Joseph Whitaker School

Infobox UK school
name = Joseph Whitaker School


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motto = " _la. Spes et fides"
("Hope and faith")
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type = Comprehensive
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head = Mr J P Loughton
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specialist = Sports College
street = Warsop Lane
city = Rainworth
county = Nottinghamshire
country = England
postcode = NG21 0AG
LEA = Nottinghamshire
ofsted = 122866
staff = 80 FTE teaching staff, ~30 support staff
enrollment = 1,250
gender = Mixed
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses = None
colours = Navy Blue
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website = http://www.josephwhitaker.notts.sch.uk
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Joseph Whitaker School is a specialist sports college and secondary school in Rainworth near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in England. Over 1,300 students are taught here, by a staff body of over 100 teachers. The current headmaster is Mr J P Loughton.

History

The school is named after the famous ornithologist Joseph Isaac Spadafora Whitaker. A picture of him is hung above the entrance to the main hall.

A fire in 1995 destroyed the school hall and adjoining Recreation Centre, which prompted a rebuild the following year.

Subjects

It is compulsory for all first year students (Year 7) to take the following subjects:
*English
*Mathematics
*Science
*French
*Information Technology
*Geography
*History
*Religious Studies
*Physical Education
*Technology:
**Graphics
**Woodwork
**Electronics
**Food Technology

Subject Departments

Art and Design

The school recently had a new Art and Design department built, which also houses the school resource center, lecture theatre and sixth form study areas. The department is equipped for all curriculum needs from Year 7 to A level work.

Drama

Drama is taught in the lower school area of the school. This area is all on one level, and it towards the north of the school. The drama department has only two rooms, though both are equipped with lighting and sound equipment. The school's dance studio is often used as an area for students, especially A level ones, to practice their work. The head of drama is Mr Caputa.

English

English is currently taught in a two story tower block, that is accessed through the school's main entrance. Both English Language and English Literature are taught. Carl Farrell is the head of English.

Humanities

Humanities includes History, Geography and Religious Studies. These are also taught in the lower school. The head of humanities is Micheal Croft.

Information Technology

IT is mainly taught above the food technology room, however other rooms in lower and upper school are also used. All IT suites are fitted out with computers, to which each student has their own username and password to access their personal account.

Modern Foreign Languages

This includes:
*French Language
*Spanish Language
*and German Language

These are taught in the lower school area, however they are mainly taught on a first floor level, with two classrooms on the ground floor. The MFL department has its own ICT suite, which students may use for homework or general knowledge-building activities. Mr Porter is the HoMFL

Music

Music is taught in the upper school area. It comprises two classrooms, fitted with keyboards and a piano in each. There are also two practice rooms, in the music block, as well a separate building known as M3. This building has one drum kit which the students feel is unsuitable, among over instruments. David Gillot is the head of the faculty as of January 2008.

Physical Education

As the school is a specialist sports college, the sports facilities are very modern. The school has a large sports hall that has room for 5 badminton courts. The sports hall is fitted out with basketball hoops, cricket nets as well as markings on the floor for basketball, football, badminton, tennis and netball. There is also a large gymnasium, a dance studio with lighting, full wall mirror and bar, and blackout curtains. The school recently has had an all-weather floodlit pitch built. The Director of Sport is Mr David Bell.

Technology

The technology department is towards the east of the school. It has a newly renovated food tech room, a large graphics room, a well-equipped electronics room as well as two workshops. Textiles is no longer taught at the school.

Science

The Science department is at the south end of the school. Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are all taught from Year 7 (age 11) to Year 13 (age 18). The school has its own schemes of work at KS3, teaches the AQA GCSE course, and the OCR Science A Levels. The department has eight fully equipped laboratories, along with a computer room and various other teaching rooms. There are two full-time lab technicians.