Theale Green Community School
Encyclopedia
Theale Green Community School is a 11-18 comprehensive school
in the village of Theale
, Berkshire
, England
. The school has dual-specialist college status
in performing arts
and science
.
The school has 1,401 pupils on roll, of which 200 are in the Sixth Form
.
and the University of Cambridge
. He had previously taught at Leeds Modern School
and Hulme Grammar School
, and been deputy head at Thomas Bennett Community College
in Crawley
.
Upon opening, the school was designed to provide education for 870 pupils. It was extensively expanded throughout the following decade, with the addition of the gym
nasium, music department, the sixth form area, and numerous classrooms.
A 1971 estimate predicted that the school roll would rise to 1,250 by the middle of the decade. In 1973, the school became a comprehensive
and was renamed Theale Green.
In 2010, a planning application was submitted to West Berkshire Council seeking permission to rebuild the sixth form complex.
In 2011, four students were expelled and ten others were suspended after smoking cannabis
during a ten-mile fundraising walk to raise money for new sports equipment and basketball court.
. There are four houses, which each have a Head of House, Pastoral Mentor, and a team of tutors. House prefect
s are appointed by the Head of House. The four houses are: Benyon Hunt Piper Scott
Benyon house is named after the Benyon family who own the nearby Englefield
estate and the land on which the school was originally built. The house's mascot is a lion.
Hunt house is named after John Hunt, Baron Hunt
(1910–1998), the leader of the 1953 British Everest Expedition. The house's mascot is a tiger
, which represents strength and determination.
Piper house is named after John Piper
(1903–1992) who donated a number of his prints
to the school. Piper was introduced to the school by Geoffrey Eastop
, whose wife was the head of the art department. The house's mascot is a dragon named Spike.
Scott house is named after either Robert Falcon Scott
(1868–1912) or Peter Scott
(1909–1989). The house's mascot is a duck.
There are many competitions between these four houses, including, rugby, football, netball, hockey, sports day, the governors cup and many many more.
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in the village of Theale
Theale, Berkshire
Theale is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. The village has many of the attributes of a small town, with a high street lined with shops, pubs and restaurants.- Location :...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, 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...
. The school has dual-specialist college status
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in performing arts
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 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, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
and science
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...
.
The school has 1,401 pupils on roll, of which 200 are 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,...
.
History
The school was founded as Theale Grammar School in 1963 by Ken J V Shield, a graduate of Northampton Grammar SchoolNorthampton School For Boys
Northampton School for Boys is a secondary school in Northampton, England.- Foundation and History :The school was originally founded in 1541 by mayor Thomas Chipsey, as the town's free boys grammar school. In 1557, the school moved to St. Gregory's church, which was adapted for its use...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He had previously taught at Leeds Modern School
Leeds Modern School
Leeds Modern School in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England was founded on 14 July 1845 by Mr S. Twist in Rossington Street as the Mathematical and Commercial School...
and Hulme Grammar School
Hulme Grammar School
Hulme Grammar School is an independent grammar school situated on and around Chamber Road, about three-quarters of a mile south of the centre of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, between Frederick Street and Windsor Road.-History:...
, and been deputy head at Thomas Bennett Community College
Thomas Bennett Community College
Thomas Bennett Community College is a maintained comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18. It caters to approximately 1500 pupils in Years 7 to 13, including nearly 200 in its sixth form. It now specialises as a mixed school.-History:...
in Crawley
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
.
Upon opening, the school was designed to provide education for 870 pupils. It was extensively expanded throughout the following decade, with the addition of the gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium, music department, the sixth form area, and numerous classrooms.
A 1971 estimate predicted that the school roll would rise to 1,250 by the middle of the decade. In 1973, the school became a comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
and was renamed Theale Green.
In 2010, a planning application was submitted to West Berkshire Council seeking permission to rebuild the sixth form complex.
In 2011, four students were expelled and ten others were suspended after smoking cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
during a ten-mile fundraising walk to raise money for new sports equipment and basketball court.
House system
The school operates a house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
. There are four houses, which each have a Head of House, Pastoral Mentor, and a team of tutors. House prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
s are appointed by the Head of House. The four houses are: Benyon Hunt Piper Scott
Benyon house is named after the Benyon family who own the nearby Englefield
Englefield
-Geography:In England:* Englefield, a village in the county of Berkshire, England.* Englefield Green, a village in the county of Surrey, England.In Wales:* Englefield, an alternative name for the Cantref of Tegeingl in north Wales.-People:...
estate and the land on which the school was originally built. The house's mascot is a lion.
Hunt house is named after John Hunt, Baron Hunt
John Hunt, Baron Hunt
Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
(1910–1998), the leader of the 1953 British Everest Expedition. The house's mascot is a tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, which represents strength and determination.
Piper house is named after John Piper
John Piper (artist)
John Egerton Christmas Piper, CH was a 20th-century English painter and printmaker. For much of his life he lived at Fawley Bottom in Buckinghamshire, near Henley-on-Thames.-Life:...
(1903–1992) who donated a number of his prints
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
to the school. Piper was introduced to the school by Geoffrey Eastop
Geoffrey Eastop
Geoffrey Eastop is an English potter.Eastop was born in London, where he studied at Goldsmiths' College. He also studied at the Academie Ranson, Paris....
, whose wife was the head of the art department. The house's mascot is a dragon named Spike.
Scott house is named after either Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
(1868–1912) or Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
(1909–1989). The house's mascot is a duck.
There are many competitions between these four houses, including, rugby, football, netball, hockey, sports day, the governors cup and many many more.