The Petersfield School
Encyclopedia
The Petersfield School (TPS) is located in Petersfield
, Hampshire
, in southern England
. The school opened on 20 June 1958 and remains the only state secondary school
in Petersfield. It received Arts College
status in September 2004, and became an academy in July 2011. The current head teacher is Mr Nigel Poole, with the previous being Mrs Kathy Bell.
The school was inspected by Ofsted
in September 2002, and has been inspected twice more since then. In 2002 Ofsted praised the school's results in General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSE) qualifications, which were above the national average, as well as the school's development plan to improve. Concerns were however raised about the gap in performance between boy and girl students in GCSEs, inconsistency in dealing with "the unsatisfactory behaviour of a small but influential minority of pupils", and the school timetabling
system which resulted in many pupils having more than one teacher per subject. In March 2007 the school was re-inspected with Ofsted rating the school's overall effectiveness as grade 3 ("satisfactory"). The relationship between pupils and teachers was described as "outstanding" and it was stated that the school had "good capacity to improve further". Criticism was given about the lack of "progress" from pupils in Years Ten
and Eleven
. The school was most recently inspected in June 2010 and was assessed as grade 1 ("outstanding"). Ofsted concluded that the school had improved significantly due to the introduction of a "departmental review system", including "pupil panels".
In 2007 the school revealed plans to create an all-weather AstroTurf
pitch for association football and rugby
, as well as two tennis court
s, four hard courts, three cricket pitch
s, two cricket nets
, and new changing rooms. The plan formed part of a sale of school land to Tesco
, to allow expansion of its store next to TPS. Tesco planned to increase the store's floor space by 1,550 square metres and to create a new loading area for lorries as part of its online shopping service. One joint application for planning permission
was made for both the sports pitch and the store expansion. This decision was described as "manipulation and blackmail" by Kenneth Hick, a member of the Petersfield Town Council. East Hampshire District Council however defended the joint application by arguing that:
Planning permission for the new development was granted on 5 June 2008. Permission was also later given to remove an ancient oak tree
as part of the development, and consent was made by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills
for the sale of school land to Tesco. The AstroTurf pitch was completed in March 2010, with the expectation that all the new facilities were to be complete and open for use by September 2010.
On 20 June 2008 the school celebrated its 50th anniversary by inviting the class of 1958 to a day at the school. Ninety people attended the event which included a tree planting ceremony.
The passing of the Academies Act 2010 by the United Kingdom coalition government
has allowed schools graded as "outstanding" by Ofsted, including The Petersfield School, to apply for academy status. In November 2010 the governors of the school voted unanimously for the school to apply to the Department for Education
to become an academy. Academy status would allow the school to become independent from the local education authority
(Hampshire County Council
), and would as a result get an extra £
500,000 of direct funding per year. The school announced that it aimed to have become an academy by the summer term
of 2011. In May 2011 it was announced that permission had been granted for The Petersfield School to become an academy from 1 July 2011.
In January 2011 the school was reported to have suspended a pupil two days after he joined as it was suspected that he was an adult. A statement from Nigel Poole, the head teacher
, stated that the suspension had been carried out due to the school's "child safeguarding policies", and that the pupil would be allowed to return if it can be "reassured" that he is fourteen years old, as claimed.
south overall winner for 2008 with a performance illustrating the American AMBER Alert
system. This has given it "premier school" status which resulted in the school competing in the Rock Challenge Premier League in 2009. In 2011 the school was again named the Rock Challenge UK south overall winner with a performance based on the The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
novel.
The Petersfield School campus includes multiple detached blocks of buildings dedicated to different subjects or groups of subjects. Pupils in Year Seven
have their tutor
rooms in the Humanities
Block so they can settle in easily.
from September 2008. Eight houses were introduced and they are all named after contemporary British performing artists. They are:
The houses contain pupils from mixed age groups.
background, with a minority from other ethnic group
s. The percentages of pupils in the school who are eligible for free school meal
s, or have special education
needs, are below the national average.
during Year Nine
. As part of the "core curriculum" all pupils must complete a General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSE) course in English
, English literature
, mathematics
, and science
, plus enrol on a National Certificate
course in information communication technology (ICT). A physical education
(PE) and religious studies
(RS) course must also be completed, though these may not contain an end qualification.
Beyond the "core curriculum" pupils can then choose four further options to study. These courses can contain a GCSE, National Vocational Qualification
(NVQ), or a Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualification. Some courses are run externally at Sparsholt College Hampshire
, Mill Chase Community Technology College
, Bohunt School
, Alton College
, and Staunton Park School. Further optional "after school" courses are available at Havant College
.
The Petersfield School's GCSE exam results has improved from 2007 to 2010. In 2007 the number of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs with the grades C to A* was at 64%, which had risen to 85% by 2010. The number of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs with the grades C to A*, including English and mathematics, has risen from 54% in 2007 to 67% in 2010.
Since the school has been granted academy status, it has been permitted to deviate from the National Curriculum. Nigel Poole, the head teacher
, had commented that “The National Curriculum is about to change and not necessarily for the better, in my opinion".
, Sportsmark
, and National Healthy Schools status.
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, in southern 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...
. The school opened on 20 June 1958 and remains the only state secondary 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 Petersfield. It received Arts College
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
status in September 2004, and became an academy in July 2011. The current head teacher is Mr Nigel Poole, with the previous being Mrs Kathy Bell.
History
The school first opened on 20 June 1958 with an original enrolment of 400 pupils. This has since increased to an enrolment of 1200 pupils in 2010. It received Arts College status in September 2004 with the opening of a new studio called The Studio @ TPS.The school was inspected by 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 ....
in September 2002, and has been inspected twice more since then. In 2002 Ofsted praised the school's results in General Certificate of Secondary Education
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
(GCSE) qualifications, which were above the national average, as well as the school's development plan to improve. Concerns were however raised about the gap in performance between boy and girl students in GCSEs, inconsistency in dealing with "the unsatisfactory behaviour of a small but influential minority of pupils", and the school timetabling
School timetable
A school timetable is a table for coordinating these four elements:*Students*Teachers*Rooms*Time slots Other factors include the subject of the class, and the type of classrooms available ....
system which resulted in many pupils having more than one teacher per subject. In March 2007 the school was re-inspected with Ofsted rating the school's overall effectiveness as grade 3 ("satisfactory"). The relationship between pupils and teachers was described as "outstanding" and it was stated that the school had "good capacity to improve further". Criticism was given about the lack of "progress" from pupils in Years Ten
Year Ten
Year Ten is an educational year group in schools in many countries including Bangladesh, England, India, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the tenth year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between fourteen and sixteen.-Bangladesh:In schools in...
and Eleven
Year Eleven
Year Eleven is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the eleventh year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between fifteen and seventeen....
. The school was most recently inspected in June 2010 and was assessed as grade 1 ("outstanding"). Ofsted concluded that the school had improved significantly due to the introduction of a "departmental review system", including "pupil panels".
In 2007 the school revealed plans to create an all-weather 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...
pitch for association football and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, as well as two tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, four hard courts, three cricket pitch
Cricket pitch
In the game of cricket, the cricket pitch consists of the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets - 1 chain or 22 yards long and 10 feet wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the...
s, two cricket nets
Cricket nets
Cricket nets are practice nets used by batsmen and bowlers to warm up and/or improve their cricketing techniques. Cricket nets consist of a cricket pitch which is enclosed by cricket nets on either side, to the rear and optionally the roof. The bowling end of the net is left open...
, and new changing rooms. The plan formed part of a sale of school land to Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, to allow expansion of its store next to TPS. Tesco planned to increase the store's floor space by 1,550 square metres and to create a new loading area for lorries as part of its online shopping service. One joint application for planning permission
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
was made for both the sports pitch and the store expansion. This decision was described as "manipulation and blackmail" by Kenneth Hick, a member of the Petersfield Town Council. East Hampshire District Council however defended the joint application by arguing that:
Planning permission for the new development was granted on 5 June 2008. Permission was also later given to remove an ancient oak tree
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
as part of the development, and consent was made by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
for the sale of school land to Tesco. The AstroTurf pitch was completed in March 2010, with the expectation that all the new facilities were to be complete and open for use by September 2010.
On 20 June 2008 the school celebrated its 50th anniversary by inviting the class of 1958 to a day at the school. Ninety people attended the event which included a tree planting ceremony.
The passing of the Academies Act 2010 by the United Kingdom coalition government
United Kingdom coalition government (2010–present)
The ConservativeLiberal Democrat coalition is the present Government of the United Kingdom, formed after the 2010 general election. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats entered into discussions which culminated in the 2010 coalition agreement, setting out a programme for government...
has allowed schools graded as "outstanding" by Ofsted, including The Petersfield School, to apply for academy status. In November 2010 the governors of the school voted unanimously for the school to apply to the Department for Education
Department for Education
The Department for Education is a department of the UK government responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education....
to become an academy. Academy status would allow the school to become independent from the local education authority
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
(Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council
Hampshire County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Hampshire in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are district councils, and town and parish councils...
), and would as a result get an extra £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
500,000 of direct funding per year. The school announced that it aimed to have become an academy by the summer term
Summer term
Summer term is the name of the summer academic term at many British schools and universities and elsewhere in the world.In the UK, 'Summer term' runs from the Easter holiday until the end of the academic year in June or July, and thus corresponds to the Easter term at Cambridge University, and...
of 2011. In May 2011 it was announced that permission had been granted for The Petersfield School to become an academy from 1 July 2011.
In January 2011 the school was reported to have suspended a pupil two days after he joined as it was suspected that he was an adult. A statement from Nigel Poole, the head teacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
, stated that the suspension had been carried out due to the school's "child safeguarding policies", and that the pupil would be allowed to return if it can be "reassured" that he is fourteen years old, as claimed.
Rock Challenge
The Petersfield School was named the Rock Challenge UKRock Challenge UK
UK Rock Challenge is the British arm of the Global Rock Challenge and the Australian Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. Rock Challenge is an anti-drug and crime-prevention that takes the form of a friendly performing arts competition for schools and colleges. In 1996, the first Rock Challenge event in UK...
south overall winner for 2008 with a performance illustrating the American AMBER Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
system. This has given it "premier school" status which resulted in the school competing in the Rock Challenge Premier League in 2009. In 2011 the school was again named the Rock Challenge UK south overall winner with a performance based on the The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a 2006 novel from the point of view of an innocent young boy, written by Irish novelist John Boyne. Unlike the months of planning Boyne devoted to his other books, he said that he wrote the entire first draft of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in two and a half...
novel.
Motto
The school's motto is "The Performing School", adopted after receiving Arts College status. Its previous motto was "Try, Persevere, Succeed". Both use the school's initials due to the school's name generally being abbreviated to TPS by both pupils and Petersfield residents.Campus
Year Seven
Year Seven is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the seventh year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between eleven and thirteen.-Australia:...
have their tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
rooms in the Humanities
Humanities
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....
Block so they can settle in easily.
The Studio @ TPS
After receiving Arts College status, the school opened a new purpose-built arts venue called The Studio @ TPS. It includes an auditorium with a dance floor, various performance features and retractable seating for approximately 175 people. The studio also has changing and kitchen facilities for use by visiting parties, as well as a gallery for artistic exhibitions, known as The Gallery @ TPS. The studio is used for both internal school-based and external company-based performances, which are usually music, dance, or drama-based.Houses
The school introduced a new house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
from September 2008. Eight houses were introduced and they are all named after contemporary British performing artists. They are:
- Glennie, EvelynEvelyn GlennieDame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBE is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.-Early life:Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire...
- Kingsley, BenBen KingsleySir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
- Joseph, JulianJulian JosephJulian Joseph is a jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger and broadcaster. Joseph has worked solo, in his all-star big band, trio, quartet, forum project band or electric band....
- Thompson, EmmaEmma ThompsonEmma Thompson is a British actress, comedian and screenwriter. Her first major film role was in the 1989 romantic comedy The Tall Guy. In 1992, Thompson won multiple acting awards, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the British drama Howards End...
- Bourne, MatthewMatthew BourneMatthew Bourne OBE is a British classical and contemporary ballet and dance choreographer.-Biography:Matthew Bourne was born in Hackney, London in 1960. He went to William Fitt and Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, London...
- Redgrave, VanessaVanessa RedgraveVanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
- Zephaniah, BenjaminBenjamin ZephaniahBenjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is an English writer and dub poet. He is a well-known figure in contemporary English literature, and was included in The Times list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008....
- Mirren, HelenHelen MirrenDame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
The houses contain pupils from mixed age groups.
Demographics
Pupils at the school are mostly of a White BritishWhite British
White British was an ethnicity classification used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White...
background, with a minority from other ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s. The percentages of pupils in the school who are eligible for free school meal
Free school meal
A Free School Meal, provided to a child or young person during a school break, is paid for by Government. For a child to qualify for a Free School Meal, their parent or carer must be receiving particular qualifying benefits as stated by Government...
s, or have special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
needs, are below the national average.
Curriculum
Pupils choose their "learning pathways" for Key Stage 4Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other exams, in maintained schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland—normally known as Year 10 and Year 11 in England and Wales, and Year 11 and Year 12 in Northern Ireland, when pupils are...
during Year Nine
Year Nine
Year Nine is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the ninth year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between thirteen and fourteen....
. As part of the "core curriculum" all pupils must complete a General Certificate of Secondary Education
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
(GCSE) course in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, plus enrol on a National Certificate
National Certificate
National Certificate is the name of an educational award in a number of countries, although the actual merit of award is not always the same.-Ireland:...
course in information communication technology (ICT). A physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
(PE) and religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
(RS) course must also be completed, though these may not contain an end qualification.
Beyond the "core curriculum" pupils can then choose four further options to study. These courses can contain a GCSE, National Vocational Qualification
National Vocational Qualification
National Vocational Qualifications are work based awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are achieved through assessment and training. In Scotland they are known as Scottish Vocational Qualification ....
(NVQ), or a Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualification. Some courses are run externally at Sparsholt College Hampshire
Sparsholt College Hampshire
Sparsholt College Hampshire is a Further Education and Higher Education college located at Sparsholt near Winchester, Hampshire, in the south of England...
, Mill Chase Community Technology College
Mill Chase Community Technology College
Mill Chase Community Technology College is a comprehensive secondary school for 11-16 year olds. It is located in Bordon, Hampshire, England. It has around 750 pupils, both male and female...
, Bohunt School
Bohunt School
Bohunt School is a state run Secondary School located in the rural village of Liphook, Hampshire. It is co-educational and takes children from age 11-16 and currently has over 1200 pupils enrolled...
, Alton College
Alton College
Alton College is a sixth form college located in Alton, Hampshire, England. As well as being a sixth form, the college provides an adult education service to the local population as well as catering for students with disabilities from nearby Treloar College...
, and Staunton Park School. Further optional "after school" courses are available at Havant College
Havant College
Havant College is a sixth form college situated in Havant, Hampshire. In 2006 its A/AS-level performance was above both the county and the national average. In March 2010 Havant College announced a reduction in the number of A levels offered to students due to a cash shortage and lack of student...
.
The Petersfield School's GCSE exam results has improved from 2007 to 2010. In 2007 the number of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs with the grades C to A* was at 64%, which had risen to 85% by 2010. The number of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs with the grades C to A*, including English and mathematics, has risen from 54% in 2007 to 67% in 2010.
Since the school has been granted academy status, it has been permitted to deviate from the National Curriculum. Nigel Poole, the head teacher
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
, had commented that “The National Curriculum is about to change and not necessarily for the better, in my opinion".
Awards
The school has been awarded the ArtsmarkArtsmark
Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England. The scheme, that is open to all schools in England, recognises schools with a high level of provision in the arts.There are three levels of award:* Artsmark Gold* Artsmark Silver...
, 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...
, and National Healthy Schools status.