The Hurst School

The Hurst School, previously The Hurst Community College, is a state secondary school in the village of Baughurst, within the county of Hampshire in England. Jayne McLaren is the Headteacher and was appointed in January 2021. The school has just under 1,000 students. It has a strong ethos and is driven by its values of ambition, commitment, respect, excellence and community.

The Hurst School
Address
Brimpton Road, Baughurst

Tadley
,
Hampshire
,
RG26 5NL

England
Coordinates51.3578°N 1.1742°W / 51.3578; -1.1742
Information
TypeCommunity School
MottoAmbition Commitment Excellence Respect Community
Established1957
Local authorityHampshire
Department for Education URN116422 Tables
OfstedReports
Head teacherJayne McLaren
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 16
Enrollment975 (2021)
Websitewww.thehurst.school
Last updated: September 13, 2021

The school provides secondary education for boys and girls aged from 11 to 16. It is categorized as a community school and is run wholly by the local education authority (LEA).

The school prides itself on its friendliness and the good relationships between staff and pupils. The school works with its feeder schools to support children transitioning from primary school to The Hurst. Though the school does not provide higher education through sixth-form - in line with other Hampshire schools - it has excellent links with both the Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) and Queen Mary's College (QMC), where the majority of pupils continue education after the age of 16.[1]

Pupils come from a catchment area which includes the nearby town of Tadley and the villages of Silchester, Bramley, Sherborne St John and Pamber Heath.[1]

Curriculum

The school teaches a variety of subjects which are examined at GCSE level or through BTEC awards. Pupils follow the National Curriculum.[1]

House system

The school previously operated a house system. There were 4 houses, which were named after famous ships; Victory, Endeavour, Challenger, and Invincible. The houses were retired in 2021 in favour of year groupings.

Performance

The most recent OFSTED inspection took place in 2019. This was a short inspection where the school was judged to be 'Good'. The full inspection in May 2015 also judged the school as 'Good'. Feedback from the 2019 inspection included the following comments; Pupils are well behaved, confident and articulate. They explain their views thoughtfully and clearly. They are proud of the active role that they are encouraged to play in shaping the school community.” “The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. These arrangements combine to create a culture of safeguarding throughout the school.”

OFSTED previously inspected the school in May 2001. They concluded that the school was "a very good school with some excellent features", which had improved significantly since the previous inspection in 1997.

Alumni

Controversy

Recently the school has come under criticism from students and parents due to its new policy on mobile phones. The new policy requires all students to put mobile communication devices inside a Yonder pouch so they cannot be accessed during the school day. This has been disputed by students who say that it is "unnecessary" and it "takes away our freedom". In response the school said that "phones were a distraction from education and socializing" and that "they damage pupils mental health". Having had time to implement the scheme, the school reports that whilst it has taken time for the students to get used to the change, the feedback from parents and students has been good and teachers have seen a renewed focus in lessons and an increase in interaction between students and break and lunchtimes.

References
  1. "About the Hurst Community School" (PDF). The Hurst Community College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2005. Retrieved 13 May 2006.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.