St George's Academy

St George's Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school based in the English market town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, with a satellite school at nearby Ruskington.

Its origins date to 1908, when Sleaford Council School opened at Church Lane to meet the growing demand for elementary education in the town. After the Education Act 1944, the senior department became a secondary modern. A second school building was constructed at Westholme in the 1950s and expanded in 1983, allowing the Church Lane site to close; to mark the occasion, it was renamed St George's School. After it became grant-maintained, the school became a comprehensive, received a Technology specialism, became a Technology College in 1994 and later converted to Foundation status. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, new buildings were added to the site. Coteland's School in Ruskington federated with St George's in 2007; they merged to form the Academy in 2010. The conversion included a government grant of £20 million to carry out extensive building work on both sites, completed in 2012 at Sleaford and in 2015 at Ruskington.

The Sleaford school opened with a capacity for 600 pupils in 1908, but St George's had over 2,230 on roll across both sites in 2021, including the Sixth Form; the Ruskington site, with roughly 350 pupils, makes up a small proportion of the total. Pupils generally sit examinations for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or equivalent vocational qualifications in Year Eleven (aged 15–16), and they have a choice of three or four A-levels or vocational options in the sixth form, which is part of the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form consortium with the town's single-sex grammar schools. In 2019, the school received an "average" Progress 8 score; 31% of pupils achieved English and mathematics GCSEs at grade 5 or above, which was lower than the national figure. The average A-Level grade in 2019 was a C, slightly below the national figure; the government's progress score for the Sixth Form is "well below average". An Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspection in 2015 graded St George's Academy as "good" in every category. This rating was confirmed following a short inspection in 2019.

History

Elementary school

During most of the 19th century, schooling in England was provided either on a fee-paying basis or by the Church. To ensure that all children had access to elementary education, the Forster Act 1870 set up Local School Boards to provide elementary schools for all children aged 5 to 10. From 1880, schooling became compulsory for that age group. The Education Act 1902 consolidated these boards into local education authorities and allowed them to subsidise schools with money raised from local rate-payers. Alongside a grammar school for boys, a private school for girls and a mixed National School, Sleaford had four elementary schools in 1905: two Wesleyan (one was for infants), one Catholic and one other infants school. The construction of the Bass maltings (1901–06) and the Rauceby Asylum (1897–1902) led to an increase in the town's population and school inspectors found that the four schools could not accommodate every child in the town. The indebted Wesleyan schools could not afford any enlargements so the town's elementary school managers opted for Kesteven County Council to take responsibility under the 1902 Act. The Council built a schoolhouse on Church Lane at the cost of £11,500, which opened as ''Sleaford Council School'' on 4 May 1908. The staff and pupils at the Wesleyan schools were transferred there; its first headmaster was H. H. Godfrey, who had been master at the Wesleyan school.. Built with a capacity of 600 pupils, 280 were on roll when teaching commenced.

From the outset, the school was run as an elementary school with an infants' department. In 1918, the Fisher Act raised the school leaving age to 14 and many schools subsequently split into junior and senior departments; to accommodate senior children at Sleaford Council School, the County Council proposed formally introducing separate departments, one for infants and junior pupils (those aged below 10), and another for the remaining (senior) pupils. The Board of Education approved these plans in 1922. In 1935 the County Council reorganised schooling in Sleaford so that the Council School's senior department received all the town's children in elementary education aged over 10. The Board of Education sanctioned these changes on the condition that new classrooms be added to the Council school to accommodate Senior pupils and a new Infants' department be erected at the site. Financial setbacks and delays over the purchasing of land meant that the new Infants' school was not completed until 1939.

Secondary Modern and new site

The Education Act 1944 made secondary education available to all children up to the age of 15; a 'tripartite system' of secondary schools was established to provide curricula based on aptitude and ability: grammar schools for "academic" pupils, secondary moderns for practical studies, and technical schools for science and engineering. Pupils were allocated to them depending on their score in the eleven-plus examination. The Senior department at the Sleaford Council School became its own school in March 1945 and was designated a secondary modern. Earlier post-war plans had envisaged the Church Lane school being restricted to boys only and a separate secondary modern school for girls being built at Westholme, an area of parkland owned by the County Council (Kesteven and Sleaford High School would also be rebuilt there), but these proposals did not come to fruition. Instead, HORSA huts at the site were acquired for the still-mixed Sleaford Secondary Modern School; teaching took place there during the 1950s and new classrooms were added during the decade. In January 1956, many pupils were transferred to a new secondary modern school at nearby Ruskington, allowing pupils from other villages to come to Sleaford; previously they had been forced to stay in their village schools until they reached 14, and then spend the last year of study at Sleaford.

In 1957 the Secondary Education Sub-Committee of the County Council amended its earlier plans; it now proposed to build a new mixed secondary modern school at Westholme to replace the Church Lane school, which would become a further education college. It would be allocated over of the parkland at Westholme. By 1960, a new school building at Westholme had opened but the Church Lane premises were still being used: Sleaford Secondary Modern was now split between its old buildings there and the new ones at the Westholme site."Sleaford County Secondary School" (1960), B/W silent film on 16mm film (23 mins). Preserved at the Lincolnshire Film Archive
no. 495
For a short clip, see

Comprehensive debate

The educational opportunities for secondary modern pupils were limited compared to those at grammar schools, prompting criticism of the selection system; grammar schools and the eleven plus were also criticised for alienating working-class families.. A reluctance to improve secondary moderns or expand grammar schools under the Conservatives prompted the Labour Government to issue Circular 10/65 in 1965 which requested local education authorities convert to a comprehensive system. In 1971, Sleaford parents voted in favour of comprehensive education, but rejected the Council's proposals. New plans were unveiled in 1973: the High School and the Secondary Modern sites were to become mixed 11–16 schools and Carre's would become a sixth form college. Parents voted for the plans (1,199 to 628), albeit with a 50% turnout. The County Council approved them, but allowed governors a veto. Following negotiations with governors at Carre's, the scheme was revised in 1974 so that Carre's and the High School became 11–18 schools; the secondary modern would be closed, Westholme absorbed by the High School and the Church Lane site by Carre's.

Despite support from most staff and all three headteachers, the new Lincolnshire County Council voted to return the scheme for further consultation in January 1975, a move the ''Sleaford Standard'' called "politically motivated". Two of the leading opponents, councillors Eric Fairchild and Reg Brealey, were governors at the secondary modern and Brealey was a former pupil. The latter proposed a three-school system, arguing it offered more choice: the secondary modern would be consolidated at Westholme as a single-site 11–16 school; Carre's and the High School would operate Sixth Forms. Fairchild argued that this would be more popular and cheaper. After the Government ordered the Council to submit a comprehensive proposal in 1977, it voted to submit the three-school system, which had become popular with parents and was championed by Brealey, who had become chairman of the Governors. But, the Labour Education Secretary, Shirley Williams, dismissed the proposals in 1978 on grounds that the Sixth Forms would be too small. The council then voted against the two-school system again.

St George's: rebuilding, growth and specialist status

In the 1979 general election, a Conservative government came to power and the Council shifted focus towards retaining Grammar Schools where they still existed and improving schools where work had been put on hold during the comprehensive debate; despite 90% of English councils adopting comprehensive education, Lincolnshire had resisted. In 1979, the schools sub-committee recommended that the Westholme site be rebuilt. By December, the Council had approved the consolidation of the school at Westholme, but the catchment area was decreased to protect the smaller schools at Billingborough and Billinghay, causing controversy amongst parents in affected areas and governors at the school. A new building was constructed at Westholme between 1981 and 1983, allowing the Church Lane site to close in 1983−84. Reg Brealey donated £250,000 in 1982 towards the establishment of a languages centre, which opened in 1985. To commemorate the new buildings and the end of the dual-site format, the Board of Governors voted to adopt a new name: ''St George's School'', which came into effect from September 1984. A new badge, to be worn on pupil's blazers, was designed by pupil Stephen Robinson: it featured a gold sword atop a red dragon on a blue shield, bordered with gold, all above a scroll with the motto ''Loyalty''.

On New Years Day 1991, St George's became grant-maintained; later that year, it announced plans to convert to a comprehensive school; the status was granted the following February. In 1992, it was awarded Technology School status, which was accompanied by a Government grant of £500,000 and a gift of £250,000 made by Reg Brealey; these contributed to the construction of a Science and Technology building, which opened in 1994. Sponsored by Brealey, St George's was one of the first schools designated a Technology College (a specialist school) in England in February 1994, a status renewed in 1997. More extensions followed: an English building in 1994, a library with art and physics classrooms in 1997, a sports hall in 2001, and a science building in 2005. In 2000, the Technology College status was renewed for the second time and the school received the Schools Curriculum and Sportsmark awards and was recognised as the 10th most improved specialist school in the country. After the abolition of grant-maintained status in 1998, St George's converted to a Foundation School.

Federation, merger and conversion to an Academy

In 2002, Ofsted recommended that Lincolnshire County Council review schools with under 600 pupils. Two years later, the Council's education officers suggested that some of these schools merge, close or federate to make them more economical. One such school was Lafford High in Billinghay, which had been under-performing in GCSE and A-level league tables. St George's became federated with Lafford and another small village school, Aveland High in Billingborough in 2005 and 2006 respectively. A plan to merge them into an Academy was announced the following year; Coteland's School in Ruskington was allowed to opt-in. When David Veal retired as headteacher of Coteland's in 2007, the school joined the federation; with that, Paul Watson became executive head of all four schools. Despite improvements, the village schools were performing below the national average and Aveland was one of the lowest performing schools academically in Lincolnshire. The County Council began consulting parents in 2008 about closing Lafford due to falling numbers. Despite denials from Watson, parents complained that he had lost "passion" for the school and that St George's "cherry-picked" the most able pupils. After a heated meeting with them in 2008, Watson resigned as Principal at Lafford and the school closed in 2010.

The first Academy plans outlined a £24 million grant for rebuilding Aveland and refurbishing Lafford. Despite a delay in 2008, the scheme was revived the following year: the three remaining schools would merge and up to £40 million of funds were being considered to pay for the redevelopment of each site. The chairman of the governors, Graham Arnold, pledged to raise £2 million towards the scheme. A feasibility report indicated that Aveland was not sustainable due to falling enrolment and would have to close; instead the remaining two sites would be redeveloped with £20 million of Government funding. The scheme was approved and, on 4 January 2010, St George's combined with Coteland's and Aveland to become ''St George's Academy''.. As planned, September 2012 saw the Billingborough site close and the remaining pupils transfer to the other sites. The oldest part of the Sleaford site was demolished and main building and sixth form centre constructed in its place (opening in 2012), while new science and IT buildings were added and a new IT system rolled out; the original post-war buildings at the Ruskington site were pulled down and a new school built across two phases which were completed in 2015.

School structure

St George's Academy is a coeducational, non-selective secondary school and Sixth Form serving pupils aged between 11 and 18. It converted to an Academy on 1 January 2010 and is run by St George's Academy Trust. It is sponsored by the University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire County Council and Graham Arnold, who is the main sponsor. The school operates across two sites: one at Westholme, Sleaford, and the other in Ruskington, which approximately 350 pupils attended in 2016.. The school has a maximum capacity of 2,200 pupils; as of September 2021, there are 2,232 pupils on roll. 18.7% of these pupils receive free school meals.

As of 2019–20, St George's can admit up to 380 pupils annually.. It admits all those with Statements of Special Education Needs which name the school, followed (in order) by looked after children, children with siblings already at the school and then other children with priority given to those living closest to the school. Upon admission, pupils are allocated a mixed ability form, where they are registered, taught Life Skills and have access to pastoral support from their tutors. For most other lessons, pupils are set by ability.. Each year group has a progress manager with responsibility for the students in that year. Since the Education Act 2002, years 7, 8 and 9 have been grouped into Key Stage 3 and years 10 and 11 into Key Stage 4, which co-ordinates how the National Curriculum is taught. At St George's, a manager is assigned to each Key Stage for pastoral support.

Before the conversion to Academy status, the school uniform consisted of a navy-blue blazer with the school emblem sewn on, a white shirt, navy-blue tie and dark-grey trousers (girls could wear plain-blue skirts) for all pupils in years 7–10; year 11 pupils could wear a dark-blue jumper, shirt and grey trousers. Since 2010, girls no longer wear ties, and must wear a revere collar blouse. Dark-grey trousers or a pleated dark-grey skirt are available for girls to wear; boys have dark-grey trousers. All pupils wear a blue blazer, but those in Key Stage 3 have bright blue piping on their lapels; shirts are white until Year 11, when thin blue stripes are worn.

There is capacity for 450 pupils in the Sixth Form, including at least 50 people from outside the Academy (though more may be admitted if fewer people remain at the school after year 11). Along with Carre's Grammar School and Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy, St George's is part of the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form, which was founded in 1983. It provides a common timetable across both sites and allows for pupils to choose from A-Level options offered at either schools. Pupils may apply to be based at either school, where their pastoral and tutorial activities take place. Pupils are required meet minimum grade requirements for their subject choices and may have interviews to revise offers where appropriate. The Sixth Form has been based in the Arnold Centre since 2012. Sixth Formers are not required to wear school uniform, but must wear business-like attire, namely a lounge suit for boys, including a tie, and a business suit for girls, with either full-length trousers, or a knee-length skirt or dress.

Curriculum

Key Stages 3 and 4

The school follows the National Curriculum in years 7–11 and offers a range of GCSEs (national exams taken by pupils aged 14–16), A-Levels (national exams taken by pupils aged 16–18) and vocational equivalents.. The school has no affiliation with a particular religious denomination, but religious education is given throughout the school, and pupils may opt to take the subject as part of their GCSE course. Although morning assemblies take place and are Christian in nature, they are non-denominational; in some cases, local clergy attend as guest speakers.. Pupils participate in a number of educational visits throughout their school career and year 10 and year 12 pupils are offered the opportunity to participate in a work experience programme, which usually lasts for one week.

For Key Stage 3 pupils, the curriculum comprises English, mathematics, science, technology, a modern foreign language, art, music, computing, geography, history, religious education (RE), physical education (PE), and a life skills programme, incorporating citizenship, sex and relationships education and personal and social education. The school offers French, Spanish and German as foreign languages. The use of ICT is central to all teaching and is taught as a subject in Key Stage 3.

In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11), pupils study a core curriculum comprising English, mathematics, science, PE, RE and citizenship. They are required to take GCSEs in English language and English literature, mathematics and science; students can then select further courses from four option blocks, including one of either history or geography as well as a modern foreign language for those deemed capable of achieving the English Baccalaureate, a vocational subject completed in years 9 and 10, and an open option for any other subjects. Science courses are based on ability; pupils who progress at a high level may study for three separate science qualifications (GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics); all other pupils complete the Combined Science GCSE. As of 2019–20, the school offers other GCSE courses in art, craft and design; computing; electronics/product design; German; fine art; French; media studies; PE; RE and Spanish GCSE qualifications. Vocational courses are also offered at Level 2, including art and design, business studies, child care, construction, creative media production, early years education and care, health and social care, hospitality, music, PE, performing arts, public services, and travel and tourism.

Sixth Form

The Joint Sixth Form allows pupils to choose from over 60 vocational or academic subjects including: A-Levels in biology, chemistry, design engineering, English language and/or literature, French, history, geography, German fashion and textiles, law, government and politics, mathematics, further mathematics, media studies, philosophy, ethics and religions, physical education, physics, product design, psychology, sociology and Spanish; separate A-Level or BTEC/CTEC options in art and photography, business, computing, drama, performing arts and travel and tourism; BTEC options in applied science or forensics; and other diplomas or certificates in bricklaying, carpentry, childcare, early years practice, health and social care, hospitality, physical education, public or uniformed services, vehicle inspection and work skills.

Examinations and pupil destinations

The government's Progress 8 score measures how far pupils at the school progress academically between Key Stages 2 and 4 compared with pupils across the country with similar results to them. The score for St George's Academy in 2019 was "average" (-0.03, with a confidence interval between -0.17 and 0.1), meaning that pupils do about as well as those with similar previous attainment nationally. That year, 31% of pupils attained GCSEs in English and mathematics at grade 5 or higher (equivalent to a high C or low B in the old grading system); this compared with 43% nationally. Its Attainment 8 score (measuring how well pupils scored in eight subjects including English, mathematics, three English Baccalaureate subjects and three other approved subjects) was 44.7%, compared with 46.3% nationally. In 2019, 7% of pupils achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above, compared with 17% nationally. Owing to changes in the school league tables, it is not possible to compare this directly with cohorts before 2017; in 2013, 88% of pupils achieved five GCSEs at grade A*–C and 51% achieved that including English and Maths (key benchmarks at that time), the thirty-fourth highest percentage in the county (out of ninety-six).

Progress scores are also computed for A-Level students measuring their academic development between the end of Key Stage 4 and the completion of their A-Levels. In 2019, St George's received a progress score of -0.56 (confidence interval: -0.7 to -0.42), which was considered "well below average" and represented a fall from "below average" scores in 2018 and 2017. The average A-Level result was a C grade in 2019 (up from a C− in 2018), compared with a C+ grade nationally. The progress score for academic qualifications was "below average" in 2019 (-0.55) and the average grade a C; for applied general qualifications it was "average" (-0.15) and the average grade a Distinction-, higher than the national average of a Merit+. In technical qualifications, the Academy's average grade (Distinction+) was an entire grade above the national average; progress scores are not available. In 2013, the average point score per pupil was 660.4 and the average grade per entry was a D+. In that year, 50% of pupils had achieved at least three A-Levels at grades A*–E and 4% achieved at least three A-Levels at a minimum of AAB grades including at least two " facilitating subjects", though these measures are no longer included in school league tables.

Of pupils completing Key Stage 4 in 2017, 97% stayed in education or employment for at least two terms thereafter; this was slightly above the national figure (94%) and above St George's figures for 2013 leavers (90%). In the 2017 cohort, 89% stayed in education (52% at a school Sixth Form, 36% at further education colleges or institutions, and none at a Sixth Form college), slightly higher than the 2011 cohort (84%, with 45% carrying on to Sixth Form, 33% going into further education and 6% participating in an apprenticeship programme). Of year 13 leavers in 2018, 65% went into higher education, 5% in further education, 20% into employment and 10% into other activities; the figures in 2013 were 54%, 5%, 26% and 15% respectively.

Extracurricular activities

School clubs and societies include singing and drama clubs, chess club, sports clubs, film club and computer games club. A student council system is in place which acts as a forum between pupils and staff; elected representatives of each year group attend fortnightly, pupil-run meetings to discuss school policies with staff. On the Ruskington site, a pupil-run Interact Club, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sleaford and Kesteven, coordinates charitable and community work in the school. The school newspaper club produces an annual newsletter and the school takes part in the BBC
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