Oaklands Community School

Oaklands Community School was a mixed comprehensive school in west Southampton, Hampshire, in the south of England. The school served the Lordshill community from 1983 to 2008 for 11 to 16-year-olds. In its later years during 2005 and 2008 it became a specialist Arts College.

Oaklands Community School
Address
Fairisle Road

,
Information
TypeSecondary
MottoAchieve What We Want
EstablishedSeptember 1982
ClosedAugust 2008 (demolished 2013/2014)
Local authoritySouthampton
Department for Education URN116464 Tables
OfstedReports
Head teacherMrs Sarah Howelles[1]
GenderMixed
Age11 to 16
Websitehttps://web.archive.org/web/20070621134152/http://www.oaklands.southampton.sch.uk:80/

The most recent Ofsted inspection was 27 September 2004, when the school was praised, the introduction to the report reading "Oaklands Community School is a very good school. Its exceptional egalitarian ethos ensures that all students are treated with care, respect and encouragement. Very strong leadership, a commitment to equality of opportunity, improvement and raised standards combined with a good quality of education for all students result in a school which provides good value for money."[2][3]

According to the Department of Education performance tables, the school obtained the fourth-highest CVA score in the city. This is a new, complex Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 contextual value added (CVA) score designed to show the progress children have made. This is done by comparing their achievements with those of other pupils nationally who had the same or similar prior attainment in their test results at age 10 or 11 in 2001.[4]

History

The school was built on a seven-acre site, with a mixture of English tithe barn, with strong Japanese influences. The original cost in 1980 was thought to be £1.2 million, however this doubled to £2.4 million.

The school opened in September 1982, though it was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal the following year on May 1983. The first year, the school saw 400 pupils enroll, with the capacity of the school being 720.

The school closed in August 2008. The premises became the upper school site for Oasis Academy Lord's Hill which has since moved to a new dedicated building. At the same time Millbrook Community School became the lower school site. The school buildings have been demolished apart from the pool and community hall. The land now has planning permission for 103 new homes.

The swimming pool was closed in July 2012 after a leak was found. The Labour council leaders consulted over whether or not it would be economically viable to get it repaired at a cost of £500,000.[5][6][7] On 14 February 2014, the work needed to repair and reopen Oaklands swimming pool was approved at a cost of £1.7 million funded by Southampton City Council. The pool was reopened in January 2015.[8]

Dr. Peter Hollis was the longest running head teacher at Oaklands Community School starting in September 1982, after transferring from Shirley Warren Secondary School until he retired in August 2006. Mrs Sarah Howelles took over until the school closed in 2008.[9][10][11][12]

References

  1. "Oaklands Community School – URN: 116464". Gov UK. 31 August 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  2. Ofsted inspection report, visit of 27–30 September 2004
  3. Ofsted Website
  4. Department of Education performance tables 2006
  5. Anon (10 July 2012). "A mini-budget to save the authority a further £800,000 this year". Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo.
  6. Southampton City Council. "Oaklands swimming pool is currently CLOSED". Southampton City Council. Archived from the original on 14 May 2012.
  7. BBC (6 July 2012). "Oaklands swimming pool closure plan sparks anger". BBC.
  8. Maxwell Kusi-Obodum (3 January 2015). "Joyous scenes as popular Oaklands Community Pool reopens". Southern Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo.
  9. Anon (8 July 2008). "Oaklands was a first for city". Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  10. Anon (16 June 2001). "The south's superstars!". Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  11. Ian Crump (21 May 2017). "PHOTOS: Do you remember the day Princess Anne opened Oaklands Community School and Lyndhurst put out the bunting". Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  12. Anon (16 May 2015). "Plans have been submitted to build more than 100 new homes on the Oaklands School site in Lordshill". Daily Echo. Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
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