Wheatley Park School

Infobox UK school
name = Wheatley Park School


size = 250px
latitude = 52.754363
longitude = -1.136842
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head_label = Headteacher
head = Ms Kate Curtis
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city = Holton
county = Oxfordshire
country = England
postcode = OX33 1QH
LEA = Oxfordshire
ofsted = 123243
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gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
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website = http://www.wheatley-park.oxon.sch.uk/
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Wheatley Park School is a secondary school of around 1400 pupils situated in Holton, approximately eight miles to the south-east of the city of Oxford. Its current headteacher is Kate Curtis who was promoted to the position in 2005 to replace Nicholas Young.

History

The school site is steeped in history, boasting a Georgian Manor, a natural spring supplying a moat and island, and a venison house. The site had also been used as an American hospital (specialising in brain damage related injuries) during World War II, but the huts housing the hospital were removed from the site in 2006.

There is also a tree, recorded in the Domesday book, located behind the building. A tradition by Year 7 students is to see how many pupils can fit inside the hollow trunk of this mighty oak. The older pupils often prefer to use it as a hideout in which they would smoke cannabis and play truant. It was partially damaged and further hollowed out in 1999 when a fire was lit near to it by a student. The student was smoking in the tree and didn't put the cigarette out correctly.

Used as a base during the English Civil War of the 1600s, it is believed that Oliver Cromwell's daughter was married on the moat, and it is rumoured that a passageway connects this site to the nearby village of Wheatley. The history at Wheatley Park is argued to be the most extensive for any state school. Recently Historians have been exploring the history of the Manor and its inhabitants, the wine cellar underneath the island and many other unanswered questions, including whether the school really is haunted by the many ghosts that new students are warned about on their first day.

Grounds

Wheatley Park, when described, often is assumed to be a private school with its extensive grounds, superb history and subjects on offer such as Latin. The school is currently improving facilities on its site. A new mathematics block was opened in 2004, and a building for the John Watson school, with which Wheatley Park School is affiliated, was opened in September 2006. The school is also currently having a new English and Media block built on the site of the old American hospital buildings.

Academics

WPS is a specialist Arts College, as well as providing after-school and extra-curricular activities, including rock climbing and sailing. Sixth form student Justin Visser recently won the 2005 29er Youth World Championship for sailing in San Francisco. The school produces a musical every year: recent shows include "South Pacific" (2008) "Bugsy Malone" (2007),"Grease" (2006), "Sweeney Todd" (2005), "Little Shop of Horrors" (2004) and "West Side Story" (2003). Further arts connections include holding an annual Sixth Form fashion show in aid of charity, being host to the Oxford branch of Sands Theatre Arts School, and being host to an annual film festival. The school consistently achieves art A-level results within the top 5 in the country.

The school also prides itself on the number of foreign trips it offers, including annual excursions to Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Popular trips also include excursions to Russia, China, Iceland and America. Wheatley Park also participates in the World Challenge programme - in July 2006, a team of 16 went to Vietnam. Previous destinations include Tanzania and Peru.

Notable Alumni

Notable alumni include Supergrass, who have said that without Wheatley Park they would never have formed. It also welcomes a number of famous visitors, these having recently included Boris Johnson and the Vice Admiral Gretton. Motorcycle racer Bradley Smith also attended Wheatley Park School. Wheatley Park was also recently graced by the presence of the local television god Wesley Smith of ITV News.

Arts

In the academic year 2006 to 2007 Wheatley Park School Drama department hosted a brand new playwriting festival. Workshops were run by leading youth theatre playwrights and Drama practitioners (including Mark Wheeller, Paul King and Andy Kemp) to inspire the community to write new short plays (between 10 and 30 mins). These were performed by schools around Oxfordshire, groups at Wheatley Park and local theatre companies including Wheatley Productions.

External links

* [http://www.wheatley-park.oxon.sch.uk School website]
* [http://www.musicdepartment.org.uk/wpsmusic/main.htm Wheatley Park School Music Department]
* [http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfe1x1_01.pl?School=9314077 Performance statistics from DCSF]