The Piggott School
Encyclopedia
'The Piggott School' is a Church of England
academy secondary school
in Wargrave
in Berkshire
, England
. The school has approximately 1,516 pupils and around 185 teaching staff. The school specialises in Modern Languages and Humanities. It has been awarded International school status by the British Council
. The most recent inspection from ofsted achieved a rating of 'Outstanding' in 28 categories and 3 ratings of 'Good'.
The Piggott School has a long established exchange programme with the Ville Gymnasium School Ertstadt Germany and a more recent link with Wyndhams School in Boston, USA. It is a partner school of the EU organised Comenius project. The Piggott School is also the only church of England secondary school in the Reading, Twyford area. Many of its students come from Robert Piggott Junior in Wargrave and St John's CE Aided Primary School in Reading. The Piggott School is one of the best performing secondary school in the Wokingham District.
The house system involves house points, in the form of merits and each individual pupil is encouraged to collect these to support their house. Merits are awarded for effort and achievement, community service and extra curricular involvement within the school.
Being a member of a house is about being part of a team, so each an every member of this school, pupils and staff are part of a team. Every member of a team is important. Each person brings unique skills, knowledge, and experience. People also bring energy, drive, passion, and determination. Since not everyone brings different amounts of all of these things, team members need each other. Though, in reality, it means very little whatsoever, and isn't much more than a gimmick.
Each house has two Heads of House who are in Year 13, and each year group has two house captains for each house. Within the next couple of weeks these people will make themselves known to you and start recruiting you all to take part in both sport and curricular House competitions.
At present the school holds many sporting inter-house competitions every year along with the annual Spelling Bee, Photography and ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition. The four houses are.
St Patricks
Thames
Kennet
Loddon
Loddon house is named after the River Loddon
in Berkshire and Hampshire, this is currently the leading house. The emblem is a Lion.
Thames house is named after the River Thames
which runs through several cities and towns, the emblem is a dragon.
Kennet house is named after the River Kennet
which runs through Reading, the emblem is a green dragon.
St Patrick's house is named after St Patrick's Stream
, a backwater of the Thames that flows into the Loddon, the emblem is a harp.
The new school sweatshirt will come with the school house by July 2011, the logo can either be red for Thames, blue for St Patricks, green for Kennet, and gold for Loddon. The old school sweatshirt consists of only a gold writing and no house badge underneath.
There are many competitions between these four houses, including, rugby, football, netball, hockey, sports day, the governors cup and many many more.
Gospel values place great emphasis on care and respect, on fairness and forgiveness; there is an emphasis on our responsibilities as fellow human beings, as well as our rights as individuals.
. There is also a proposed sixth form block which is going to be completed by December 2011. Students are shown how to use a range of tools and equipment safely across a range of projects that are designed to enhance and build upon the skills they learn. They are encouraged to work in a methodical and organised way, assessing their work as it progresses. Projects are designed to provide experience of processes and skills from graphics and layout; to cutting and assembling wood to build freestanding structures; the selection and preparation of ingredients in food technology and the use of components in simple electronic circuits, this is supported by Wokingham
Secondary Federation.
AS Art, Craft and Design is also available as a fast track course for students in year 10 and 11.
In Years 9, 10 and 11 students are able to specialise in Catering, Graphic Products, Textiles, Resistant Materials, Electronic Products or Food.
Sixth formers can study the following courses in AS & A2 are food technology, AQA theatre studies, music, AQA geography, OCR history, AQA maths and languages (French, Spanish or German). Students can also study at AS and A level which are ICT, product design (graphic products or textile technology), economics, science (students are able to take one or more of the three separate sciences, these are biology, physics, chemistry), business studies, art and photography.
. In addition, a number of vocational courses are available including the new Key Skills Qualifications in Application of Number, Communication, and Information Technology, and the National Diploma in Business (Level 2). The Piggott School's participates in the Cisco Networking Academy Programme and is one of the relatively few schools in the UK to offer this globally accepted professional course in networking. Pupils on this course have networked the computers in the school's IT suite and also those of the neighbouring primary school Robert Piggott Junior in Wargrave
,Berkshire.
The Piggott School's has pioneered an innovative science buddy scheme, which was featured on Teachernet, the website for teachers and educators.[17] The scheme involved around 30 pupils from the top three sets in Year 11 helping the younger children in Year 7 to conduct experiments and investigations in a lunchtime club.
Tuition is provided by Berkshire Maestros, pupils can learn to play all sorts of instruments such as woodwind. Pupils can even perform at concerts.There is also a School Jazz Band and String Group. All pupils who learn instruments in school are expected to participate in at least one of these groups.
Drama productions are a feature of The Piggott School and have ranged from well known musicals to exam performances presented by students studying GCSE and A levels.
Trips are organised to France for Year 7 students and to a number of other countries for students in Years 8–12. Sixth formers are involved in outdoor education visits and subject based field work.
in languages and humanities. The school has Investor in People Status and also holds the Sportsmark Award and the Healthy School's award.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
academy 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 Wargrave
Wargrave
Wargrave is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, which encloses the confluence of the River Loddon and the River Thames. It is in the Borough of Wokingham...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, 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...
. The school has approximately 1,516 pupils and around 185 teaching staff. The school specialises in Modern Languages and Humanities. It has been awarded International school status by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
. The most recent inspection from ofsted achieved a rating of 'Outstanding' in 28 categories and 3 ratings of 'Good'.
The Piggott School has a long established exchange programme with the Ville Gymnasium School Ertstadt Germany and a more recent link with Wyndhams School in Boston, USA. It is a partner school of the EU organised Comenius project. The Piggott School is also the only church of England secondary school in the Reading, Twyford area. Many of its students come from Robert Piggott Junior in Wargrave and St John's CE Aided Primary School in Reading. The Piggott School is one of the best performing secondary school in the Wokingham District.
History
The Piggott School was founded by Robert Piggott, a philanthropist, to cater for 20 poor boys and 20 poor girls in separate schools. The foundation stone was laid on 12 October 1939 it was officially opened on the 17th of September 1940. The school was originally built for 320 children. It was too small as soon as it was opened in 1940, because war had broken out and a massive evacuation programme was underway (2 million children moved out of London in 3 days). This meant a doubling of the local population of children and far more children had to be accommodated. Morning school was therefore organised for ‘home’ children’. Afternoon school was for the ‘visitors’.Houses
The school operates a house system. There are four houses, which each have a Head of House, Pastoral Mentor, and a team of tutors. House prefects are appointed by the Head of House. The purpose of the House system is to encourage pupils to take on an active role within the school and to take pride in their House. Through the House system they hope to build a sense of community as well as encouraging pupils to work for their House in a competitive manner.The house system involves house points, in the form of merits and each individual pupil is encouraged to collect these to support their house. Merits are awarded for effort and achievement, community service and extra curricular involvement within the school.
Being a member of a house is about being part of a team, so each an every member of this school, pupils and staff are part of a team. Every member of a team is important. Each person brings unique skills, knowledge, and experience. People also bring energy, drive, passion, and determination. Since not everyone brings different amounts of all of these things, team members need each other. Though, in reality, it means very little whatsoever, and isn't much more than a gimmick.
Each house has two Heads of House who are in Year 13, and each year group has two house captains for each house. Within the next couple of weeks these people will make themselves known to you and start recruiting you all to take part in both sport and curricular House competitions.
At present the school holds many sporting inter-house competitions every year along with the annual Spelling Bee, Photography and ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition. The four houses are.
St Patricks
Thames
Kennet
Loddon
Loddon house is named after the River Loddon
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
in Berkshire and Hampshire, this is currently the leading house. The emblem is a Lion.
Thames house is named after the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
which runs through several cities and towns, the emblem is a dragon.
Kennet house is named after the River Kennet
River Kennet
The Kennet is a river in the south of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. The lower reaches of the river are navigable to river craft and are known as the Kennet Navigation, which, together with the Avon Navigation, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames, links the cities of Bristol...
which runs through Reading, the emblem is a green dragon.
St Patrick's house is named after St Patrick's Stream
St Patrick's Stream
St Patrick's Stream or Patrick Stream is a backwater of the River Thames in England, which flows into the River Loddon near Wargrave, Berkshire. It leaves the Thames on the reach above Shiplake Lock near Buck Ait, downstream of Sonning....
, a backwater of the Thames that flows into the Loddon, the emblem is a harp.
The new school sweatshirt will come with the school house by July 2011, the logo can either be red for Thames, blue for St Patricks, green for Kennet, and gold for Loddon. The old school sweatshirt consists of only a gold writing and no house badge underneath.
There are many competitions between these four houses, including, rugby, football, netball, hockey, sports day, the governors cup and many many more.
Church Status
The Piggott School is a school with a Church Foundation. This reflects the School's history and the involvement of The Church of England in the education of young people in their communities; it does not mean they're pupils or their families have to have a Christian faith, or any religious faith. But everyone is expected to respect the teachings of the Christian faith.Gospel values place great emphasis on care and respect, on fairness and forgiveness; there is an emphasis on our responsibilities as fellow human beings, as well as our rights as individuals.
Facilities
The Piggott School has a soldering works area, clay area, modelling areas such as making D.I.Y, a Arts Studio and a very large sports field which runs alongside the railway tracks towards Wargrave railway stationWargrave railway station
Wargrave railway station is a railway station in the village of Wargrave in the county of Berkshire in England.The station is served by local services operated by First Great Western on the Henley-on-Thames branch between Henley-on-Thames and Twyford 3 km south...
. There is also a proposed sixth form block which is going to be completed by December 2011. Students are shown how to use a range of tools and equipment safely across a range of projects that are designed to enhance and build upon the skills they learn. They are encouraged to work in a methodical and organised way, assessing their work as it progresses. Projects are designed to provide experience of processes and skills from graphics and layout; to cutting and assembling wood to build freestanding structures; the selection and preparation of ingredients in food technology and the use of components in simple electronic circuits, this is supported by Wokingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
Secondary Federation.
| Subject | GCSE 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... |
A level |
|---|---|---|
| Art Art Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.... and Design Design Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan... |
Yes | Yes |
| Biology Biology Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines... |
Yes | Yes |
| Business Studies Business studies Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries... |
Yes | Yes |
| Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds.... |
Yes | Yes |
| Child Development Child development Child development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativist theories.... |
Yes | - |
| Computer Studies | - | Yes |
| Design and Technology | Yes | Yes |
| Drama Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a... |
Yes | Yes |
| Economics Economics Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"... |
- | Yes |
| English Language 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... |
Yes | - |
| 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.... |
Yes | Yes |
| French | Yes | Yes |
| Further Mathematics Further Mathematics Further Mathematics is the title given to a number of advanced secondary mathematics courses. Higher and Further Mathematics may also refer to any of several advanced mathematics courses at many institutions.... |
- | Yes |
| General Studies | - | Yes |
| 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... |
Yes | Yes |
| German | Yes | Yes |
| History History History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians... |
Yes | Yes |
| ICT ICT (education) Information and communication technologies in education deal with the use of information and communication technologies within educational technology.-Purpose:... |
Yes | Yes |
| 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... |
Yes | Yes |
| Media Studies Media studies Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass... |
- | Yes |
| Music Music Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture... |
Yes | Yes |
| Psychology Psychology Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society... |
- | Yes |
| 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.... |
Yes | Yes |
| Physics Physics Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic... |
Yes | Yes |
| Religious Education Religious Education Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a... |
Yes | Yes |
| Science Science Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe... (double award) |
Yes | - |
| Statistics Statistics Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments.... |
Yes | - |
Curriculum
In Years 7, 8 and 9 (Key Stage 3) students study the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science plus the following foundation subjects: French, Design and Technology, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), History, Geography, Religious Education, Art, Music and Physical Education. In addition lessons are offered in Personal, Social and Health Education, Citizenship and Drama. Pupils are taught in sets for English, Maths, Science and French. German is offered as a first language (if you choose it) language from Year 7 onwards to those in the top French sets. Mandarin Chinese is now available.. The Piggott School's is one of a small number of state schools which still offer the three separate sciences at GCSE. The following Design and Technology options are offered at GCSE: Food and Nutrition; Graphic Products; Resistant Materials; Systems and Control; Textiles.AS Art, Craft and Design is also available as a fast track course for students in year 10 and 11.
In Years 9, 10 and 11 students are able to specialise in Catering, Graphic Products, Textiles, Resistant Materials, Electronic Products or Food.
Sixth formers can study the following courses in AS & A2 are food technology, AQA theatre studies, music, AQA geography, OCR history, AQA maths and languages (French, Spanish or German). Students can also study at AS and A level which are ICT, product design (graphic products or textile technology), economics, science (students are able to take one or more of the three separate sciences, these are biology, physics, chemistry), business studies, art and photography.
. In addition, a number of vocational courses are available including the new Key Skills Qualifications in Application of Number, Communication, and Information Technology, and the National Diploma in Business (Level 2). The Piggott School's participates in the Cisco Networking Academy Programme and is one of the relatively few schools in the UK to offer this globally accepted professional course in networking. Pupils on this course have networked the computers in the school's IT suite and also those of the neighbouring primary school Robert Piggott Junior in Wargrave
Wargrave
Wargrave is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, which encloses the confluence of the River Loddon and the River Thames. It is in the Borough of Wokingham...
,Berkshire.
The Piggott School's has pioneered an innovative science buddy scheme, which was featured on Teachernet, the website for teachers and educators.[17] The scheme involved around 30 pupils from the top three sets in Year 11 helping the younger children in Year 7 to conduct experiments and investigations in a lunchtime club.
Sports
Pupils at the school participate in the following sports: crosscountry, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, health-related fitness, hockey, netball, rounders, rugby, and tennis. There are school teams which play regular fixtures with other local schools in rugby, football, hockey, netball and basketball. Pupils also participate in the Reading Cross Country League. A number of pupils play at county level.Extracurricular activities
Music & DramaTuition is provided by Berkshire Maestros, pupils can learn to play all sorts of instruments such as woodwind. Pupils can even perform at concerts.There is also a School Jazz Band and String Group. All pupils who learn instruments in school are expected to participate in at least one of these groups.
Drama productions are a feature of The Piggott School and have ranged from well known musicals to exam performances presented by students studying GCSE and A levels.
Trips are organised to France for Year 7 students and to a number of other countries for students in Years 8–12. Sixth formers are involved in outdoor education visits and subject based field work.
Achievements and specialisms
The Piggott School is a specialist schoolSpecialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in languages and humanities. The school has Investor in People Status and also holds the Sportsmark Award and the Healthy School's award.
Admission
In common with all other schools in Wokingham Borough, school places are allocated by the LEA based on designated catchment areas and feeder primary schools. Around 200 places are available at Piggott every year. The feeder primary schools for Piggott are:- Colleton Primary School
- Crazies Hill CofE Primary School
- Polehampton CofE Junior School
- Robert Piggott CofE Junior School
- Sonning CofE Primary School
- Knowl Hill CofE Primary School
Further reading
- Pam Haseltine, The Piggott School: Wargrave: a profile, (Twyford & Ruscombe Local History Society, c1986) ISBN 0948245026