Clevedon School

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Clevedon School

| image = ClevedonSchoolLogo.png

| image_size= 250px

| coordinates = {{coord|51.4476|-2.8428|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| motto = Be Kind, Be Brilliant

| established = 1962

| type = Academy

| trust = Futura Learning Partnership

| head = Jim Smith

| address = Valley Road, BS21 6AH

| city = Clevedon

| county = North Somerset

| country = England

| ofsted= yes

| specialist= Language College

| urn = 137884

| enrolment = 1,173

| lower_age = 11

| upper_age = 18

| publication =

| houses = {{Unbulleted list|{{Color box|#D01240|border=darkgray}} Conygar|{{Color box|#FEBD17|border=darkgray}} Walton|{{Color box|#00437A|border=darkgray}} Marine|{{Color box|#008C45|border=darkgray}} Valley}}

| website = http://www.clevedonschool.org.uk/

}}

Clevedon School, formerly known as Clevedon Community School, is a coeducational secondary school located in Clevedon, North Somerset, England. It has over 1350 pupils,{{cite web|title=Clevedon School|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/137884|publisher=Ofsted|access-date=28 December 2017}} in years 7 to 11 in the Lower School and 12 to 13 in the Upper School or sixth form. The school recently regained its Language College status. As of 2024 the headteacher is Jim Smith. The school was part of the Clevedon Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust formed on 1 January 2015 by CEO John Wells. As of 1 March 2023, Clevedon Learning Trust merged with Futura Learning Partnership, with schools in Bristol, North Somerset and Somerset.

Within the school grounds, the school operates Clevedon School Sports Centre, which has a large sports hall, a gymnasium, a dance studio, two squash courts, a running track, netball/tennis courts, an all-weather pitch as well as two large fields being split in two by Holly Lane. The sports centre is home to clubs including Swiss Valley Rangers FC and North Somerset Athletics Club.

The school was built in 1962 and has a mixture of old and new buildings.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Much of the school site still has the old buildings such as the main block, some refurbished such as the Maths Block (refurbished in 2014) and some modern buildings such as the Sixth Form Block and Science Block (recently renamed The Colin Bennet Science Centre). The school suffered from a minor fire within the art block on 17 March 2023, which took hold after school. It has been reported that all staff, students and visitors on site at the time were safely accounted for, and with the swift actions from staff the damage was contained to one classroom. The school's library, Xenia, deriving from the Greek meaning of hospitality, opened in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Charlie |date=13 March 2022 |title='New library enjoyed by students at Clevedon School' |work=North Somerset Times |url=https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/20402461.new-library-enjoyed-students-clevedon-school/}}

Clevedon School appeared in the ITV crime drama, Broadchurch, as South Wessex Secondary School; some of the students also appeared in the programme.'Clevedon School students star in ITV hit Broadchurch' https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/education/20416064.clevedon-school-students-star-itv-hit-broadchurch/

HAAC & The Learning Village

In September 2023, following a structural survey of the school estate, 22 classrooms had to close within the main tower building because of safety issued with a type of concrete known as HACC. Whilst Clevedon School was cleared with RAAC in May 2023, a further survey separate to RAAC identified the issues with the 62 year old building.

Following the main building's closure, the school made use of office spaces, the canteen and the squash courts as temporary classrooms. In order to offer full provision in the longer term, the school established a "Learning Village", a marquee structure on the field with 18 classrooms fully equipped with screens, computers, heating and classroom furniture.{{Cite news |date= |title=Pupils at Clevedon School to be taught in marquees after main building closed due to ageing concrete |work=ITV News West Country |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2023-10-11/pupils-to-be-taught-in-marquees-after-school-building-closed-due-to-concrete}} The Learning Village was opened on 30 October 2023, with headteacher Jim Smith stating to local media "It really does feel like a new chapter for us. As staff, early on Monday morning, we took the opportunity to almost relaunch the school. To have the stability back for us has been exceptionally well-received, and there was a sense of celebration that we've got the buildings built, and open, and that lessons have taken place successfully."{{cite web |url=https://planetradio.co.uk/hits-radio/bristol/news/bespoke-learning-village-opens-at-north-somerset-school/|title=Bespoke 'learning village' opens at North Somerset school|website=Planet Radio|date=31 October 2023|access-date=16 May 2025}}

In May 2025, plans for a replacement school building were approved by North Somerset Council.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy37zjxvl8o|title=Pupils to leave tents as school building approved|work=BBC News|last=Wimperis|first=John|date=16 May 2025|access-date=16 May 2025}}

House system

File:ClevedonSchool.jpg

File:ColinBennettScience1.jpg

The house system, which came into being in September 2006, consists of four houses: Conygar (red), Marine (blue), Valley (green) and Walton (yellow). All pupils and most staff belong to one of the four houses. The houses' names are derived from road names in Clevedon.

Formerly, (until 2006) the house system had also divided the pupils and teachers into four houses, which were named after famous Clevedon residents and visitors: Arthur Hallam (red), William Makepeace Thackeray (green), Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (blue) and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (yellow).

Vertical tutoring

At Clevedon School each house consists of ten tutor groups with a mix of students from years 7 to 11. In Sixth Form, each house consists of two tutor groups for Year 12 and 13. Each tutor group has around 4 to 6 students from each year group.

School performance

Both value-added and GCSE results are very good.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} Recent A/AS level results (2022 and 2023) have also been good, when compared to schools in the area.{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/05/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/802_4136.stm | publisher= BBC News | title= Education league tables: Clevedon School | access-date= 10 October 2022 | date=19 January 2023}}{{Cite web |title=Clevedon School results GOV.UK |url=https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/137884/clevedon-school/secondary}}

Performing arts

The school has a Youth Theatre, which in 2022 put on a performance of Chicken!, a play about road safety by Mark Wheeller.'Clevedon School puts on national road safety production'

https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/education/20402102.clevedon-school-puts-national-road-safety-production/

Notable alumni

  • Huw Bennett, Rugby International.{{Cite web|last=Griffiths|first=Gareth|date=2013-06-26|title=Article about Huw Bennett 'hanging up his boots' mentions his attendance of Clevedon School.|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-hooker-huw-bennett-retires-4710272|access-date=2022-01-12|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}
  • Jack Butland, International Footballer.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/jul/14/london-2012-team-gb-jack-butland |title=London 2012: Team GB's Jack Butland walking in a Brazilian wonderland |work=The Guardian|date= 14 July 2012|access-date=15 July 2012 |first=Jamie |last=Jackson}}
  • Nathan Catt, Rugby player {{Cite web |title=Nathan Catt - profile |url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/nathan-catt}}
  • Kate Reed, Olympian.{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Clevedon-s-Reed-run-Britain-Beijing-Olympics/article-219820-detail/article.html |title=Clevedon's Reed to run for Britain at Beijing Olympics |publisher=Thisisbristol.co.uk |access-date=8 June 2009 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421110158/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Clevedon-s-Reed-run-Britain-Beijing-Olympics/article-219820-detail/article.html |archive-date=21 April 2013 }}

References