Cowes Enterprise College

As Cowes High School, the school was designated a Business and Enterprise College.{{cite web|url=http://www.coweshigh.org.uk/?_id=320|title=Cowes High School – about us|publisher=coweshigh.org.uk|access-date=21 October 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20061016000030/http://www.coweshigh.org.uk/?_id=320|archive-date=16 October 2006}} As part of the reorganisation of the education system on the Isle of Wight, Cowes Pathfinder Partnership was successful in their bid against Academies Enterprise Trust take over the school. In 2011, the school opened with the age range extended to years 7 through 13. It is now one of five secondary providers on the Isle of Wight.

File:Cowes High School logo.png

As part of the reorganisation, a bid for £30.5 million was won from the Department for Education and Skills to rebuild the school with a carbon-neutral building, with an aim of being completed by 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/30m-to-transform-high-school-14707.aspx|title=Isle of Wight County Press – "£30M to transform high school"|publisher=iwcp.co.uk|access-date=21 October 2008}} In December 2008, it was announced that redevelopment of the school had been delayed, caused by procurement rules following court rulings elsewhere, by up to a year with an opening of summer 2012 as the latest opening date,.{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/cowes-school-delayed-23593.aspx|title=Isle of Wight County Press – "Cowes school delayed"|publisher=iwcp.co.uk|access-date=5 December 2008}}

The 2014 pass rates for the school were 58% for five or more GCSE A* to C passes including English and Maths, significantly higher than the average for the Isle of Wight and 97% pass rate with 67% of students gaining at least 3 A Level passes.{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/cowes-enterprise-college-tops-the-isle-of-wight-class-for-gcses-74564.aspx |title=Cowes Enterprise College tops the Isle of Wight class for GCSEs |publisher=Isle of Wight County Press|access-date=5 June 2015}}

In September 2012, the college was due to move across into a new £32 million building, however, due to a sustained period of wet weather the opening was delayed until November 2012.{{cite web|title=School Opening Delayed|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/school-opening-delayed-45700.aspx|publisher=Isle of Wight County Press|access-date=27 August 2012}}

At the beginning of December 2012, parents received a letter stating that occupation of the new building now would not take place until September 2013.{{cite web|url=http://onthewight.com/2012/12/15/cowes-enterprise-college-opening-delayed-yet-again/ |title=Cowes Enterprise College opening delayed yet again |date=15 December 2012 |publisher=On The Wight |access-date=10 February 2013}}

Prior to the new opening of the school, headteacher David Snashall stated he would be standing down, with Dave Goodhead taking over.{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/heads-set-to-leave-30890.aspx|title=Heads set to leave|publisher=Isle of Wight County Press|access-date=23 January 2010}} Jonathan Russell was appointed principal for the new Cowes Enterprise College.

Cowes Enterprise College appointed Rebecca Pearce (current vice principal of The City Academy Bristol) as the new principal for January 2014 and converted to academy status in September 2014 joining the Ormiston Academies Trust.{{cite web |url=http://www.iwradio.co.uk/articles/2013-09-30-new-principal-for-cowes-enterprise-college |title=New principal for Cowes Enterprise College |publisher=Iwradio.co.uk |date=2013-09-30 |access-date=2013-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110132057/http://www.iwradio.co.uk/articles/2013-09-30-new-principal-for-cowes-enterprise-college |archive-date=10 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}

"Personal circumstances" forced Pearce's departure in November 2014 and former Ofsted inspector John Peckham was appointed to "take the school to the next stage"{{cite web |url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/new-head-for-isle-of-wight-school-69293.aspx |title=New head for Isle of Wight School |publisher=Isle of Wight County Press |access-date=10 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610184150/http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/new-head-for-isle-of-wight-school-69293.aspx |archive-date=10 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}

• Si Genaro, British musician and featured contestant on The Voice UK.{{cite news | url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/si-catches-the-judges-eyes-on-the-voice-52578.aspx | title=Si catches the judges' eyes on The Voice | access-date=31 January 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203235526/http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/si-catches-the-judges-eyes-on-the-voice-52578.aspx | archive-date=3 February 2014 | url-status=dead }}
• Mark King, lead singer and bass player with Level 42, attended Cowes High School.{{cite web|title=IW County Press|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/Features/Wight_Living/ACE_OF_BASS_FINDS_HIS_OWN_LEVEL.aspx |access-date=3 January 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080607014546/http://www.iwcp.co.uk/Features/Wight_Living/ACE_OF_BASS_FINDS_HIS_OWN_LEVEL.aspx |archive-date = 7 June 2008}}
• Mornington Lockett, jazz saxophonist
• Kay Marriott, High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight
• Cliff Michelmore, British television presenter and producer.{{cite web|title=Cowes Heritage|url=http://www.cowesheritage.co.uk/exhibitions.aspx?gid=11}}
• Helen Roy, British ecologist, entomologist, and academic

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.cowesenterprisecollege.org.uk/}}
• [https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/140845 Ofsted reports]

{{Schools on the Isle of Wight}}

{{Ormiston Academies}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Secondary schools on the Isle of Wight

Category:Academies on the Isle of Wight

Category:Ormiston Academies

Category:Cowes

Category:Specialist business and enterprise colleges