The Hertfordshire and Essex High School
Encyclopedia
The Hertfordshire and Essex High School and since 2004 named as The Hertfordshire & Essex High School and Science College, commonly referred as Herts and Essex is a secondary level comprehensive single-sex school and a mixed-sex sixth form on Warwick Road in Bishop's Stortford
, Hertfordshire
, England
.
and Essex
and therefore it later changed its name to the Hertfordshire and Essex Grammar School for Girls. It then became a comprehensive in the 1970s when the school was renamed again to its current name The Hertfordshire and Essex High School.
When the outbreak of the The Second World War
in 1939, thousands of London children were evacuated to the relative safety of the countryside, many finding themselves in Bishop’s Stortford. Pupils from Clapton County Secondary School for Girls in Hackney, East London, were specifically sent here to be educated at this school. But with few teachers and little space, local children were taught in the mornings and London children in the afternoons.
During its 100 year history the school has changed significantly with many new buildings being added to the original Edwardian School House to allow for just under 10 times the amount of student's it had in 1910. Between 2000 and 2004 the school received a large redevelopment which included new IT suites, refectory, sports facilities, dance studio and Sixth Form Common Room. The project involved the refurbishment of the Edwardian schoolhouse, plus a new build teaching block and sports facilities.
The school is also very high in test results and most girls who come out of the school have a very good education.
The girls are also very into music, and the teachers work very hard to make sure the pupils are involved in their fair share of activities and competitions.
The school is very popular and has a very high level of achievement.
The Ofsted January 2009 report had a lot to say about the school's extra-curricular activities, for instance that "there are wide and varied opportunities for enrichment activities, particularly in music, drama, art and sport", and that "the personal development and well being of the students are outstanding." The school was awarded an 'Outstanding' grade overall.
On the 8th October 2008, The Hertfordshire & Essex High School in Bishops Stortford received the prestigious International School Award. (Renewed in 2011) The school was awarded for its outstanding work in bringing the wider world into the classroom though its range of international projects, including its partnership work with a high achieving school in China and exciting forthcoming student exchange, as well as its continuing extensive work with partner schools in Germany and Uganda.
The school is for girls only between the ages of 11 and 16 and has a co-educational sixth form for boys and girls. From 2004, the school has had Science College Status. From 2008, the schhol has had 'Leadership partner school status'.
The school has a good reputation for education and sports are competitive, especially for the sixth form. The school boasts a strong Hockey
team for the under 16s, and has the UK's best year 8 (second year) Rowing
team. It also boasts very high musical talents in all years.
In 2011 95% of students achieved 5 A* - C passes inc. English and Mathematics which was the fourth highest for any comprehensive school in the country (Daily Telegraph). The school is now the most successful comprehensive in Stortford.
The headteacher is Ms Cathy Tooze who has been in post since 2009 and has seen a steady increase in results. She is assisted by a dynamic senior leadership team including Ms Emma Jones, Mr David Grant, Mr Richard Vaughan, Miss Christine Bruce, Mrs Jane Bennett, Mrs Ann Macrae and Mrs Nichola Christopher. Cathy Tooze is a national leader of education and is an experienced Headteacher having led a very successful school in Suffolk previously. David Grant has been in post since 2007 and has presented at national conferences on Leadership for the National College for School Leadership. Emma Jones joined in 2010 from Fortismere School, Haringey and is an Ex-Herts & Essex student.
which is a single sex school for boys around a mile away from Herts and Essex which admits Girls within the Sixth Form.
In 2009 Ofsted stated that "The Hertfordshire and Essex High School is an outstanding school with an outstanding Sixth Form".
All students within the Sixth Form are required to take 4 Advanced Subsidiary levels and continue with 3 of these to the full Advanced Level, to continue to Year 13 for the full Advanced Level qualifications, students must achieve 3 AS levels at grades A* - E.
There are also enrichment activities within the Sixth Form where students are off timetable to further their studies or participate within group activities and sports, it wasn't until recently when the school had its own Rugby Union
club, which was set up by students.
Until September 2010 there was no dress code for students within the Sixth Form, Sixth Formers were allowed to dress in what they believed was appropriate for school, however this was changed shortly after Cathy Tooze, the new Head teacher, joined the school to a dress code of business wear (Suits)
Sixth Form facilities include a large common room and 4 computer and study rooms for student's to use in their study periods and during lunch and break.
A large majority of students progress to Russell Group
universities, including Oxford and Cambridge universities, which are the UK's top 20 researched focused universities.
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of 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...
, 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...
.
History
It was opened as The Bishop's Stortford Secondary School for Girls in 1910, the school was built to have a intake of around 120 fee-paying students, at the time of opening it was run by both the counties of HertfordshireHertfordshire
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...
and 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...
and therefore it later changed its name to the Hertfordshire and Essex Grammar School for Girls. It then became a comprehensive in the 1970s when the school was renamed again to its current name The Hertfordshire and Essex High School.
When the outbreak of the The Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, thousands of London children were evacuated to the relative safety of the countryside, many finding themselves in Bishop’s Stortford. Pupils from Clapton County Secondary School for Girls in Hackney, East London, were specifically sent here to be educated at this school. But with few teachers and little space, local children were taught in the mornings and London children in the afternoons.
During its 100 year history the school has changed significantly with many new buildings being added to the original Edwardian School House to allow for just under 10 times the amount of student's it had in 1910. Between 2000 and 2004 the school received a large redevelopment which included new IT suites, refectory, sports facilities, dance studio and Sixth Form Common Room. The project involved the refurbishment of the Edwardian schoolhouse, plus a new build teaching block and sports facilities.
Activities
The school does a lot of fund raising, for many different charities. The uniform is a knee length brown skirt and a brown pin-striped blouse. The uniform has recently changed to a knee length skirt, and in the next academic year, all students will have to wear this uniform. From September 2010 all Sixth Form students are required to adhere to a new dress code of business wear, before this there was no uniform for the Sixth Form.The school is also very high in test results and most girls who come out of the school have a very good education.
The girls are also very into music, and the teachers work very hard to make sure the pupils are involved in their fair share of activities and competitions.
The school is very popular and has a very high level of achievement.
The Ofsted January 2009 report had a lot to say about the school's extra-curricular activities, for instance that "there are wide and varied opportunities for enrichment activities, particularly in music, drama, art and sport", and that "the personal development and well being of the students are outstanding." The school was awarded an 'Outstanding' grade overall.
On the 8th October 2008, The Hertfordshire & Essex High School in Bishops Stortford received the prestigious International School Award. (Renewed in 2011) The school was awarded for its outstanding work in bringing the wider world into the classroom though its range of international projects, including its partnership work with a high achieving school in China and exciting forthcoming student exchange, as well as its continuing extensive work with partner schools in Germany and Uganda.
Academics
"The Hertfordshire & Essex High School is an outstanding school with an outstanding sixth form"- Ofsted report 2009.The school is for girls only between the ages of 11 and 16 and has a co-educational sixth form for boys and girls. From 2004, the school has had Science College Status. From 2008, the schhol has had 'Leadership partner school status'.
The school has a good reputation for education and sports are competitive, especially for the sixth form. The school boasts a strong Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
team for the under 16s, and has the UK's best year 8 (second year) Rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
team. It also boasts very high musical talents in all years.
In 2011 95% of students achieved 5 A* - C passes inc. English and Mathematics which was the fourth highest for any comprehensive school in the country (Daily Telegraph). The school is now the most successful comprehensive in Stortford.
The headteacher is Ms Cathy Tooze who has been in post since 2009 and has seen a steady increase in results. She is assisted by a dynamic senior leadership team including Ms Emma Jones, Mr David Grant, Mr Richard Vaughan, Miss Christine Bruce, Mrs Jane Bennett, Mrs Ann Macrae and Mrs Nichola Christopher. Cathy Tooze is a national leader of education and is an experienced Headteacher having led a very successful school in Suffolk previously. David Grant has been in post since 2007 and has presented at national conferences on Leadership for the National College for School Leadership. Emma Jones joined in 2010 from Fortismere School, Haringey and is an Ex-Herts & Essex student.
Sixth Form
Unlike the rest of the school, boys are permitted to study within the Sixth Form, this similar to the The Bishop's Stortford High SchoolThe Bishop's Stortford High School
The Bishop’s Stortford High School is a six-form comprehensive secondary school, with a coeducational sixth form, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. The school admits boys aged 11 to 16 in the first five forms, with a mixed sixth form of boys and girls aged 16 to 18...
which is a single sex school for boys around a mile away from Herts and Essex which admits Girls within the Sixth Form.
In 2009 Ofsted stated that "The Hertfordshire and Essex High School is an outstanding school with an outstanding Sixth Form".
All students within the Sixth Form are required to take 4 Advanced Subsidiary levels and continue with 3 of these to the full Advanced Level, to continue to Year 13 for the full Advanced Level qualifications, students must achieve 3 AS levels at grades A* - E.
There are also enrichment activities within the Sixth Form where students are off timetable to further their studies or participate within group activities and sports, it wasn't until recently when the school had its own 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...
club, which was set up by students.
Until September 2010 there was no dress code for students within the Sixth Form, Sixth Formers were allowed to dress in what they believed was appropriate for school, however this was changed shortly after Cathy Tooze, the new Head teacher, joined the school to a dress code of business wear (Suits)
Sixth Form facilities include a large common room and 4 computer and study rooms for student's to use in their study periods and during lunch and break.
A large majority of students progress to Russell Group
Russell Group
The Russell Group is a collaboration of twenty UK universities that together receive two-thirds of research grant and contract funding in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1994 to represent their interests to the government, parliament and other similar bodies...
universities, including Oxford and Cambridge universities, which are the UK's top 20 researched focused universities.
Notable former pupils
- Caroline SpelmanCaroline SpelmanCaroline Alice Spelman is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who has served as the Member of Parliament for Meriden in the West Midlands since 1997...
Conservative MP - 1969-76 (before it was comprehensive) - Louise Burfitt-DonsLouise Burfitt-DonsLouise Olivian Burfitt-Dons is an English writer, humanitarian and global warming campaigner who is best known for her anti-bullying activism as the founder of the charity Act Against Bullying....
Humanitarian Campaigner - 1963-67 - Liam ByrneLiam ByrneLiam Dominic Byrne is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hodge Hill since 2004, and was the Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2009 to 2010 before being appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 20 January 2011.-Early...
Labour MP - 1986-88 (sixth form pupil)