The St Augustine of Canterbury School (Taunton)
Encyclopedia
The St Augustine of Canterbury School was a joint Church of England
and Roman Catholic secondary school in Taunton
, Somerset
, England.
It was a specialist Science College
with 264 students between the ages of 11 and 16. The school closed in July 2010 and students merged into The Taunton Academy
. At the time of its closure it had the lowest GCSE
results in Somerset,
and the eighth lowest in England.
to consider a proposal for Priorswood Secondary Modern School to become a joint Roman Catholic and Anglican Church School. The proposal was to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Education and Science, Mark Carlisle
, in 1980 with recommendation that the school be established in 1981.
On 11 December 1981, after the £750,000 joint venture by the government and churches had been agreed, the new school, to be established in September 1982, had been named. The school was to be known as St. Augustine of Canterbury, Priorswood, after the Bishop of the same name sent by Pope St. Gregory I on a mission to England in 595AD. On 27 August 1982, the school was established as one of the first in England to support both Anglican and Catholic faith's jointly.
By 2009, St Augustine had 274 pupils on roll against its capacity of 610, was in the lowest band for deprivation with 21.2% of pupils receiving free school meal
s against the local authority average of 7.9%, had 38% of pupils achieving five or more GCSE qualifications including English and Mathematics against the local authority average of 46.7% and national average of 47%, and for three years between 2006 and 2009 had set deficit budgets of between 8% and 14%.
, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, had approved plans that would mean the closure of The St Augustine of Canterbury School.
The school was replaced in September 2010 by The Taunton Academy
, which took pupils from Ladymead as well as nearby Ladymead Community School
, which also closed. The new academy is utilising the premises of both schools.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and Roman Catholic secondary school in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England.
It was a specialist Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics...
with 264 students between the ages of 11 and 16. The school closed in July 2010 and students merged into The Taunton Academy
The Taunton Academy
The Taunton Academy is a school with academy status in Taunton, Somerset, England.The school was formed by the merger of The St Augustine of Canterbury School and Ladymead Community School. Its sponsors are Somerset County Council and the Diocese of Bath and Wells...
. At the time of its closure it had the lowest GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
results in Somerset,
and the eighth lowest in England.
Founding
The school was originally named Priorswood Secondary Modern School and opened on 28 May 1956 by the school's first headmaster, Arthur George Miller, with 258 children in attendance. When the school first opened no electric or gas supply was available, except to washing apparatus in the canteen kitchen. Heating was supplied by an oil fuelled boiler. The library, stage, gymnasium, domestic science, woodwork and metalwork rooms were incomplete and could not be used. However, the playground on the north side of the building was available for recreation. The facilities of the school were completed on 7 June 1956 allowing the school to function as normal.Church involvement
In October 1977, Father Lynch and Preb. Roland Clark of the Diocesan Schools Commission began discussions with the LEALocal Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
to consider a proposal for Priorswood Secondary Modern School to become a joint Roman Catholic and Anglican Church School. The proposal was to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Education and Science, Mark Carlisle
Mark Carlisle
Mark Carlisle, Baron Carlisle of Bucklow QC DL PC was a Conservative British politician and was Member of Parliament for Runcorn 1964-1983 and Warrington South 1983-1987...
, in 1980 with recommendation that the school be established in 1981.
On 11 December 1981, after the £750,000 joint venture by the government and churches had been agreed, the new school, to be established in September 1982, had been named. The school was to be known as St. Augustine of Canterbury, Priorswood, after the Bishop of the same name sent by Pope St. Gregory I on a mission to England in 595AD. On 27 August 1982, the school was established as one of the first in England to support both Anglican and Catholic faith's jointly.
By 2009, St Augustine had 274 pupils on roll against its capacity of 610, was in the lowest band for deprivation with 21.2% of pupils receiving free school meal
Free school meal
A Free School Meal, provided to a child or young person during a school break, is paid for by Government. For a child to qualify for a Free School Meal, their parent or carer must be receiving particular qualifying benefits as stated by Government...
s against the local authority average of 7.9%, had 38% of pupils achieving five or more GCSE qualifications including English and Mathematics against the local authority average of 46.7% and national average of 47%, and for three years between 2006 and 2009 had set deficit budgets of between 8% and 14%.
Closure
On 12 March 2009, it was announced that Jim KnightJim Knight
James Philip Knight, Baron Knight of Weymouth is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for South Dorset from 2001 until 2010, when he lost his seat. Knight held several ministerial posts during his time as an MP including Minister for the South West and Minister for...
, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, had approved plans that would mean the closure of The St Augustine of Canterbury School.
The school was replaced in September 2010 by The Taunton Academy
The Taunton Academy
The Taunton Academy is a school with academy status in Taunton, Somerset, England.The school was formed by the merger of The St Augustine of Canterbury School and Ladymead Community School. Its sponsors are Somerset County Council and the Diocese of Bath and Wells...
, which took pupils from Ladymead as well as nearby Ladymead Community School
Ladymead Community School
Ladymead Community School was located on Cheddon Road, Taunton, Somerset, England. It was a secondary school and Technology college for 753 students aged 11–16.The school closed in July 2010 and students transferred to The Taunton Academy....
, which also closed. The new academy is utilising the premises of both schools.