Ashdown Technology College
Encyclopedia
Ashdown Technology College is a secondary school
in Poole
, Dorset
, England
. It is a fusion of two previous schools, Ashley Cross Girls School and Seldown Boys School. It was opened on July 7, 1989. The headteacher is Mrs. L. Jones.
, Poole
, Dorset
. The new secondary school would be the result of two closing schools, Seldown Boys School and Ashley Cross Girls School, fusing together. The name Ashdown is a combination of the school's names.
During construction, a time capsule
was placed somewhere within the brick walls, the capsule being removed from it previous location from within Seldown Boys. Fifty Ash Tree
s were planted around the border of the school's field, to represent the school's new name. However, deliberately started fires have destroyed some the trees, the most recent happening in 2003. A collage
was made from drawings of the original two schools, that hangs in the entrance of the school.
On July 7, 1989, the new Ashdown School was opened by Princess Margaret and headteacher Mrs. Mollie Snell. Six hundred students attended the opening of the school.
The School is having a £15 Million Upgrade which the Project will Begin July 2011 and will finish within in the Next 2 Years
. The school also celebrated its first Sports Day
on the school's field and running track; this became a yearly tradition for the school. New ICT facilities were also opened.
In 1991, the school performed its first Christmas pantomime, "The Magic Sword", directed by then-head of drama, Mrs. J. Williams. School shows eventually disappeared from the yearly events, as did Drama. The school previously had a newspaper named the Ashdown Echo (a parody of the Echo newspaper), but it eventually ceased. The first Year 11 Prom was held. The School Council was created, to help improve the school's conditions.
In 1995, the Charter Mark Award was given to Ashdown for Excellence in Public Service.
On October 7, Two arsonists set the school on fire at 2:00 a.m. and burnt down part of the school, destroying the music room. The school was closed for a week as police,teachers and Site Manager along with Council staff examined damage to the school. A new area was constructed in 1999, with a new music room and five new classrooms that would become Maths rooms. The school received a second Charter Mark Award in 1998.
In 2005 Ashdown was recognised by the Specialist Schools Trust as one of the "Most Improved" and "Best Added Value" Schools in the country. The DfEs also designated Ashdown as a High Performing Specialist School. Near the end of the school term, Ashdown said goodbye to its Deputy Head, Mrs. Sleat, who retires after 42 years of teaching. New Deputy Head, Mr. Wood, joins the staff.
In 2006 Ashdown was redesignated as a Technology College with Vocational Learning added to its specialisms. A Sixth Form was introduced. Headteacher, Mr. Pellegrini departed. In 2007 he has been replaced by Mrs. Jones. The new term that began in September, 2007, introduced a new school uniform to the school, replacing the school sweatshirts with jumpers and a blue polo shirt both with the school logo on it. Also bringing in the new P.E uniform which is red polo top with school logo and shorts or tracksuit bottoms with school logo on it. Parts of the school were refurbished in 2008, including heavy reconstruction to Ashdown Gym.
, French
, Spanish
, History
, Geography
and Religious Education
.
The school includes includes three art rooms, one of which is a small house-like structure on the grounds of the school called the Art Bungalow; five ICT facilities, one of which is also used to teach Business Studies
; six rooms for Design Technology
, each focusing on different areas of DT (e.g. Graphic Products, Resistant Materials, CADCAM and Food Technology); six science laboratories; a large Drama Hall used for assemblies; a studio used for dancing and also doubles as part of the cafeteria
; a Learning Support Centre; a large music room; and a library for research purposes.
Ashdown Leisure Centre is a large sports hall, and also a gym. Outside is a tennis court and a pair of squash courts that are being rebuilt into a dance studio. The school grounds have several mobile classrooms. A large field covers the back of the school, which is shared with Haymoor Middle School. There is also a large running track, an astroturf
field used for hockey and football, and an athletics area in the back of the track used on Sports Day.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a fusion of two previous schools, Ashley Cross Girls School and Seldown Boys School. It was opened on July 7, 1989. The headteacher is Mrs. L. Jones.
Construction and opening
The construction of Ashdown School began in 1986 in a large field in Canford HeathCanford Heath
Canford Heath is a suburb and area of heathland in Poole, Dorset with a population of just under 14,500.-Geography:Canford Heath has also given its name to a housing development built on the heathland during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s...
, Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The new secondary school would be the result of two closing schools, Seldown Boys School and Ashley Cross Girls School, fusing together. The name Ashdown is a combination of the school's names.
During construction, a time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
was placed somewhere within the brick walls, the capsule being removed from it previous location from within Seldown Boys. Fifty Ash Tree
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
s were planted around the border of the school's field, to represent the school's new name. However, deliberately started fires have destroyed some the trees, the most recent happening in 2003. A collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
was made from drawings of the original two schools, that hangs in the entrance of the school.
On July 7, 1989, the new Ashdown School was opened by Princess Margaret and headteacher Mrs. Mollie Snell. Six hundred students attended the opening of the school.
The School is having a £15 Million Upgrade which the Project will Begin July 2011 and will finish within in the Next 2 Years
Events in 1990-1999
In 1990, Mrs. Snell retired from her post as headteacher and passed it on to Mr. Ashley Pellegrini, who had previously taught in a comprehensive school in MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. The school also celebrated its first Sports Day
Sports day
Sports days, sometimes referred to as Field Day, are events staged by many schools and offices in which people take part in competitive sporting activities, often with the aim of winning trophies or prizes...
on the school's field and running track; this became a yearly tradition for the school. New ICT facilities were also opened.
In 1991, the school performed its first Christmas pantomime, "The Magic Sword", directed by then-head of drama, Mrs. J. Williams. School shows eventually disappeared from the yearly events, as did Drama. The school previously had a newspaper named the Ashdown Echo (a parody of the Echo newspaper), but it eventually ceased. The first Year 11 Prom was held. The School Council was created, to help improve the school's conditions.
In 1995, the Charter Mark Award was given to Ashdown for Excellence in Public Service.
On October 7, Two arsonists set the school on fire at 2:00 a.m. and burnt down part of the school, destroying the music room. The school was closed for a week as police,teachers and Site Manager along with Council staff examined damage to the school. A new area was constructed in 1999, with a new music room and five new classrooms that would become Maths rooms. The school received a second Charter Mark Award in 1998.
Year 2000 to the present
In 2000, the school was presented a DfES School Improvement Award. In 2001, under the DfES; Specialist Schools programme, Ashdown became a Technology College and changed its name to Ashdown Technology College. New technology is added in several classrooms, including interactive whiteboards.In 2005 Ashdown was recognised by the Specialist Schools Trust as one of the "Most Improved" and "Best Added Value" Schools in the country. The DfEs also designated Ashdown as a High Performing Specialist School. Near the end of the school term, Ashdown said goodbye to its Deputy Head, Mrs. Sleat, who retires after 42 years of teaching. New Deputy Head, Mr. Wood, joins the staff.
In 2006 Ashdown was redesignated as a Technology College with Vocational Learning added to its specialisms. A Sixth Form was introduced. Headteacher, Mr. Pellegrini departed. In 2007 he has been replaced by Mrs. Jones. The new term that began in September, 2007, introduced a new school uniform to the school, replacing the school sweatshirts with jumpers and a blue polo shirt both with the school logo on it. Also bringing in the new P.E uniform which is red polo top with school logo and shorts or tracksuit bottoms with school logo on it. Parts of the school were refurbished in 2008, including heavy reconstruction to Ashdown Gym.
School's facilities
Ashdown Technology College is primarily one large building. The reception area and main hallway is the entrance to the school. There are twenty-one main classrooms, teaching subjects including Maths, EnglishEnglish studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and Religious Education
Religious Education
Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a...
.
The school includes includes three art rooms, one of which is a small house-like structure on the grounds of the school called the Art Bungalow; five ICT facilities, one of which is also used to teach Business Studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
; six rooms for Design Technology
Design Technology
Design and Technology is a school subject offered at all levels of primary and secondary school. In some countries such as England it is a part of the National Curriculum. It is offered in many countries around the world such as Brunei, Bermuda, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Jordan...
, each focusing on different areas of DT (e.g. Graphic Products, Resistant Materials, CADCAM and Food Technology); six science laboratories; a large Drama Hall used for assemblies; a studio used for dancing and also doubles as part of the cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
; a Learning Support Centre; a large music room; and a library for research purposes.
Ashdown Leisure Centre is a large sports hall, and also a gym. Outside is a tennis court and a pair of squash courts that are being rebuilt into a dance studio. The school grounds have several mobile classrooms. A large field covers the back of the school, which is shared with Haymoor Middle School. There is also a large running track, an astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
field used for hockey and football, and an athletics area in the back of the track used on Sports Day.