Valley Gardens Middle School
| Valley Gardens Middle School | |
|---|---|
| File:Vgms logo.JPG | |
| Location | |
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| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive school |
| Established | 1957 as a secondary modern |
| Headteacher | Micheal Homer (Since 2004) |
| Number of students | 730 |
Valley Gardens Middle School is located in Monkseaton, Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, United Kingdom. The Headteacher is Michael Homer. It is the largest middle school in Whitley Bay, with about 730 pupils on roll and SATs results are significantly above the national average. It serves a mainly suburban catchment.
Its motto is 'What do you want to achieve?'
Most students transfer to Whitley Bay High School at the end of Year 8 due to its close proximity.
Prior to school reorganisation in the 1970s the building was a secondary modern; hence it has always had relatively good technology facilities for a middle school.
This year, 2007 ,is the school's 50th aniversary. Celebrations are being planned for the latter of the year.
Bio Sand Water Filters
In early 2007, the school was given a challenge to raise money for water filters for places in Africa. This is being done with Samaritan's Purse. So far, money for 100 water filters has been raised. Many classes have appeared in the Whitley Bay News Guardian for their fundraising effects, ranging from tombola's and sponsored Sponsored Walks to bag packs at the local supermarket. One enterprising class, 7CH, did a sponsored water relay for one of their events to raise money. Alone 7CH raised enough money for over 11 water filters.
[1]
- Note: The article says that ' pupils in class 7C at Valley Gardens Middle School completed a relay walk on an athletics track to raise money to help those in poorer countries.' 7C is a typo made by the reporter. The classes correct name is 7CH.
8Ay is another example of a class that raised a large sum of money for this work.
The Cheque for £4017.07 was presented to Samaritan's Purse in a special assembly by the assistant headteacher and two Year 8 pupils who will be fundraising next school, even though they will be in high school.
Publications
The school has two main publications:
The Valley Gardens Gazette, which is a newspaper containing events in school written by pupils. The Valley Gardens Gazette is published once a term and is sold by the reporters at a break and lunch time. But at this current time this is shut down. It is hoped to be restarted for the 2007-08 school year, after school.
The other is a formal publication called the VG Magazine, this features literacy work by pupils and is sold in school and at local bookshop Paper Treasures priced at £1. [2]
Size
The school is a medium size with:
- 5 Mobile classrooms,
- 2 ICT rooms,
- 1 LRC(Library),
- 1 Music room,
- 1 Design room,
- 2 Design technology rooms,
- 1 Art room,
- 1 Gym,
- 1 Dining/ Assembly Hall,
- 19 Main school classrooms and
- 6 Year 5 classrooms
Renovation
Recently, the school has been renovated to fit the large number of pupils in the school. A new year five block with state of the art interactive whiteboards in each classroom has been built and was opened by the former environment secretary, David Miliband. These boards have now been fitted into nearly every classroom in the school. The front of the school has been rebuilt with a new main office, a headteacher's room and a meeting room. Two special needs rooms have been also built to help with the number of pupils on the special needs register. This is all to bring the school from its 70's style into the 21st Century.
The next stage will be to refurbish the front of the old year five block, which was orginally a temporary building built in 1974, to create a music studies "workshop" area - including: practice rooms and a recording studio, if funds allow, this music studies "workshop" will then be connected to a mobile classroom to provide two music rooms for general use. The school then aims to demolish the mobile classrooms out the back and provide a connnected building for use by the art and foreign languages department. Also the corridor at the back of the school is due to be widened. This would put Valley Gardens in the very final stages of renovation.
Trips to foreign countries
The school takes pupils on many trips abroad including;
- Germany (Christmas Market)
- France (French Trip and Skiing)
- Canada (Ski Trip 2007)
- Amsterdam (The Amsterdam Trip June 2007)
It also takes pupils on trips in the UK such as High Borrans. Also, pupils are chosen to go countries like Cyprus and Hungary as part of the Comenius project which the school has a major part in.
Productions
Nearly every year the school puts on a school production featuring around 60 pupils.
- 2004: Bugsy Malone
- 2005: Return to the Forbidden Planet
- 2006: No Production
- 2007: Tin Pan Ali
Awards
The school has been awarded numerous awards and trophies. One of them is the International School Award, which celebrates the school success in doing international activities such as an International Day in 2005, plus the schools high success in languages. It was presented by BBC News reader Anna Ford in 2006.
SATs
Valley Gardens normally have SATs results above the national average. [3]
Uniform
The school has an extensive uniform that is designed to be smart but comfortable. [4]
Boys
- School tie
- Grey school trousers
- White shirt
- Navy pullover with badge
- Grey socks, black shoes
Boys PE Kit
- Royal blue shorts
- Royal blue and white hooped rugby shirt
- Royal blue knee length socks
- Football boots With aluminium studs for rugby
- Shin pads
- Mouth guard
- Plain white polo shirt
- White ankle socks
- Trainers
Girls
- School tie
- Navy or black school skirt or trousers
- White Blouse
- Navy pullover with badge
- White or grey socks, black shoes
Girls PE Kit
- Royal blue and white hooped rugby shirt
- Royal blue knee length socks
- Football boots (optional)
- Shin pads
- Mouth guard
- Plain white polo shirt
- Royal blue shorts
- White ankle socks
- Trainers
History
The school has had a varied history. The school was built in 1957. It closed through the summer of 1967 and turned from Whitley Bay County Secondary School into Valley Gardens Middle School . In 2000 the school was threatened with closure after North Tyneside council wanted to turn to a two-tier system instead of the three-tier system that was then used, this did not happen. In 2002 an extra year 5 class was added to take the numbers from 5 classes to 6, at that time every other year had 6 classes all ready. This move was taken to increase capacity and increase chances of getting into sixth form in later life. Also in 2002 the school governors encouraged the local education authority to provide more classrooms and modernise the buildings. [5]
Famous pupils and teachers, past and present
- Peter Ramage, Newcastle United.
- Steven Taylor, Newcastle United.
- Howler - Worlds biggest head!
Media
The school has appeared in the News Guardian many times for various events including:
- The opening of a new Year 5 block. [6]
- A spate of thefts from the school, including a projector and the attempted theft of an interactive whiteboard. [7]
- Winning various awards, including the International Schools Award.[8][9][10]
- The schools fundraising efforts, including major charitable donations and fundraising events.[11][12][13]
- Sporting events [14][15][16][17][18]
- Concerns over a new fence [19]
- Creative Writing [20]
- Trips in other countries [21][22]
- Mock Trials [23]
- Vandalism to the school building and surroundings. [24]
- In school achievements. [25]
- Competitions. [26]
- Major occurrences in school. [27][28]
Note: This is local press, Valley Gardens is rarely featured in national press.
Links
http://www.valleygardensmiddle.org.uk School Website