Chester Catholic High School

Coordinates: 53°10′44″N 2°53′31″W / 53.179°N 2.892°W / 53.179; -2.892

The Catholic High School, Chester
Location
Old Wrexham Road Chester CH4 7HS
Information
Type	Voluntarily aided Mixed comprehensive
Motto	Christo Fidelis (Faithful to Christ)
Established	September 1972
Principal	John Murray
Enrollment	approx. 1, 000,
Information	01244 981600
Colors Religious Affilliation	Green & gold Roman Catholic
Website	www.chsc.cheshire.sch.uk

Chester Catholic High School or CHS but officially called The Catholic High School, Chester is a Roman Catholic secondary school on the outskirts of Handbridge, Chester, England.

Student population

The school is a mixed 11-18 comprehensive school with a Sixth Form. The catchment area of the school expands into Lache and Blacon, with some buses transporting pupils from as far afield as Neston and Frodsham. The school has over 1,000 pupils. The general uniform is a bottle green sweatshirt or polo shirt with black trousers. The current head teacher is John Murray, previous head teachers have included John McCann (acting, 2003–2004), Victoria Ratchford (1994–2003), Christine McCann (no relation to John) and Michael Balfe. The school transferred to the present site in September 1972; previously the school site was occupied by the Overleigh Boys School. In 2006 Ofsted called its Sixth Form "Outstanding".^[1] The school's longest serving teacher, Mick McManus, has taught mathematics since the school opened in 1972, a total of 39 years. His A-level mathematics class has been one of the most successful A-level subjects in the school over the past few years.

The school motto is "Christo Fidelis," a Latin phrase meaning "Faithful to Christ".

The school has been a Specialist Science College since 2003, in addition to being a classified Beacon school.

Sports and extracurricular activities

The school has recently struck a deal with Chester City FC to use the schools grounds as a training ground for the current first team and youth team squads.

The school 6th form football team came runners up in the Chester and District Schoolboy Cup, but the girl's Under 16 team won the equivalent trophy in 2008.

CHS is also home to the 'City Jazz Orchestra', a jazz ensemble of approximately 45 players from all years. The band, under the direction of musical director Kevin Tout, have performed on 13 European tours as well as featuring at the Cork International Jazz Festival fivetimes. In 2008, they performed at the Wigan Christmas Lights switch on. They recently celebrated their twentieth anniversary.

The school's Drama Department and City Jazz Orchestra collaborated on 'Fame' and 'Starmaker' from the musical 'Fame' in October 2008 for their annual Open Evening.

The school has recently been fund-raising for the 'East Appeal'. As the school is partially church funded, the school must raise 10% of its budget. The building work is due to be completed in Autumn 2008 and comprises a new building accommodating the Sixth Form and the Performing Arts, along with two new Science laboratories and new office and staffrooms.

The school now has a new Emmaus Building which was built especially for our sixth form is also used for whole school music and drama. it is solar power electricity generated, the water comes from rain water and the drama rooms have underfloor heating. it cost over £1 million, but was worth it, as it is eco friendly. the students are sill fundraising to pay off the Emmaus building, but it is nearly all paid off. It was officially opened on 12 February 2008 by Fr Russell Cooke, Dean of Chester, standing in for the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Bishop Brian Noble.

Alumni

The award winning journalist, author and current Financial and Property Editor of the Independent on Sunday Julian Knight, attended Chester Catholic High School until 1990.

References

1. ^ Lovgreen, Jon (2006-10-09). "Inspection Report". Inspection Reports - The Catholic High School, Chester. Ofsted. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/display/(id)/65814. Retrieved 2009-07-05. 

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