Highfields School, Matlock

Highfields School is a coeducational secondary comprehensive school located in Matlock, Derbyshire. At the time of its September 2012 Ofsted inspection, the school had 1175[4] pupils (male and female) on roll aged 11–18, with 215 in the sixth form.[2] It is split across two sites in the town 1.8 miles apart.[1]

Highfields School
Address
Upper Lumsdale

Matlock
,
Derbyshire
,
DE4 5NA

England
Coordinates53°08′48″N 1°32′09″W
Information
TypeCommunity school
Motto"Be The Best You Can"[1]
Established1982
Local authorityDerbyshire
Department for Education URN112950 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherAndrew Marsh[1]
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 18[2]
Enrolment1337[2]
HousesAeris, Ignis, Terra & Aqua[3]
Colour(s)Uniform:[1]
Black & White  
Sports:[1]
Blue & White    
Websitehttp://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/

History
See also: Matlock, Derbyshire § Education History

Highfields was created in 1982 as a comprehensive school by the merger of Ernest Bailey's Grammar School and Charles White Secondary Modern School. The site of Charles White in Starkholmes became the 'lower site' of Highfields, while Bailey's was converted to the county council records offices. A new site was built to house the new 'upper site' at Lumsdale.[5]

David Marshall was headmaster from the school's founding in 1982 until he was replaced by Ian Dalrymple-Alford. Today, Marshall is remembered in the name of the Lumsdale site's David Marshall Sports Hall. Dalrymple-Alford left the school in January 2006, being replaced by Dr Ramsey Tetlow.[6]

The school was a specialist 'performing arts college' from 2005,[7] until the specialist schools programme was ended in 2010. The school retains an emphasis on its performing arts credentials.[1] Dr Tetlow in turn retired in 2011,[6] being replaced by Eddie Wilkes.[8] Due to retirement, Peter Cole & Ben Riggott became headteachers in 2016.[9] They were then succeeded by Andrew Marsh in 2018.[10][11]

The school has been criticised, amongst several other British schools, for making use of the Brain Gym 'mental exercise' programme, which claims that 'the brain is a muscle' and that a set of hand and leg movements and chest rubs can promote learning.[12] Commonly described as pseudoscience, physician Ben Goldacre has described the programme as 'ludicrous' while Teacher of the Year award-winner Philip Beadle described it as 'moonshine...you'd probably get as much benefit from taking a Brain Gym book and booting it around the room'.[13][14]

Uniform

School uniform consists of a black jumper with the school logo, plain black trousers or skirt and a white polo shirt with logo. Alternately, a full length shirt may be worn with a red tie with a school logo.[1]

Sixth form students have no set uniform but have to stick to a dress code defined as 'smart office wear'.[1]

The school PE kit includes navy blue shorts, royal blue knee-length socks and either a royal blue rugby shirt with reversible white strip or royal blue polo shirt.[1]

Sites
Panorama of lower site.

'Lower site' is situated at Starkholmes and is the site used by year 7 and 8 students.[15] The head of Starkholmes site is Karl Rodgers.[15] The building used to be the site of Charles White Secondary Modern School but was converted in 1982 (See history). The site underwent a £1.2m refurbishment in 2004.[16]

'Upper site' is situated at Lumsdale and it is used by years 9–11 and sixth form.[15] The site was built in 1982 especially for the new school.

Key staff
  • Mr Andrew Marsh – Headteacher[3]
  • Mr Peter Cole – Deputy Headteacher[1]
  • Mr Karl Rodgers – Associate Assistant Headteacher[1]
  • Mr Damian O'Reilly – Assistant Headteacher[1]
  • Mrs Hollinrake & Mrs Redhead – Heads of Year 7[1]
  • Mrs Alison Ruston – Head of Year 8 (2013–14)[1]
  • Mrs Jill Rickels – Head of Year 9 (2013–14)[1]
  • Mr Mike Basford – Head of Year 10 (2013–14)[1]
  • Mrs Nicola Gresswell – Head of Year 11 (2013–14)[1]
  • Mr Martin Flett – Director of Sixth Form[1]
  • Mrs Liz Cruise – Deputy Director of Sixth Form[3]
  • Mr M Hodkin – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator[1]
  • Mrs Jayne Allen – Sports Co-ordinator[17]

Ofsted inspections and performance

The school was inspected in full by Ofsted in 2006. This determined that the school was 'satisfactory... with some good features'.[18] This contrasts to the 1999 report which said 'On balance, the school has more strengths than weaknesses'.[19]

The history department was inspected in 2007. The subsequent report found the department to be 'outstanding' – achieving a grade 1.[20] Furthermore, Highfields was the third best-performing school in Derbyshire at A-level in 2007 according to BBC league tables[21] and the seventh best-performing at GCSE,[22] higher than their normal placings in these league tables.

In a February 2009 whole-school inspection, the school found to be 'satisfactory' (grade 3) – below its 'good' (grade 2) target – but with improvements since the last inspection.[23] It also noted the school's performance, citing that 'standards are above average'.[23]

Following a 2011 whole-school inspection, while still classing the school's sixth form as 'good' (grade 2), the school as a whole was determined to be 'inadequate' (grade 4)[24] and was given 'notice to improve'.[25] Despite Ofsted's criticisms, the school recorded its best-ever A-level results in August 2012, with a 99.6% pass rate and 60% of results at grade B or above.[26] The school also saw a 7% increase to 70% of students earning 5 A*-C grades at GCSE.[27] Subsequently, a September 2012 follow-up inspection found the school to have improved markedly, achieving a 'good' (grade 2) for the first time in over 6 years.[2]

Racism study

Highfields took part in a study in 2004 which was reported by the Department of Education. The interest arose from the school choosing to look at diversity despite its very low ethnic mix. A theatre group presented plays that centred on racism in towns like Matlock. The study led to collaborations with dissimilar schools in Derby that were funded by an interested company.[28]

Student protest

On 24 November 2010, Highfields students staged a demonstration as part of a nationwide student protest day against the government's scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance and decision to raise the cap on university tuition fees. Up to 300 students walked out of classes and marched, escorted by police, first to the Local Education Authority headquarters at County Hall and then onto Matlock town centre[29]

Sports Leadership Academy

The school's Physical Education department was presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service – the equivalent to an MBE for organisations – in June 2010 by HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, accompanied by Olympic badminton player Donna Kellogg, for its 'Sports Leadership Academy', co-ordinated by Jayne Allen.[17][30] Sports Leaders UK later announced the school's academy was to be the first ever academy to reach 'World Leader' status for leadership and voulenteering.[31]

Olympic torch

The school was visited by the Olympic torch relay in June 2012, the school forming the relay's 'lunch stop' as it traveled through Derbyshire.[32] A commemorative stone at the school marks the occasion.[33]

One student, Sarah Needham, a member of the school's Sports Leadership Academy, carried the torch later that day in Derby,[34] whilst Jayne Allen, the academy's co-ordinator, was later honoured with carrying the Paralympic torch.[31] George Marriott also carried the torch in Chesterfield

Notable alumni

References
  1. 2014–15 Prospectus Archived 15 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  2. September 2012 Ofsted report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  3. A guide to Highfield School
  4. [email protected], Ofsted Communications Team (28 December 2018). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  5. Matlock's Schools in Earlier Times. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  6. Highfields’ head to retire. Matlock Mercury. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  7. Highfields School gets performing arts status. Matlock Mercury. 6 July 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  8. New head plans for bright future. Matlock Mercury. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  9. "Highfields School". www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  10. "Highfields School". www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  11. http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/pdfs/LetterPDFs/HeadteacherAppointment.pdf
  12. "Making the most of revision". Highfields School. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  13. Goldacre, Ben. "Children don't need Brain Gym to spot nonsense". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  14. Beadle, Philip. "Keep your pupils stretched and watered". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  15. 2010–11 Staff Handbook. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  16. £1.2 million for school facilities. Matlock Mercury. 30 June 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  17. Highfields Sports Leadership Academy receives The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Archived 20 April 2013 at Archive.today Derbyshire Sport. June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  18. 2006 Ofsted report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  19. 1999 Ofsted report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  20. 2007 Ofsted report (History department). Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  21. A-Level Results, BBC (2007). Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  22. GCSE Results, BBC (2007). Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  23. 2009 Ofsted report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  24. 2011 Ofsted report. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  25. 2011 Ofsted Notice to Improve. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  26. UPDATED: Schools reveal A-level results records have been smashed. This Is Derbyshire. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  27. Top marks for Highfields GCSE students. Matlock Mercury. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  28. Here, There and Everywhere: Belonging, Identity and Equality in Schools, by Robin Richardson, p6. Retrieved 25 February 2008
  29. Highfields School students walk out in fees protest. BBC News: Derbyshire. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  30. Queen praises youth coaches. Matlock Mercury. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  31. A dream come true for Jayne thanks to Sainsbury’s customers. Matlock Mercury. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  32. School at the heart of Olympic Torch route. Matlock Mercury. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  33. Memories of Olympic torch visit to be made permanent with markers. This Is Derbyshire. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  34. 'I screamed for hours when I heard I'd been picked to carry flame'. This Is Derbyshire. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  35. How Isy made her mark in the tough world of comedy Archived 20 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Derby Telegraph. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  36. Ben's finally bringing it on Archived 20 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Derby Telegraph. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  37. Q and A: Funk-crazed collective Pest talk chocolate, big yachts and making a filthy racket Archived 20 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. East London and West Essex Guardian Series. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  38. Naughty Boy. The Independent. 5 November 1995. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
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