The Castle School
Encyclopedia
The Castle School is a mixed-sex secondary school for students aged 11–18 in Thornbury
South Gloucestershire
, England, which serves the town and the surrounding villages. Pupils from Bristol
also attend the school. There are around 1,750 pupils, including 360 in the sixth form
.
The main school site on Park Road has seen additions in recent years including the community sports centre, and the Octagon art gallery and classroom. The Gloucester Road buildings approximately half a mile away are primarily used as the sixth form centre, but also house the vocational faculty used by lower years.
Former headmaster Adrian Verwoert was awarded a CBE
for services to education in May 2004. Joining the school in 1980, he was appointed as head in 1988. He took early retirement for health reasons and was succeeded by Melanie Warnes in September 2004.
, a local preacher, built the original village school, a British School
, at Gillingstool. Some years later, because of overcrowding, a new infant school building was added adjacent to the original school. In 1952 the school was separated into infants, juniors and seniors and the latter formed the Thornbury County Secondary school. Prior to this it was an 'all-age' school taking pupils up to age thirteen, known as Thornbury Council School.
In 1962, during the headship of Mr Cliff J. Martin, plans were drawn up for a new building to house the expanding secondary school. Building work started the following year on Park Road, the site used as the school's playing field. In 1965, the building was opened under the new name of The Castle School, which reflected the school's new position adjacent to Thornbury Castle
, whilst keeping the same initials (TCS). The official opening ceremony took place in 1966, attended by the Duke of Beaufort
, Chancellor at the University of Bristol
at the time.
The county infant and junior schools at Gillingstool later formed the Leaze School, which is now known as Gillingstool Primary School.
The school became a comprehensive in 1972, the same year that Thornbury Grammar School moved from its site on Gloucester Road to new buildings in Alveston
(also becoming a comprehensive with the new name of Marlwood School
). The Castle School took over the Gloucester Road buildings which now form its Sixth Form Centre.
Wing Commander Jas Hawker, the Team Leader of the Royal Air Force
Red Arrows
display team, Matthew Kane (actor)
actor in the cut, Mako Vunipola
Rugby Union Player, were educated at The Castle School.
Thornbury
-Placenames:Australia*Thornbury, Victoria*Thornbury railway station, MelbourneCanada*Thornbury, OntarioEngland*Thornbury, Devon*Thornbury, Herefordshire*Thornbury, South Gloucestershire**Thornbury Castle*Thornbury, West YorkshireNew Zealand...
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, England, which serves the town and the surrounding villages. Pupils from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
also attend the school. There are around 1,750 pupils, including 360 in the sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
.
The main school site on Park Road has seen additions in recent years including the community sports centre, and the Octagon art gallery and classroom. The Gloucester Road buildings approximately half a mile away are primarily used as the sixth form centre, but also house the vocational faculty used by lower years.
Former headmaster Adrian Verwoert was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to education in May 2004. Joining the school in 1980, he was appointed as head in 1988. He took early retirement for health reasons and was succeeded by Melanie Warnes in September 2004.
History
In 1862, Handel CosshamHandel Cossham
Handel Cossham was a British colliery owner, lay preacher and Liberal politician who was active in local government and sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1890.- Early life:...
, a local preacher, built the original village school, a British School
British and Foreign School Society
The British and Foreign School Society offers charitable aid to educational projects in the UK and around the world by funding schools, other charities and educational bodies...
, at Gillingstool. Some years later, because of overcrowding, a new infant school building was added adjacent to the original school. In 1952 the school was separated into infants, juniors and seniors and the latter formed the Thornbury County Secondary school. Prior to this it was an 'all-age' school taking pupils up to age thirteen, known as Thornbury Council School.
In 1962, during the headship of Mr Cliff J. Martin, plans were drawn up for a new building to house the expanding secondary school. Building work started the following year on Park Road, the site used as the school's playing field. In 1965, the building was opened under the new name of The Castle School, which reflected the school's new position adjacent to Thornbury Castle
Thornbury Castle
Thornbury Castle is a castle in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, England. It was begun in 1511 as a home for Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham. It is not a true castle , but rather an early example of a Tudor country house, with minimal defensive attributes. It is now a grade I listed...
, whilst keeping the same initials (TCS). The official opening ceremony took place in 1966, attended by the Duke of Beaufort
Henry Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort
Henry Hugh Arthur FitzRoy Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort KG GCVO KStJ PC was a British peer, the son of Henry Somerset, 9th Duke of Beaufort....
, Chancellor at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
at the time.
The county infant and junior schools at Gillingstool later formed the Leaze School, which is now known as Gillingstool Primary School.
The school became a comprehensive in 1972, the same year that Thornbury Grammar School moved from its site on Gloucester Road to new buildings in Alveston
Alveston
Alveston is a commuter village of roughly 3000 people about south of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire and approximately north of Bristol, England. Alveston is twinned with Courville sur Eure, France. It has two hotels, a variety of small shops, several parks and fields, two churches and a...
(also becoming a comprehensive with the new name of Marlwood School
Marlwood School
Marlwood School is a comprehensive secondary school located in Alveston, South Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol, England.It is situated on the B3561 on the outskirts of the south-west of the village.-Grammar school:...
). The Castle School took over the Gloucester Road buildings which now form its Sixth Form Centre.
Wing Commander Jas Hawker, the Team Leader of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
display team, Matthew Kane (actor)
Matthew Kane (actor)
Matt Kane is a British actor, with USA dual citizenship.He was educated at The Castle School...
actor in the cut, Mako Vunipola
Mako Vunipola
Mako Vunipola is an English rugby union player. He plays at Prop for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership. In 2011 he left Bristol Rugby to join Saracens...
Rugby Union Player, were educated at The Castle School.