sings in neighbouring parishes, both Roman Catholic, Anglican and other denominations. The orchestra regularly performs at St. Mary's Church in central Watford. Both the choir and orchestra are regularly involved in Archdiocesan liturgical celebrations.
The school regularly produces its news magazine, The Word. Since September 2007, this has been sponsored by the Watford Observer newspaper, which publishes the magazine on a termly basis a supplement to its newspaper.
Further afield, the Rwandan Partnership encourages students to think on a global Christian scale. Having already equipped a clinic in Mbuga, through sponsored walks and enterprise initiatives the school went on to purchase a four wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
and houses. The next project, spearheaded by a sponsored walk in October 2010, is to rebuild the crumbling walls of a reservoir. This will sustain clean drinking water for children and avert an environmental catastrophe.
Other awards
In October 2007 Ofsted acknowledged St. Michael's Catholic High School as a "particularly successful school" and the Specialist College Trust hailed the school at BAFTA as one of England's "High Performing Specialist Colleges". This success was repeated in February 2009 when Ofsted judged the school "outstanding" in every category during a focused inspection on Literacy and Numeracy. The Physical Education Department has a philosophy of inspiring the athlete in all, which contributes to Sport EnglandSport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
's awarding of Sportsmark
Sportsmark
Sportsmark is Sport England's accreditation scheme for secondary schools. The scheme recognises a school's out of hours sports provision.Sportsmark awards are given to secondary schools for provision for sport and physical education. They are currently being reviewed along with Activemark awards...
gold to the school. There is an annual Gym and Dance Display. In March 2010, over 250 students took part.
The Investors in People
Investors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
Award has been a feature of the school for the last five years. This recognises the importance of staff training as well as students and is seen as an integral part of the school as an active Christian community. Following a revisit by Investors in People, the school is now deemed to be in the "outstanding" category, recognising the school's focus on healthy living and professional development.
In March 2010, the school was designated a Centre of Excellence in Geography, one of only eighteen in the country.
Partnerships
The school is involved with several partnerships, all of which seek to share good practice with other schools.There has been a long standing partnership with the Catholic Junior schools in the Deanery. The One World Festival in October celebrates shared Catholic values through music, dance, drama and prayer. The Annual Sports Day with Junior Schools cements mutual commitment to a healthy life style and healthy eating. The Annual Master Classes in Philosophy and the laboratory National Curriculum Science Days mean that the most able budding scientists from the Junior Schools can benefit from senior school facilities.
The Garston Campus partnership involves St. Michael's Catholic High School and Parmiter's School
Parmiter's School
Parmiter's School is a co-educational school in Garston, Hertfordshire on the outskirts of North West London, England with a long history. Although the school admits pupils of all abilities it is partially selective...
, both of which are situated on High Elms Lane. Inter-school departmental meetings take place twice per academic year.
The 14-19 St Alban's Consortium comprises St Michael's Catholic High School, Nicholas Breakspear School
Nicholas Breakspear School
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is situated on the rural fringe of St Albans, an old Roman city in Hertfordshire, England. As of 2009 there were 1100 students on its roll, including 181 in the sixth form....
, St Albans Girls' School
St Albans Girls' School
For schools of the same name, please see St. Albans SchoolSt Albans Girls' School, usually referred to as STAGS, is a girls secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire...
and Loreto College
Loreto College
Loreto College or Loreto School is the name of several Roman Catholic schools throughout the world associated with the Sisters of Loreto.-Australia:*Loreto College Coorparoo, Queensland*Loreto College Ballarat, Victoria...
. The Consortium was formed in response to the government's Extended Schools initiative. St. Michael's Catholic High School is the hub school for this group.
Notable former students
- Adam BowdenAdam BowdenAdam Bowden is a British international triathlete and former international runner who specialized in the 3000 metres steeplechase.-Early Life and Education:...
is a member of the England Athletics Team. - Nigel CallaghanNigel CallaghanNigel Ian Callaghan is a former professional footballer.-Playing career:Callaghan played on the right-wing for a number of clubs including Watford, Derby County and Aston Villa...
played for Watford F.C.Watford F.C.Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Aston Villa F.C.Aston Villa F.C.Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Derby County F.C.Derby County F.C.Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
He also represented England at Under-21 levelEngland national under-21 football teamEngland's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. - Craig Mackail-SmithCraig Mackail-SmithCraig Anthony Robert Mackail-Smith is a footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a striker. He has also played for England C and at full international level for Scotland...
plays for Brighton & Hove Albion of the Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League... - Gary Phillips played for and then managed Barnet F.C.Barnet F.C.Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
- Paul Robinson currently plays for Bolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on loan from West Bromwich Albion F.C.West Bromwich Albion F.C.West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... - Terence Ryan is a DJ and record label owner, performing under the name Atomic HooliganAtomic HooliganAtomic Hooligan is Matt Welch and Terry Ryan. A DJ/production Duo from Watford, Herts UK.Their first release was "Servin' it Up", a 12" on London based label Botchit & Scarper in 2001. Since then they have released multiple singles and Mix CDs on Botchit, along with, in 2005, their first artist...
with music partner Mat Welch.
Notable former staff
- Eryl McNallyEryl McNallyEryl Margaret McNally, , is a former Labour Member of the European Parliament from the East of England United Kingdom.-Personal life:...
was Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for the East of England. - Kate Rainsford is a noted authoress of children's books and a local magistrate.
- Father Desmond Cantwell became Provincial Head of the Salvatorian Order.
- John Ridgewell was coach to the Under 16 Girls' England Basketball Team.
- Laura Brown joined the Missionaries of CharityMissionaries of CharityMissionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
in Calcutta under the leadership of Mother TeresaMother TeresaMother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
. - Amanda Morgan became England's first Advanced Skills TeacherAdvanced Skills TeacherAdvanced Skills Teacher is a role in a maintained school in England and Wales. Advanced Skills Teachers are judged through external assessment against a range of criteria to demonstrate excellent classroom teaching practice...
.
External links
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster
- Watford Observer
- Hertfordshire Direct
- BBC
- FREdome
- http://www.hertsextendedschools.org.uk/abbotslangley
- http://www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/Standard