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In September 2000, the school was given [[Technology College]] status and in February 2002, a new technology block was built on the north of the site to replace dispersed classrooms at the cost of several million pounds. In March 2005 the school received [[Arts College]] status<ref name="Hat-trick"/> and in September 2005, the science block was extended to allow for a larger preparation room. In January 2006, the school received [[Language College]] status and between June and September 2006, the Resources department was extended and the main entrance refurbished to include automatic doors, better disabled access and a lobby area. In October 2006, work commenced on the building of a new drama and [[sixth form]] study block, which opened on [[September 5]] 2007 for the start of the academic year in which Kennet celebrated 50 years of education.
In September 2000, the school was given [[Technology College]] status and in February 2002, a new technology block was built on the north of the site to replace dispersed classrooms at the cost of several million pounds. In March 2005 the school received [[Arts College]] status<ref name="Hat-trick"/> and in September 2005, the science block was extended to allow for a larger preparation room. In January 2006, the school received [[Language College]] status and between June and September 2006, the Resources department was extended and the main entrance refurbished to include automatic doors, better disabled access and a lobby area. In October 2006, work commenced on the building of a new drama and [[sixth form]] study block, which opened on [[September 5]] 2007 for the start of the academic year in which Kennet celebrated 50 years of education.


Coolest kid in school dutch joined in 2001, luv Jason x


==Awards==
==Awards==

Revision as of 21:36, 21 November 2007

Kennet Comprehensive School
Address
Map
Stoney Lane

Thatcham
,
Berkshire
,
RG19 4LL

 England
Information
TypeComprehensive community school
MottoExcellence through endeavour
Established1957
Local authorityWest Berkshire
SpecialistTechnology College, Language College and Arts College
OfstedReports
HeadmasterPaul Gerard Dick OBE JP
Staff121
GenderCo-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrollment2,000 total
Houses4
Colour(s)Navy blue and gold
   
PublicationKennet News (1975-1990)
Kennet Chronicle (2002-2004)
GCSE test score388.4 points/student[1]
National ranking303rd at GCSE
101st at A-level
Websitehttp://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupId=2549

Kennet Comprehensive School is a secondary school in Thatcham, Berkshire, England. It is a comprehensive community school[2] run by the West Berkshire Education Authority and in 2006 was the highest achieving comprehensive school in West Berkshire using contextual value-added results.[3] In the same year it was also rated as one of the highest achieving schools in England, ranking as the 101st best comprehensive in the Guardian's league table, based on A-level results[4] and 303rd based on GCSE results.[5]

Kennet is also one of very few schools in England to have three specialisms, Technology College,[6] Arts College,[7] and most recently Language College.[8][9][10]

The school opened on 11 September 1957 as a secondary modern, which then converted into a comprehensive in 1971.[11] The school currently has 1,720 pupils on roll in years 7 to 11, 280 pupils attending sixth form (years 12 and 13) with 121 teachers and 78 non-teaching staff. The headmaster is Paul Gerard Dick OBE[12] JP[13]

History

In the 1950s secondary education in Thatcham was provided by the Council School. However, with the raising of the school leaving age to 15 in 1947 and an increasing demand for secondary education the existing accommodation was proving inadequate, with 545 children in a school built for just 350 pupils. Accordingly the then Berkshire County Council approved the construction of a new secondary school in the village, and construction started in July 1956.[14] The new Kennet School was built at a cost of GB£148,000.[15] There was criticism at the time that the school was equipped 'far too extravagantly' and that it would have been better to spread the money more evenly across the district.[15] Nevertheless the new school opened its doors on 11 September 1957 with a staff of 30 teachers and accommodation for 430 pupils.[15][11] Astonishingly over 600 pupils turned up on the first day, with children travelling from over 20 villages in West Berkshire.[15][11] By the end of the second year there were 720 pupils on the roll, and there were more than 800 children at the school in the third year.[15] Temporary accommodation was found while new classrooms were being built. The old Council School was subsequently converted to a primary school and was renamed as Francis Baily School in 1964.[14]

File:Kennet front.JPG
Front view of the main school block

Kennet was originally planned as a secondary modern school, and catered for children from 11 to 15 years of age. The children were streamed, with the lower streams being offered a more practical curriculum. Courses were offered in a diverse range of subjects such as nursing, domestic science, furniture-making, canoe-building, metalwork, arts and crafts, and secretarial skills.[15]

The school swimming pool opened in July 1959. Members of the school's Parent-Teacher Association helped with the funding and provided volunteer labour to keep within the budget of £500.[15]

In 1971 the school became fully comprehensive[15][11] and in December 1972, Kennet welcomed Prince Philip who arrived by helicopter to visit the school and to inspect the work of children involved in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.[15][11] In November 1974, after support from the Parent-Teacher Association and Thatcham Town Council, the school was granted permission to open a sixth form.

As part of an expansion of the school to be able to cater for more students, a new Science block was constructed, starting in August 1973 and in April 1974 the block was opened to students. In Spring 1974, the humanities/English block started to be built and opened in September of that year.

In 1981, the Physically Disabled Resource opened at a cost of £100,000, it catered for twenty pupils and was the first specialised unit in the county. In May 1981, the school hosted the first Kennet Games, a sports day for physically handicapped children to participate in, the event continues annually. In November 1983, the sports hall was named the Hurford Hall in honour of George Hurford, an ex-headmaster of the school. In 1985, pupils congregated on the tennis courts to protest the effects of teachers' strikes on students' studies. In 1986 the Kennet Leisure Centre near to the school started to be built and in 1988 it opened to the public[16]

In April 1994, a Berkshire County Council report into the school reported that some school building were in poor condition. Plans for the Risman Library complex were submitted to Thatcham Town Council in March 1995 and in November, the school buried a time capsule behind the leisure centre. During 1996 an expanded Kennet Leisure Centre, complete with an indoor heated swimming pool opened to replace the ageing open air pool. In September 1997, the new Risman Library/history block opened to students.

In September 2000, the school was given Technology College status and in February 2002, a new technology block was built on the north of the site to replace dispersed classrooms at the cost of several million pounds. In March 2005 the school received Arts College status[9] and in September 2005, the science block was extended to allow for a larger preparation room. In January 2006, the school received Language College status and between June and September 2006, the Resources department was extended and the main entrance refurbished to include automatic doors, better disabled access and a lobby area. In October 2006, work commenced on the building of a new drama and sixth form study block, which opened on September 5 2007 for the start of the academic year in which Kennet celebrated 50 years of education.

Coolest kid in school dutch joined in 2001, luv Jason x

Awards

Kennet was awarded the Artsmark Gold by the Arts Council England in 2001[17], 2004[18] and 2007.[19] It was also awarded the Sportsmark by Sport England in 2001.[20] The school was also awarded the Challenge Award by National Association for Able Children in Education on 22 November 2006 as recognition for its efforts to support Able, Gifted and Talented students.[21] Kennet was only the 16th school in the country to receive the award at the time.[11]

File:Kennet awards and shield.jpg
The awards and shield of Kennet Comprehensive on display at the reception

Teaching awards

The current headmaster, Paul Gerard Dick, was awarded an OBE for Services to Education in the 2000 New Year's Honours List.[22] Paul Dick was also the Category Winner in 2001 in The Leadership Trust Award for School Leadership in a Secondary School in South of England.[23][24]

The following members of staff have also received Teaching Awards:

  • Martyn Greenway, 2003 Special Commendee, The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School in South[25]
  • Juli Morgan-Russell, 2003 Category Winner, The Guardian Award for Outstanding New Teacher in a Secondary School in South[26]
  • Sandra Baron, 2004 Category Winner, The Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year in a Secondary School in South[27]
  • David Wootton, 2006 Commendation Award, The DfES Award for Governor of the Year in South of England[28]

Student awards

In 2006, student Joseph Briggs finished in the top 40 in the country for the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust's Intermediate Mathematical Challenge out of 200,000 other entrants.[29]

In 2007, three students, Georgia Marriott, Emily Herbert and Emma Skeavington received an award from Chief Superintendent Richard Bennett for their work on Operation Fizzy. This involved them trying to buy alcoholic beverages from a number of retailers including pubs and supermarkets. The operation led to a number of successful prosecutions against retailers for selling to under-age drinkers.[30]

Sixth form

A view of the new sixth form block under construction

There is a sixth form at Kennet for students who wish to continue their education after the age of 16. Although Kennet pupils are given priority, pupils from other schools are also accepted. An interview and personal statement is required, and a reference or CV is also helpful. The students have their own separate block that was recently constructed on the site, which consists of: a common area, where the sixth formers can socialise away from lower year pupils; a computer suite, for completing academic work; and the sixth form offices. There is also a section of the library provided for sixth form use only. The uniform is more relaxed than those in lower school and this is seen as a privilege. The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) qualification can be studied with any sixth form course. On February 8 2007, Richard Benyon voiced concerns about funding for the sixth form to Alan Johnson, who was Secretary of State for Education and Skills at the time. He said that the Learning and Skills Council were too inflexible about funding and that the school should have had an extra £48,133 in funding the previous year, but didn't.[31][32]

Extracurricular activities

Houses

When students join the school they become a member of a house. The house system provides a structure for pastoral care, with the Head of each house being responsible for the students in that house. The house system is an integral part of extracurricular activities in the school. The houses compete against each other in sports, athletics, music, drama and outstanding academic excellence.

There are four houses at the school: Saint Patrick, Saint Michael, Saint Francis, and Saint David. Now defunct houses are Saint George and Saint Andrew, which were dissolved in the early 1980s. Each house is associated with a colour: St. Patrick with green, St. Michael with red, St. Francis with purple and St. David with yellow.

House Head of House Deputy head of House
St. Michael Tania Langley (acting) Michael Loveridge (acting)
St. David Robin Ireland Cherie McDonnell
St. Patrick Richard Staton Peter Amblin
St. Francis John Martin Dr Jon Gemmell

Exchange visits

Each year the school organises exchanges to France and Germany. The pupils can go to France in year 9 and Germany in year 10. It involves a foreign pupil staying with their exchange partner's family for 7-12 days, then vice-versa later on. These can prove very helpful in helping to learn a new foreign language.

School council

The school has an active school council which meets once every term under the authority of Peter Jenkins, deputy headmaster in charge of site matters. It discusses matters close to pupils, such as canteen prices, non-uniform day charities and queries about rumours around the school. The litter topic is normally forced into the agenda, due to the high amount of rubbish that is dropped on the floor by pupils.

Kennet News

Kennet News' various logos

The Kennet News was the school newspaper first issued in May 1975 at the price of two new pence and was run until the late eighties. Its original slogan was News as it happens - and sometimes before it happens!. The newspaper carried issues relating to students and teachers alike. It reported the departure of George Hurford[33] and the arrival of Terrence Enright[34] in 1978 and later the arrival[35] and departure[36] of Dr. Nicholas Wheeler-Robinson. The main editor was Mr. Wilkinson aided by many students throughout its lifespan. Introductions were occasionally written by the headmasters and Keith Iles wrote a column 'Round the Iles' in many issues.

Charity work

Each house chooses its own charity to support, and throughout the year each tutor group fundraises towards their house's target amount of money. For example Saint Michael house's chosen charity was the Rwanda appeal until this academic year. The senior staff sometimes plan one-off events, such as the Kennet (World) Cup to raise money for charity.

Kennet (World) Cup

The Kennet (World) Cup was a football event that occurred on 19 June 2006 in aid of the Bobby Moore Cancer Appeal. Teams were organised as non-mixed six-a-side with rolling substitutes. Students in years 7 and 8 played in the first football tournament between 9h and 12h30 and then in tutor groups wrote reports about the events in the afternoon. Students in years 9 and 10 played in the second football tournament between 13h20 and 15h30. There were two cups and two shields available for each tournament. Each head of house chose one of the reports from each year to go forward and represent the house in a competition for Derek Leach trophy points. The event was designed to coincide with the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It was very successful and it was agreed that it would happen again in the future.

OFSTED

The school has been criticised in the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) report for lacking 'a daily act of collective worship'[37] and not reporting pupils' ICT progress in years 10 and 11,[37] both of which are statutory requirements. The collective worship must be wholly or mainly of Christian religion, although parents may request for their children to be withdrawn from the collective worship.[38] The report also found that not all subject department heads have good enough monitoring systems to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Miscellaneous

The mast on the school site

Mobile phone mast

The school has a mobile phone mast on site. The local council earns £5,750 annually by having it on site.[39] There have been many concerns over possible health risks to the pupils and teachers who work and play at the school.

Leisure centre fire

On July 20 2006 at 2pm, a fire broke out in a waste storage container in the Kennet Leisure Centre car park and was attended to by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service whilst students from the school were evacuated onto the tennis courts.[40] Although the cause is still unknown, the event was very poorly handled by the school.[citation needed]

Risman Library

The Risman Library

The Risman Library was opened on 23 September 1997 by Councillor Ann Risman, the Chairman of Berkshire County Council, who was accompanied by Chris Woodhead, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools. The library is designed to be a low energy environment by incorporating high levels of natural light and ventilation.[41] It has shelving space for 25,000 books, and currently stocks around 23,000.[42] It has seating for approximately 80 pupils and has a separate sixth form study section that is sealed off (by folding doors) during the lunch hour. The library is host to twelve workstations and thirty laptop computers all of which are connected to the network. The library stocks six daily national papers and the Newbury Weekly News. The school's media resource of compact discs and compact cassettes of both music and audio-books are kept in the library along with a stock of VHSs and DVDs for staff use.

Headmasters

Below is a list of Kennet's headmasters from its establishment in 1957.

Years Name
Kennet Modern School
September 1957 to
December 1960 		T.S.B. Howe
January 1961 to
July 1971 		George Hurford
Kennet Comprehensive School
September 1971 to
July 1978 		George Hurford
September 1978 to
July 1982 		Terrence Enright
September 1982 to
December 1982 		Keith Iles (acting)
January 1983 to
July 1987 		Nicholas Wheeler-Robinson
September 1987 to
December 1988 		Keith Iles (acting)
January 1989 to
present 		Paul Gerard Dick

Alumni of note

Statistics

Kennet is the highest achieving comprehensive school for both GCSE and A-level results in West Berkshire.[47]

A graph to show percentage of students achieving 5 grades A*-C at GCSE between 1989 and 2007
A graph to show percentage of students achieving 5 grades A*-C at GCSE between 1989 and 2007
Year Students achieving five A*-C grades at GCSE Average point score per student at A-level
2007 72.0%[48] No data
2006 71.0%[49] 813.8[50]
2005 71.4%[51] 317.0[52]
2004 70.0%[53] 284.6[54]
2003 59.0%[55] 273.9[56]
2002 66.0%[57] 257.5[58]
2001 63.7%[59] 19.3[60]
2000 61.4%[61] 21.1[62]
1999 59.0%[63] 16.4[64]
1998 61.0%[65] 16.3[66]
1997 60.0%[67] 14.9[68]
1996 59.0%[69] 15.2[70]
1995 58.0%[71] 12.7[72]
1994 54.0%[73] 10.9[74]
1993 52.8% No data
1992 47.5% No data
1991 37.7% No data
1990 35.0% No data
1989 28.0% No data

Note:The irregularity in A-level scores is due to changes in the way the points are made.

  • A view down the central access road that runs through the grounds
    A view down the central access road that runs through the grounds
  • Students wearing the school uniform
    Students wearing the school uniform

References

  1. ^ Guardian GCSE results for West Berkshire
  2. ^ DCSF - Kennet School
  3. ^ BBC News - Education league tables
  4. ^ Guardian A-level results
  5. ^ Guardian GCSE results
  6. ^ DCSF specialism listing - Technology College (Excel file)
  7. ^ DCSF specialism listing - Arts College (Excel file)
  8. ^ DCSF specialism listing - Language College (Excel file)
  9. ^ a b West Berkshire Council - Specialism Hat-trick for Kennet School
  10. ^ Newbury Today - Kennet awarded third specialism
  11. ^ a b c d e f Thatcham Town Council - Secondary Education
  12. ^ BBC News - For services to education
  13. ^ Newbury Today - Interview with Paul Dick
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Peter Allen. The Book of Thatcham: A Record of a Changing Community. Tiverton: Halsgove, 2006.
  15. ^ Thatcham Town Council - History of Thatcham
  16. ^ Artsmark round 1 results
  17. ^ Artsmark round 4 results
  18. ^ Artsmark round 7 results
  19. ^ March 2005 OFSTED report (page 37, section 118)
  20. ^ NACE - Challenge Award receiving schools
  21. ^ BBC News - For services to education
  22. ^ Guardian - Working together
  23. ^ The Teaching Awards 2001 - Mr Paul Dick
  24. ^ The Teaching Awards 2003 - Mr Martyn Greenway
  25. ^ The Teaching Awards 2003 - Mrs Juli Morgan-Russell
  26. ^ The Teaching Awards 2004 - Mrs Sandra Baron
  27. ^ The Teaching Awards 2006 - Mr David Wootton
  28. ^ Newbury Today - Whizz kid heads to maths summer school
  29. ^ Newbury Today - 'Undercover' schoolgirls rewarded
  30. ^ Newbury Today - Benyon speak out on sixth forms
  31. ^ West Berkshire Conservative Association - Benyon raises Kennet School 6th form in Commons
  32. ^ Kennet News Issue Number 14, 'Best Wishes Mr. Hurford!' - July 1978
  33. ^ Kennet News Issue Number 15, 'Kennet Welcomes Mr. Enright.' - October 1978
  34. ^ Kennet News Issue Number 32, 'Welcome to Our New Headmaster.' - March 1983
  35. ^ Kennet News Issue Number 44, 'The only time I make the front page of the Kennet News is when I am leaving!' - April 1987
  36. ^ a b March 2005 OFSTED report (page 7)
  37. ^ TeacherNet, A to Z of School Leadership - Collective worship
  38. ^ News of the World - Is there a mast near you?
  39. ^ Newbury Today - Police investigate leisure centre fire
  40. ^ SWA Architechts- Education Projects
  41. ^ Kennet Comprehensive library page
  42. ^ Newbury Today - Thatcham comedian is Edinburgh bride
  43. ^ Newbury Today - Eyewitness account of London blasts
  44. ^ 1 King's Bench Walk - Richard Barton
  45. ^ 2nd Thatcham Scout Group History
  46. ^ BBC News - Kennet School results league table
  47. ^ Kennet Comprehensive School result press release 2007 (GCSE)
  48. ^ DCSF performance table 2006 (GCSE)
  49. ^ DCSF performance table 2006 (A-level)
  50. ^ DCSF performance table 2005 (GCSE)
  51. ^ DCSF performance table 2005 (A-level)
  52. ^ DCSF performance table 2004 (GCSE)
  53. ^ DCSF performance table 2004 (A-level)
  54. ^ DCSF performance table 2003 (GCSE)
  55. ^ DCSF performance table 2003 (A-level)
  56. ^ DCSF performance table 2002 (GCSE)
  57. ^ DCSF performance table 2002 (A-level)
  58. ^ DCSF performance table 2001 (GCSE)
  59. ^ DCSF performance table 2001 (A-level)
  60. ^ DCSF performance table 2000 (GCSE)
  61. ^ DCSF performance table 2000 (A-level)
  62. ^ DCSF performance table 1999 (GCSE)
  63. ^ DCSF performance table 1999 (A-level)
  64. ^ DCSF performance table 1998 (GCSE)
  65. ^ DCSF performance table 1998 (A-level)
  66. ^ DCSF performance table 1997 (GCSE)
  67. ^ DCSF performance table 1997 (A-level)
  68. ^ DCSF performance table 1996 (GCSE)
  69. ^ DCSF performance table 1996 (A-level)
  70. ^ DCSF performance table 1995 (GCSE)
  71. ^ DCSF performance table 1995 (A-level)
  72. ^ DCSF performance table 1994 (GCSE)
  73. ^ DCSF performance table 1994 (A-level)
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