Our Lady's R.C. High School, Royton

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Our Lady's R.C. High School
Details
Location	Oldham
LEA	Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
Region	Greater Manchester
Founded	1961
Ofsted
Type	High School
Category	Catholic school
Reference
Students
Total	c. 1200
Age range	11–18
Gender	Mixed
Other
Motto	Mater Dei (Latin: Mother of God)
Website	www.ourladyshigh.oldham.sch.uk/

Our Lady's R.C. High School is a mixed gender Roman Catholic high school and sixth form for 11-18 year olds, located in Royton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.

The school is a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing, and currently contains over 70 members of staff and around 1,200 students. The sixth form college offers around twenty courses including psychology, sociology and further maths. The current head teacher is Mr. Whitaker who joined the school in 2003.

[edit] History

The school was founded in 1961 as a secondary modern school with 259 pupils. The first head teacher was Mr Eric Critchley. In 1979 further building took place for the school to become an 11-16 comprehensive school for 700 pupils. In 1985 the school's sixth form college opened converting the school into an 11-18 comprehensive school. The sixth form college then had only 11 students. In 1986 the school was reorganised as part of an Oldham Roman Catholic Schools' reorganisation prompting further building work and raising the school's capacity to 800 pupils. In 2005 the school became a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing.

Headteachers

• 1961- Mr Eric Critchley
• 1975- Mr Thomas Keogh
• 1992- Mr Joseph Hughes
• 1995- Mr Brenden McGowan
• 2003- Mr Roger Whitaker

[edit] Location and layout

Our Lady's R.C. high school tower block at Vaughan street

The school is located in a small town of Royton which is located near the town of Oldham just outside of Manchester. The school is located on "Vaughan Street" and the main road "Broadway" runs alongside the school.

The school is split into two parts: Vaughan street (colloquially known as "Vaughan" or "Upper") and Broadway (colloquially known as "Lower"). Separating the two buildings is a forest ditch, owned by the company "Money Controls Ltd" (Previous called "Coin Controls Ltd"), the playing fields, and the tennis courts. It takes approximately five minutes to walk between the two buildings.

The following areas are located at the Broadway site:

• The Broadway building
  • The Religious Education department
  • The Humanities department
  • The Broadway staff room
  • The Broadway offices

• The Sixth Form block
  • The English department
  • The Languages department
  • The Sociology department
  • The Psychology department
  • The Library
  • The Sixth Form common room
  • The computer access rooms
  • The Prefect common room

• The Physical Education block
  • The Physical Education Department
  • The Sports Hall
  • The Gym

The following areas are located at the Vaughan Street site:

• The Main school (The Tower Block)
  • The Mathematics department
  • The Drama department
  • The Music department
  • The Information Technology department
  • The main entrance to the school
  • The Vaughan/main offices
  • The Vaughan staff room
  • The school canteen
  • The school hall

• The Science Labs and Technology block
  • The Science department
  • The "prep" room
  • The Technology department
  • The Art department
  • The Learning Mentors room
  • The Curriculum Support rooms
  • The Technology department staff room

[edit] Staff

Senior members of staff at the school are:

• Mr. Whitaker - Headteacher
• Mrs. Conlon - Deputy Head
• Mrs. Spillane - Deputy Head
• Mr Robinson - Assistant Headteacher
• Mrs. Dodd - Assistant Headteacher

The heads of the various departments are:

• Mrs. Fallon / Mrs May - Head of English department
• Mr. Robinson - Head of Maths department
• Mrs. Dodd - Head of Science department
• Miss Finnerty - Head of Geography department
• Mr. Foley - Head of History department
• Mrs. Murphy - Head of Art department
• Mr. Harty - Head of Technology department
• Mr. Kinsella - Head of Information and Technology department
• Mrs. Hesketh - Head of Music department
• Mrs. Grajczonek - Head of Drama department
• Mr. Pearson - Head of Languages department
• Miss Rowan - Head of Religious Education department
• Mr. Noble - Head of Physical education department
• Mr. McDonagh - Head of Business Studies
• Mrs. McMahon - Head of Special Needs department and SENCO
• Miss. Clough - Head Learning Mentor
• Mrs. Ford - School Librarian

[edit] Form groups

The pupils in each year are divided into "form groups" for pastoral support. There are eight forms, but variation in pupil intake means that some year groups use only seven of the eight forms. The forms are named after Roman Catholic saints, and are listed below:

• Becket (after Saint Thomas Becket)
• Campion (after Saint Edmund Campion)
• Fisher (after Saint John Fisher)
• Line (after Saint Anne Line)
• More (after Saint Thomas More)
• Plessington (after Saint John Plessington)
• Southworth (after Saint John Southworth)
• Ward (after Saint Margaret Ward)

[edit] School day

The school day at Our Lady's R.C. High School begins at 9am and finishes at 3.15pm (or 3pm on a Friday).

The timetable for lessons at Our Lady's are arranged in fortnightly cycles, named "Week A" and "Week B".

Lessons are termed "periods" and are one hour long (with the exception of period 2, which is 65 minutes long) and there are five periods in a day. Break takes place for 15 minutes at 11:20am and there are two dinner intervals: one from 12:35 to 13:15 for year 7, 8 and sixth form students and one from 13:35 to 14:15 for year 9, 10 and 11 students.

[edit] Subjects

The school offers a broad range of subjects, with options available both at GCSE level and again at A-Level should a student continue on to the sixth form.

Physical Education - A compulsory subject in years 7-11. Until year 9, pupils have 3 sessions a fortnight of P.E, but in years 10 and 11, those not choosing it for GCSE have 2 lessons a fortnight. A Level P.E. is also taught.

Design & Technology: Resistant Materials, Food Technology, and Graphics. These 'technology' subjects are rotated in term cycles from years 7-9. At this point, students may "drop" them or choose one to study at GCSE. It can also be studied at A Level.

Information Technology - Compulsory subject from year 7 - 11. In years 10 and 11 students complete the Edexcel "DIDA" course.

English - A compulsory subject from year 7-11. In Sixth Form, English students can choose between English Language, English Literature or Combined Language and Literature.

Mathematics - A compulsory subject from year 7-11. All students are required to take GCSE Mathematics. Both A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics are offered to the sixth form.

Science - A compulsory subject from year 7-11. All students are required to take at least GCSE Single Award Science, and in years 10 and 11 it is taught separately in Physics, Chemistry and Biology to those who choose Separate Sciences. At A Level Physics, Chemistry and Biology can all be studied.

Geography - A compulsory subject from year 7-9. Geography can be taken as an option choice to study at GCSE and at A Level.

History - A compulsory subject from year 7-9. History can be studied at GCSE as an option and at A Level.

Music - A compulsory subject from year 7-9. There is an option of taking music at GCSE level as well as at A Level.

Drama - An unavailable option from year 7-9 but it can be taken as a GCSE option and in sixth form as an A level.

Business Studies - An unavailable option from year 7-9 but it can be taken as a GCSE option and an A Level option. The sixth form also provides other, non-A Level, business studies courses.

[edit] Ofsted

The Ofsted reports for the year of 2005 for "Our Lady's R.C high school" stated that:

Our Lady’s provides an education that has many sound features, but is an insufficiently effective school overall.

This school is underachieving. Pupils’ overall attainment is close to average by the end of Year 11.

2004 GCSE results at Our Lady’s were below average. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection with Teaching and learning being "satisfactory in Years 8-11 and good in Year 7". Attendance has also improved and is now "satisfactory".

The sixth form is good and students achieve well. In 2004, GCE A-level grade quality was average. The pass rate was exceptionally good: all students passed all the subjects they took at A2 level in Year 13. Where the individual A2 results could be compared with earlier GCSE performance, students made good (sometimes very good) progress in three-fifths of their subjects. Teaching is good – expert, suitably challenging and understandingly helpful. The sixth form is managed satisfactorily, but costs more than the income it receives.

Most pupils display good attitudes and behavior, although a “minority disturb classroom learning”. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The school’s Catholic ethos and Gospel values underpin all its work.
• Most sixth formers make good progress: in 2004, all candidates passed all their A-level subjects.
• The 2004 GCSE results were not high enough: overall progress from Year 7 was unsatisfactory.
• Attainment is above average by the end of Year 11 in English, art (normally), music and drama.
• Provision is unsatisfactory in mathematics, science, citizenship, design and technology, and information and communication technology (ICT).
• Teaching is very good in sixth-form mathematics, drama and most art.
• One in nine lessons was unsatisfactorily taught in Years 10-11.
• Statutory requirements are not met for ICT in Year 11.
• Leadership and management are satisfactory: they require a central focus on achievement.

Since its last inspection in 1998, the school has made steady, but insufficient, progress. It continues to offer a strong, Catholic ethos. Most pupils still display good attitudes and behavior. Its GCSE results, however, have declined a little. Advanced-level results in 2004 were a good achievement.

Teaching is about the same quality as it was in 1998. Attendance is better than it has been for several years.

The new management has improved attendance, morale, security and behavior. It has more to do on teaching, classroom attitudes, lesson punctuality and, above all, academic achievement.

The school has made some improvement on most of the major weaknesses identified in 1998, but has lacked urgency in doing so until recently. The school has many more computers, but subject usage is less than usual and the Year 11 ICT programme is inadequate.

Subject management is sharper, but does not evaluate performance well enough. The school's development plan is clear, but does not have pupils’ achievement at its heart. Learning resources are adequate, but toilet facilities remain poor. The sixth form is good, but still has many small, costly classes.

[edit] Facilities

The facilities at Our lady's school are comparable to schools with similar grade performance. It was noted in the Ofsted report that money has been invested in new computers.

As the school has grown, the two sites have been developed with new buildings. The quality of the physical structures ranges from the old ‘Vaughan street tower’ to the newer Sixth Form and English blocks. The Library and English departments have in recent years benefited from investment to provide new technologies to enhance teaching and learning techniques.

Amongst the school community, it has often been rumoured and suggested that the Vaughan Street area be demolished and replaced with a playing field.^{[citation needed]} New classrooms would then be built on the excess land at the "Lower" area.

[edit] Recent news

• In 2003, plans began to unfold of merging the school with St. Augustine's, another local Roman Catholic high school, to create what the press described as a "super school". In 2004, these plans halted as the Our Lady's governors were informed that if the schools were to merge, the sixth form college connected to the school would not remain. The school pulled out of the plans instead, choosing the sixth form college over expanding the school. In 2006 it was reported by the local paper that the school was now re-considering merging with St. Augustine's as it is now proposed that a sixth form college will be kept. The location of the new school is unknown as of yet.

• The school itself has also been the subject of many articles in the local newspaper. In 2004, after its Ofsted inspection, it was rumoured amongst the student community and the press that the school was on the verge of entering special measures; this never actually occurred, leading people to believe it was simply blown out of proportion by the media.^{[citation needed]}

• In 2005 and 2006, the local paper reported that the school was in debt. The paper described how the school was nearly £500,000 in debt and instead of declining, this debt was rising. In 2006, the press published another article on the school's debt, but this time a much lower sum of £36,000 was cited.

• Plans for the 2006 - 2007 year include a complete computer revamp, disposing of the original Apple systems and replacing them with PCs running Microsoft Windows. Since 2004, many classrooms have received new machines. The only Apple computers remaining are located in the two information technology rooms in the tower block.

• In 2006 it was announced that an end of year prom would be organised by the staff at the school for the Year 11 students due to their graduation from the school. The event took place on the 6th of July 2006 at the Smithills Coaching House and all students in year 11 were welcome for a fee of £20. This is the first time in many years that the school itself has organised an end of year prom for the students, as in the past these events have resorted in bad behaviour from students. By inforcing a strict alcohol ban and travel to and from the venue via a coach the staff managed to avoid any bad behaviour from students resulting in a trouble-free and memorable evening.

• In October 2006, the school hosted a concert as part of the Oxjam music festival; a group of sixth formers planned and organised the event, attended by almost 200 pupils. There were 8 acts altogether, including one featuring two teachers. Bands included lower school groups Blue Voltage, Made in Japan, Not the Majority and Flat Mountain, whilst the Sixth Form was represented by Princeton Review and Black Panther Party. The senior management deemed it to be a huge success and a great achievement by the Sixth Formers, and it is believed to have raised over £1,000 for Oxfam.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Our Lady's R.C high school, Royton official website
• The 2005 Ofsted inspection report for Our Lady's R.C high school, Royton (Requires Adobe Acrobat reader)