Skerton Community High School
Encyclopedia
Skerton Community High School is a secondary school in Skerton
, Lancaster
, England.
, with clean-cut lines and architectural relief being provided through the geometric shapes.
The original facade of the building still exists, though with some notable exceptions; it appears that alterations were later made to the original architectural design, (the assembly hall, for example, was originally planned as being in the central position, but it was later decided to build the hall towards the rear). A hand-drawn set of plans, beautifully finished with watercolours, can be seen in the main entrance, just by reception.
What is now the main corridor was once an open verandah
, with doors lining the inner walls of the classroom which could be opened out onto the verandah to release pupils from their lessons and let in fresh air during hot weather. The verandah has since disappeared, to be replaced by a closed corridor which runs the length of the building.
There were originally two quadrangle
s, the northern one being for the boys and the southern one for the girls. These have been encroached upon in subsequent years; the northern quadrangle being halved in size by the construction of a new sports hall in the early 1990s. The southern quadrangle has remained more or less intact.
In 2007, Skerton was named as the highest-achieving, non-selective state school in Lancaster.
In June 2007, it was revealed that the school was to be closed, as part of a state modernisation programme. The proposal was to create an Academy
out of three existing schools; Central Lancaster High School, Skerton Community High and Hornby.
The proposal has collapsed and it was decided to keep Skerton High open.
Skerton
- Origin of the name :The history of Skerton begins in Saxon times, a village having existed on the North bank of the River Lune since time immemorial...
, Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
, England.
Foundation
Skerton Community High School was built by the Corporation of Lancaster in the early years of the 1930s, the foundation stone being laid on the 21st September 1932 and the building itself completed by 1934, the year that the school opened. Originally, it was a provider of education to both boys and girls, whom were segregated; the boys being educated in the northern wing, while the girls were educated in the Southern wing. The latter presided over by a headmistress and the former, by a headmaster.Architecture
The school was built in an E-shape, the majority of the classrooms being on the one corridor. The style is Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, with clean-cut lines and architectural relief being provided through the geometric shapes.
The original facade of the building still exists, though with some notable exceptions; it appears that alterations were later made to the original architectural design, (the assembly hall, for example, was originally planned as being in the central position, but it was later decided to build the hall towards the rear). A hand-drawn set of plans, beautifully finished with watercolours, can be seen in the main entrance, just by reception.
What is now the main corridor was once an open verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
, with doors lining the inner walls of the classroom which could be opened out onto the verandah to release pupils from their lessons and let in fresh air during hot weather. The verandah has since disappeared, to be replaced by a closed corridor which runs the length of the building.
There were originally two quadrangle
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
s, the northern one being for the boys and the southern one for the girls. These have been encroached upon in subsequent years; the northern quadrangle being halved in size by the construction of a new sports hall in the early 1990s. The southern quadrangle has remained more or less intact.
Place in modern Lancaster
In 2003 the school was placed in 'special measures' having failed an OFSTED inspection.In 2007, Skerton was named as the highest-achieving, non-selective state school in Lancaster.
In June 2007, it was revealed that the school was to be closed, as part of a state modernisation programme. The proposal was to create an Academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
out of three existing schools; Central Lancaster High School, Skerton Community High and Hornby.
The proposal has collapsed and it was decided to keep Skerton High open.
External links
- http://www.skertonhigh.lancsngfl.ac.uk School website.
- http://www.lakelandecho.co.uk/34/Pupils-delighted-at-Skerton-High.3720789.jp- Newspaper article on Skerton's survival.
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/888_4005.stm- BBC League tables