Chesterton Community College
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Chesterton Community College is a secondary school serving students ranging in age from 11 to 16, LEA maintained college with 1,000 pupils and 120 staff. The College is located near the heart of the city of Cambridge in the county of Cambridgeshire approximately 50 miles (80 km) north-northeast of London and was established in 1935 as two separate schools for boys and girls. In 1974, the schools were re-organised as a mixed Community Comprehensive College.
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[edit] Background
The College serves the needs of all students, from the most able child through to pupils with learning, emotional and behavioural problems.
Over 90 languages are spoken by Chesterton pupils and over 25% of pupils come from homes where English is not the first language.
The staff comprises over 50 teachers, 60 community tutors and 50 support staff. The College received the Investors in People Award in July 1999.
Exam performance has improved continually over the past four years.
The Community College is driven by two core aims:
- To provide a lifelong learning experience for all sections of the community
- To provide a broad-ranging and responsive education for those sections traditionally under-represented in education.
The College provides an extensive range of community education to the county, with over 3000 members of the local community using the site each week.
In summer 2005 Mark Patterson was appointed by Cambridge Local Education Authority (LEA) on the announcement that Beverly Jones would be leaving,
Since Mr Patterson's employment :-
- school exam GCSE pass rates for English, maths and science are up by over 64%
- over 20 classrooms redecorated
- a variety of new teaching / support staff
- on site doctors "school nurse" based in a new incentive via Mark Patterson and Lisa ling ( Acting
-head) and the school council, this incentive was part of council rep for year 11 - Alex Storey, Austria Kuraurtjs, ( 11.1 + 3 ) and Lisa and other headship team.
- a newly build sports centre !
School council -
The school council is an important responsibility to have at Chesterton community college. every year a student committee is selected purely by the students in a, democratic election,
5 students from each year group can be voted for and only 1 student from each year can represent the year on the school council.
For the first time in history of Chesterton community colleges student council dating back from 1978 their has been only one student in history to have been on the council for the whole 5 years of students times at Chesterton. That person is Alex Storey. since year 7 Alex has been on the council and has put forward many initiatives which has gone ahead.
Many of Alex's helps to the college are :-
Canteen food - changes to service providers from choices UK in 2003 to lunchbox UK in December 2004 other changes made by Alex were to the "ditch" used my regular smokers to have been decorated to a nice area to use in the summer by classes. also Alex has helped fundraising for the college. he has help to have non uniform days which have been quite fascinating!, for instance, Alex help to run a P'j's dress code where students would come in dressed in robes and slippers etc...
Alex has also raised money through own choice via sponsored runs for the college. Alex has made over £2000 for the college from 2003 - present "2008"
Also Alex is a well respected member of the college in which many have known to love him for who he is and the positive attitude he has for life. he inspires the uninspired and can really make a difference!
One big achievement recognised not only by chesterton community college but also investor in people , cambridge evnining news and cambridge county council was that in 2006 alex participated in the london marathon and raised over £800 after the tragic death of a close friend of alexs from chesterton
a quote from members of staff : " Alex should be proud of his achievements at chesterton, his time here he has inspired the uninspired and become the person
which is apart of this college today , alex as shown skill , dertermination and courage at everything thrown at him in the 5
years of which alex has been at this college. you will be greatly missed and we owe you respect for all the things you have done
to make chesterton community college - the college that it really is. thankyou"
Alex, and the rest of year 11 are nearing the end of his time at Chesterton community college. they have "proven fact" been the best year group Chesterton community college has ever had. also. Mark Patterson has stated along with ex head of year "Steve Baxter" Chesterton's current year 11's could be on track to achieving the best GCSE grades ever by a year group at Chesterton!
[edit] Teachers
Some teachers who have been nominated by students for their commitment to the college:
Mrs Sue Hunt who has been at the college for over 25 years and left late in 2007, dearly missed by all.
Also we owe great credit to Mrs Chris Nicol, who has worked at Chesterton for over 20 years and has been a teacher who anyone could approach for help and advice.
Also, sadly, we had to say goodbye to Mr Laurie, loved and respected teacher by all, tragically passed away after battling cancer. A Mini Cooper stating on the license plate Laurrie 1 and a plaque on the side of the DT block have been put in place as remembrance
Mr Steve Lesik - teacher of graphics and ex deputy head teacher left 2 years ago to run his own business. Mr Lesik was loved by many and an inspiration for all teachers. we wish Mr lesik and family and toby, the dog the very best !
We would also like to appraise Richard Oppong Konadou for his amazing sporting efforts. He holds many records at the college and has done trials in Birmingham for 2012 Olympics !
We give great praise to others including
- Rogan McGeorge - Dubi Ogbonna
GCSE IT students who went to the Microsoft trip also in 2007 current year 11 won the design a computer for the future idea and won £1000gbp for the college.
[edit] Awards
- Investors in people
- Technology colleges
- Sport England
- International school award
- University of Cambridge Partner School
[edit] Photos
http://www.cambridge2000.com/cambridge2000/html/0008/P8312294.html [Chesterton Community College: A and B wing: 1935]
http://www.cambridge2000.com/cambridge2000/html/0008/P8312295.html [Chesterton Community College: swimming pool: 1974]
http://www.cambridge2000.com/cambridge2000/html/0008/P8312293.html [Chesterton Community College: Newall Building: 1992]
http://www.cambridge2000.com/cambridge2000/html/addendum/P31217278.html [Chesterton Community College: Chesterton Sports Centre: 2004
[edit] Buildings
- The colleges' main building was built in 1935, when it was a separate girls and boys schools, it contained classrooms and the boys schools hall, library and offices and the girls school hall, library and offices. In the '60s, it received an enclosed indoor corridor, replacing the outdoor walkway. In 1992, the building changed further, the staff room was knocked through and made into two classrooms and enabled the corridor to run through the whole block, at the top end, the old girls school library provided a link to the new 1992 extension. A separate building was provided at the side for Physical Education, with separate boys and girls rooms and changing, this building now houses the schools fully equipped drama studios, the back playground also featured a large tall wall to separate the boys and girls schools, a reminder of this is the long filled in tarmac line in the playground.
- In the '60s, a small block opposite the main building opened, formerly known as the Rosla block, it provided accommodation for the more academically enabled pupils, as Chesterton was made for children who didn't pass their 11-plus tests, and thus didn't make it to grammar school. The 'Rosla' block now houses the schools' science department.
- In c1974, a large new extension was built, providing extra accommodation for the school, now having to cope with its new status as a mixed comprehensive, and the school leaving age rising to 16. The new buildings provided a gym, indoor pool and additional classrooms for art and pottery and other uses. New extensions were added also to the 1935 block, at the side of the two halls.
- In 1992 a new high-tech extension was built to provide the school with a new library, computer facilities, new classrooms, large new staff accommodation, and also to provide the school with a new clear, welcoming reception and entrance. It was named The Newall Building, after former and now retired principal A.B Newall, it was designed by Johns Partnership.
- In 1992, Johns Partnership designed the striking new music school at the rear of the site, which provided a main performance room, classroom and practice suites, the building was purpose built and was acoustically engineered. It featured a sundial on the front facade dedicated to a former mathematics teacher, Mr McConkney.
- Johns Partnership also designed an extension to the science block, which provided two additional fully equipped labs, and a staff area, the architects also re-masterplanned the front of the school, which was previously a grassed area, they transformed it into a car park, with planting, seating, lighting and paving, the 1992 extensions were much needed, to bring the tired school up to date.
- A new canteen was built sometime afterwards to replace the old prefabricated building, which was deemed unsafe and pulled down. The new canteen block provided cooking and catering areas as well as two new classrooms and the use of the Rex Freeman Hall as a dining hall, as the new building was built adjacent to it.
- In 2004, a massive new sports complex was built, it provided a large new sports hall, fitness suite, cafe, changing facilities, function area, floodlit tennis courts and reception area, as well as refurbishment of the existing swimming pool and gym, provided by the adjacent '70s buildings. The new sports centre is a great benefit to both the school and general public, who may also take advantage of the facilities here. The building was designed by Cambridgeshire County Council Design Team, and cost £2.9 million, the National Lottery, Cambridgeshire County Council and the school donated and raised money for the new building which opened on Thursday October 7th by sports personality and heptathlon athlete, Caroline Pearce.
