Chew Valley School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chew Valley School

Contact Information	Phone: (01275) 332 272 Fax: (01275) 332 625
Established	1958
Type	Secondary school
Head Teacher	Mark Mallet
Location	Chew Lane Chew Magna, Somerset England
Ages	11 to 18
Website	Chew Valley School

Chew Valley School is situated within the Chew Valley in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England.

It is the only secondary school in the area, providing further education to the many local primary schools and some pupils who live outside the catchment area in South Bristol.

The school has approximately 1150 pupils, including 200 in the Sixth Form. It is frequently oversubscribed.

1 History
2 Location
3 Performance
4 Performing arts
5 Sport
6 Quotes
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

The school was proposed in May 1955 in a public notice issued by Somerset County Council Education Committee, to eventually comply with the 1944 Education Act which had required secondary education for all, which had previously been provided by "all age primaries" in the area. The new school, which was originally called Chew Magna Secondary School, opened on 13 January 1958, although the official opening by Sir James Turner then president of the National Farmers Union was on 23 May.^[1]

In 2008 the school will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary.

[edit] Location

The school is situated 8 miles (13 km) south of Bristol between the villages of Chew Magna and Chew Stoke.

The school is located on a 30 acre (12 ha) site in open countryside overlooking the Chew Valley Lake.

[edit] Performance

Overall examination results are relatively good. (75% 5 A*-C at GCSE in 2005) and the vast majority of sixth formers go on to universities.

In the most recent Ofsted report, the school received a positive review.^[2]

[edit] Performing arts

The school has long had a proud tradition in the performing arts and became a Specialist school in the Performing Arts in 2003. Productions are put on each term, there is an annual dance festival, concerts and cabarets.

There were concerns raised, as reported in the local media, such as the Chew Valley Gazette, that the conversion to a specialist school was done for financial reasons above the benefit of pupils. More time is needed until such concerns can be confirmed or denied.

250 pupils are currently registered for peripatetic music lessons in the school.

[edit] Sport

After numerous years of poor sports facilities a lottery grant enabled the school to build a new gymnasium and an all-weather pitch for both school and community use. This grant followed a similar grant for Chew Valley Rugby Club. Improved sporting facilities have led to improved sporting achievement.

Many pupils represent their county as well as their school in a variety of sports.

The school won the Bristol Schools' Rugby Cup in 2005 and in 2006 won the U18 football Somerset Cup and the West of England Schools Sailing Association Trophy.The school also won the 2005 National Cheerleading championship.

[edit] Quotes

Current headteacher Mark Mallet describes the school as "a thriving comprehensive school serving the villages and communities of the Chew Valley – an area of outstanding natural beauty between Bristol and Bath."