St Benedict's Catholic High School, Hensingham
St Benedict's Catholic High School is a co-educational 11–18 comprehensive school on the edge of Whitehaven, between the Western Lake District and the sea. St Benedict's is a much larger than average Catholic high school which serves a wide catchment area in West Cumbria. The proportion of students entitled to free school meals is just below average. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is just above average and an average number have a statement of special educational needs.
| St Benedict's Catholic High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Address | |
| |
Campus Whitehaven, Red Lonning Hensingham , , CA28 8UG | |
| Coordinates | 54.545223°N 3.557713°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Voluntary aided school |
| Motto | "A Sense of Faith" |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1971 |
| Local authority | Cumbria |
| Department for Education URN | 112398 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Chair of Governors | John McQuirk |
| Headteacher | Emma Jackson |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | ~1408 |
| Website | st-benedicts |
The school was awarded specialist engineering college status in 2002 and has the Healthy Schools Award. Alongside this, St Benedict's is also a Fairtrade School. It became one of only ten schools nationally to achieve advanced status in study support and also achieved the International Schools Award.
In January 2019 the school was co-located with Mayfield Special School as part of Campus Whitehaven, a £33m investment in the local area.[1]
Sports
The School plays various sports to a high standard, being particularly known for its achievements in Rugby. On the school campus there are 4 tennis courts, an all-weather football pitch, a Rugby pitch, a cricket pitch, a mile long X-country track, And two indoor gymnasiums.[2]
West Cumbria Catholic Sixth Form Centre
St Benedict's also plays host to the regions only Catholic sixth form centre, West Cumbria Catholic Sixth Form Centre. There are a large number of courses offered at the sixth form from Sociology, History, Philosophy and Ethics, and the Sciences.[3] In the school's most recent inspection the Sixth Form achieved praise for its pastoral support and teaching standard due to achieving high pass rates such as 100% pass rate in German studies. The Sixth form achieves a high percentage of students moving on to universities. Universities attended by St Benedict's Alumni include The University of Cambridge, The University of Oxford, York St.John's University, and a percentage attending Newcastle University with which the school has a partnership scheme.[4]
Notable former pupils
- Kyle Amor, rugby League footballer, currently playing for St. Helens
- Thomas Docherty (politician), Politician, former MP for Dunfermline and West Fife
- Dean Henderson, Manchester United goalkeeper, (currently on loan at Sheffield United)
- Brad Kavanagh, Actor and Musician, famous for his role in House of Anubis
Proposed Strike by National Union of Education
In July 2018 staff balloted for strike action amid claims of a "toxic" atmosphere. An indicative ballot revealed 96 per cent of members, from a 92 per cent turnout, were in favour of striking. A survey, carried out by the union, revealed concerns were widespread among its 66 members. The concerns included a "toxic atmosphere" in the school, with worries over "a culture of fear and intimidation".[5]
In the wake of these allegations, the Chair of Governors, Mr. Wilie Slavin, stood down from his position at the school. The Headteacher, Ian Smith, did not return to his position the following September, eventually taking "early retirement".
GCSE Subjects [6]
Core/Compulsory Subjects
| Subject |
|---|
| Religious Studies |
| English Language |
| English Literature |
| Mathematics |
| Science |
| Computing/ICT |
| Physical Education |
Optional Subjects:
| Subject |
|---|
| French |
| Geography |
| German |
| History |
| Spanish |
| Triple Science |
| Art & Design |
| Business Studies |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition (Catering) |
| Electronic Products |
| Engineering |
| Performing Arts |
| GCSE PE |
| Product Design |
Subjects from Year 7 – 9
| Subject |
|---|
| Design Technology |
| Art |
| English |
| Food Technology |
| Geography |
| History |
| Mathematics |
| French |
| German |
| Spanish (Only in year 9 as an optional alternative to French or German.) |
| Physical Education (P.E.) |
| Performing Arts |
| Religious Education (R.E.) |
| Science |
| Textiles |
References
- http://www.st-benedicts.cumbria.sch.uk/home/our-school/headteachers-welcome/
- School Prospectus 2013/2014, 2012
- St Benedict's website, Sixth Form 2012
- St Benedict's Website, Sixth Form 2012.
- http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/Teachers-strike-ballot-over-toxic-allegations-f944cccd-3823-4543-998c-3b7fe5da0d3d-ds
- http://www2.st-benedicts.cumbria.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/NEW-KS4-Options-Booklet-full-version-2016.pdf
- School Website