Belper School

Admissions

Belper School is larger than average, catering for 1,311 students as of academic year 2015-2016, a 10.5% reduction since 2012-2013 when the school taught 1464 students between 11 and 18 years old – a decrease attributed by the headteacher to variations in birth rate. The majority of the school is white British with below average numbers of cared-for children and children identified as having special educational needs or disability.

Ethos

The 2009 Ofsted report had this to say about the school: "Belper School has a distinctive ethos which stresses positive relationships between students, staff and parents as the key basis for learning and personal development. Students wear no formal uniform and use the first names of teachers, resulting in an informal atmosphere around the school, but one where the students feel well supported by adults. 'It is what gives our school a unique flavour and enables us to view our teachers as equals', one student said."

History

The school, previously known as Belper High School was created in 1973 from an amalgamation of the existing 'Herbert Strutt Grammar School founded in 1909 and two secondary modern schools. Belper High School was built as a 13-18 high school (upper school) and took shape in a barely complete, largely open-plan new building, built adjacent to the local sports centre. Roland Mathias, the poet, was headmaster of the Herbert Strutt School from 1958-64. Herbert Strutt School had around 650 boys and girls.

Three tier education

The new school, opening on a new site in September 1973, was built with the adjacent new leisure centre, which it still jointly owns and runs with Amber Valley Borough Council. Michael Tucker was the new headmaster.

From 1973 until 1986, the school was part of an experimental three-tier educational system, with a number of local primary schools feeding into two larger middle schools; the former Herbert Strutt Grammar School (renamed the Herbert Strutt Middle School) and Parks Middle School, located on Belper's Park's Estate. These two middle schools then fed pupils into Belper High School.

Two tier education

In 1986, this system was changed to a more conventional two-tier system, in which Herbert Strutt Middle School became Herbert Strutt Primary School. The Parks Middle School was subsequently closed, and the school buildings, which were in an awful state were demolished. In 2008, the Herbert Strutt Primary School moved into new accommodation, while the historical Grade II* listed building still remains on the A6, located directly opposite Babington Hospital.

Technology College

In 1994, it became one of the United Kingdom's first Technology Colleges. It was the first Technology College in Derbyshire, and was officially opened as such by Gillian Shepherd (Education Secretary) on 15 November 1994. Thorntons, the confectionery company once based in the town of Belper became major sponsors. At the ceremony, members of the NUT handed out leaflets condemning the public-private involvement. Support from Thorntons and other local firms has helped the school remodel most of its accommodation to suit an 11-18 school population.

New buildings

It continued to expand in numbers and a new Sixth Form block and science laboratories were added in 2002, while a new £1.4 million Art block was opened in 2006. In September 2006, the school rebranded with a new logo as 'Belper School and Sixth Form Centre' and abandoned its use of the "Four Gates" logo. The logo, comprising four intertwined gates, symbolised the four surrounding villages of Ambergate, Bargate, Openwoodgate and Shottlegate.

The school has recently expanded further with the introduction of a new block of 12 classrooms for Foreign Languages and Media Studies. This block opened in early 2010. An hourly updated webcam image of the extension work was available on the School's website.

Chemical spill and fire

On Wednesday 17 September 2004, the school made national news after a chemical spill occurred within the Science department. Iodine crystals were dropped by a teacher when they collided with a student in a corridor. As a result, two pupils had minor burns and 36 were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

On 6 September 2007, a small fire broke out in the Technology Department's "laser room", the location of a relatively small laser cutter. The fire itself was extinguished immediately after it was found, but the fire alarm was still raised at around 1:35pm. The school was evacuated, and the fire brigade called to ensure that the structure was sound. The building was declared safe soon after. The Technology Department was closed for a short while to assess the damage. The laser cutter, estimated to be worth £24,500 was destroyed, while three panes of window glass were also damaged. The damage of the fire slowed down GCSE students projects, some of whom were 100% reliant on the laser cutter.

Notable former pupils

The Herbert Strutt School