New Mills School & Sixth Form is a

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...

, situated in the town of New Mills, in the north west of Derbyshire.

Admissions

The school teaches pupils from Year 7 to Year 11. The school was given its title as Business and Enterprise College in 2005 and this status was renewed in 2009. The school's main feeder primary schools are New Mills, Newtown, St George's, Thornsett, Hayfield, Hague Bar and St Mary's.

History

Grammar school

The school was opened in 1912 as the New Mills Grammar School and celebrated its 100th birthday in 2012. It had around 500 boys and girls in the early 1960s, then 600 by 1964 and 700 by 1969, with a sixth form of 200. The school was designed by

George H. Widdows George H. Widdows (15 October 1871 – 11 February 1946) was an English architect who pioneered changes to school building design to enhance the health of school children. He was also responsible for the design of about 80 schools in Derbyshire ...

, the Chief Architect of

Derbyshire County Council Derbyshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire, England. It has 64 councillors representing 61 divisions, with three divisions having two members each. They are Glossop and Charlesworth, ...

, described as "a leading designer of schools in the early C20 and an exponent of advanced ideas on school planning and hygiene", and is a Grade II listed building.

Headteachers

* Norman Taylor (d.1962, had a distinguished war career) * Philip Vennis 1962–71 (died 1999; former deputy headteacher,

Ounsdale High School Wombourne High School (formerly Ounsdale High School) is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Wombourne, Staffordshire, England. It is situated on Ounsdale Road in the west of the village, and stands on an adjacent site ...

1955–62, Principal of

Itchen College Itchen Sixth Form College (also known as Itchen College) is a mixed sixth form college in Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1906 and was originally a mixed secondary school, it later became Itchen Grammar School un ...

1971–88) * Jesse Elms, resigned early 2014. * John Kuczaj, temporary headteacher for the rest of the 2013–14 school year. * Debbie McGloin, 2014–19, current headteacher of

Glossopdale School Glossopdale School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Hadfield, Derbyshire, England. History The school used to be the Glossop Grammar School from the 1920s, being on Talbot Road since 1959, becoming Glossop Comprehensive ...

. * Alison Barker and Caroline Jesson, 2019–21 (still in senior leadership positions). * Heather Watts, current head.

Subjects

There were 23 subjects at New Mills School, taught by 59 teachers in 8 different buildings and 50 rooms: rooms 5–18, Music 1–2, Language 1–4, Maths 1–6, Sixth Form 1–5, Drama 1–2, Art 1–3, the Gym, Workshop 1–2, Food 1–2, 8 Science labs and a construction centre. The school lost its sixth form, in spite of considerable local support, in 2017 and in 2019 it now is a 11–16 Comprehensive. The school is home to Take Part in the Art, a local arts scheme.

Notable former pupils

New Mills Grammar School

* Thomas Brimelow, Baron Brimelow CMG OBE, Ambassador to Poland from 1966–69 * Prof

Reginald Coates Professor Reginald "Rex" Charles Coates (28 June 1920 – 22 November 2004) was a British civil engineer, academic and the 114th president of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Early life Coates was born in New Mills, Derbyshire and was ed ...

, civil engineer * Lloyd Cole, singer * Sir Martin Doughty, chairman of Natural England from 2006, and of the Association of National Park Authorities from 1997–2001, and leader of Derbyshire County Council from 1992–2001 * Sir Brian Heap CBE, master of St Edmund's College, Cambridge from 1996–2004 *

Tony Marchington Anthony Frank Marchington (2 December 1955 – 16 October 2011) was an English biotechnology entrepreneur and businessman, famous as the co-founder of Oxford Molecular, and the former owner of the famous Class A3 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'' loco ...

, entrepreneur *

John Pilkington Hudson John Pilkington Hudson, (24 July 1910 – 6 December 2007) was an English horticultural scientist who did pioneer work on long-distance transportability of what became known as the kiwifruit. He was also a celebrated bomb disposal expert. Back ...

CBE GM, Professor of Horticultural Science at the University of Bristol and Director of the Long Ashton Research Station from 1967–75, and Professor of Horticulture from 1958–67 at the University of Nottingham * Roy Powell, jazz pianist

New Mills Secondary School

* Tess Daly, television presenter

References

External links

School website

History of the grammar school

EduBase
{{authority control New Mills Community schools in Derbyshire Secondary schools in Derbyshire Grade II listed buildings in Derbyshire Grade II listed educational buildings Educational institutions established in 1912 1912 establishments in England