- Devizes School
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Devizes School Established 1969 Type Foundation school Religion Non-denominational Head Mr Malcolm Irons Chair of Governors Mr Ian Halpin Specialism Sports Location The Green
Devizes
Wiltshire
SN10 3AG
EnglandLocal authority Wiltshire DfE number ???/5411 DfE URN 126506 Ofsted Reports Students 1220 Gender Coeducational Ages 11–18 Website Devizes School Coordinates: 51°21′02″N 1°59′15″W / 51.35050°N 1.98744°W
Devizes School is a mixed comprehensive school in Devizes, Wiltshire, England, for children aged 11-18 and is the largest school in the town.
Contents
Admissions
The school has been awarded specialist Sports College and ICT College status. The school is headed by Mr Malcolm Irons. School enrollment in 2007 was 1,194 pupils.[1]
The school is situated in the centre of the town, next to the fire station, between the A342 and A360.
Traditions
Devizes School has a house system compromising of four houses, of which each student, Year 7-13 belongs to: Gandhi, King, Mandela and Teresa.
Each house is named after a historical figure who worked towards understanding using peaceful methods. The names of the houses were selected by a vote. Each house has its own house colour - Gandhi is green, King is blue, Teresa is red and Mandela is yellow.
History
Former schools
The school was formed in 1969 by the merging of the co-educational Devizes Grammar School and the Southbroom Secondary School (a secondary modern school) to form a comprehensive school.
Merger
The new school used the Southbroom site, based around Southbroom House, due to the availability of space, It was cheap and the Grammar School Lower School was taken over by St. Peter's School[2] with the Upper School Braeside becoming a residential education centre. The Southbroom buildings were enlarged and by January 1973 there were 1,373 pupils on the school roll. Further new buildings have been erected and in 2002 there were 1,065 pupils with a sixth form of around 150.[3]
On 8 August 1990, the Queen attended the school to open the swimming pool at the adjacent Devizes Leisure Centre, when the headmaster was Colin Isted.
Shelley Rudman, the Olympic skeleton silver medallist, worked at the school as a classroom manager.
In February 2005, a 52 year old builder, David Evans, was taunted by some teenage boys at the school. He confronted two of them, pushing two of them. Next day the teenage boys reported him to their headmaster, Malcolm Irons, who reported him to the police. Next day Mr Evans hung himself.[4][5]
Academic performance
At GCSE, the school gets average results, in the bottom half of Wiltshire schools, but does better at A level with above-average results.
Alumni
Devizes Grammar School
- Prof Malcolm Reginald Godden, Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon since 1991 at the University of Oxford
- Sandra Howard, wife of Michael Howard[6] (briefly)
- William Saunders (politician), Liberal MP from 1885-6 for Kingston upon Hull East, and from 1892-5 for Newington Walworth
See also
- Dauntsey's School, nearby private school
References
- ^ "School Profile". Directgov. http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/8655411/school-profile/. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
- ^ St Peter's School
- ^ "Wiltshire Community History". Wiltshire County Council. http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getimage.php?id=860. Retrieved 2007-09-17.[dead link]
- ^ David Evans
- ^ Tony Parsons
- ^ Sandra Howard
External links
- School homepage
- Ofsted
- Department for children, schools and families - Attainment Tables
- Wiltshire County Council
- Images of Devizes School Main Building, Southbroom House, front and rear, and the Sports Hall, some classrooms and Science Block.
- EduBase
Schools in Wiltshire Comprehensive Abbeyfield School · Avon Valley College · Churchfields School · Commonweal School · The Corsham School · Devizes School · Melksham Oak Community School · Greendown Community School · Hardenhuish School · Highworth Warneford School · Lavington School · Malmesbury School · Nova Hreod · Pewsey Vale School · Sheldon School · St John's School and Community College · St Laurence School · The Stonehenge School · Warminster Kingdown · Wootton Bassett School
Grammar Academy The Wellington Academy
Independent SeniorPreparatoryAvondale School · Prior Park · Salisbury Cathedral School · Warminster Preparatory School
Special Former Cranbourne Chase School · Fitzmaurice Grammar School · The George Ward Technology College · Kingwell Court Preparatory School · The Old Ride School · Hawtreys
Categories:- Sports Colleges in England
- Comprehensive schools in Wiltshire
- Devizes
- Educational institutions established in 1969
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