King Arthur's School

King Arthur's School is a smaller than average secondary school in Wincanton, Somerset, England. It had 350 students between the ages of 11 and 16 in 2017.[1] Before April 2019 it was called King Arthur's Community School.

King Arthur's School
Address
West Hill

Wincanton
,
Somerset
,
BA9 9BX

England
Coordinates51.0564°N 2.4218°W / 51.0564; -2.4218
Information
TypeAcademy
Established1958 (1958)
Local authoritySomerset County Council
TrustSherborne Area Schools’ Trust (SAST)
Department for Education URN147016 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadJen Jacklin
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 16
Enrolment350[1]
Websitewww.kingarthurs.org.uk

Description

The campus includes the Wincanton Community Sports Centre and West Hill Nursery. The logo is linked to the Arthurian story of Excalibur, which is also the name of the school magazine.

In 2017 the community school was rated as inadequate by Ofsted.[2] At the end of 2017 the head teacher left amid speculation about a merger with Ansford Academy.[3]

The school was assisted to restructure by staff from The Gryphon School Sherborne, and in April 2019 formally joined the Sherbourne Area Schools' Trust (SAST).[4] SAST was established in June 2017 with seven schools serving the west and north Dorset area, as well as students from south Somerset.[4]

Academics

The school had been criticised for its poor performanace: its poor , “ineffective” governance, and lack of support for children with special educational needs. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve had been too low. To change this the SMT is working with SAST, and has in place new procedures.[4]

Secondary education in the United Kingdom is compulsory until the age of 16. It is divided into to two key stages of 3 and 2 years, or 2 and 3. Students must study the National Curriculum. In King Arthurs School, Key Stage 3 lasts three years, Year 7, 8, 9.[5] SAST encourages the EBacc qualification: Core subjects are English and Maths, EBacc subjects are Science, Geography, History or French. Creative Subjects, Art, PE etc make up the rest of timetable.[5]

In Key Stage 4, that is years 10 and 11 this continues, but with a different time emphasis. The Core remains the same, and the language drops from being compulsory to being one of a wider pool of options. [5]

Notable alumni

Alumni include Professor Sir Robert Burgess, formerly Vice Chancellor of Leicester University;[6] and Lieutenant Colonel Lucy Giles, the first female Commander at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[7]

References
  1. "2015 Inspection Report" (PDF). Ofsted. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. "King Arthur's Community School Inspection Report November 2017" (PDF). Ofsted. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  3. Somper, James. "The headteacher of this school in Somerset has stepped down suddenly". Somerset Live. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. Watkins, Susie; Joyce, Tommy (5 April 2019). "Wincanton school joins new trust after inadequate Ofsted rating". somersetlive. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  5. "Curriculum | King Arthur's School, Wincanton". www.kingarthurs.org.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  6. Harrison, Emma. "King Arthur's Students Inspired by Ex-Pupil Prof. Sir Robert Burgess". Wincanton Window. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. "School Magazine December 2016" (PDF). King Arthurs School. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
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