Highfields School, Matlock

History

Highfields was created in 1982 as a comprehensive school by the merger of Ernest Bailey's Grammar School and Charles White Secondary Modern School. The site of Charles White in Starkholmes became the 'lower site' of Highfields, while Bailey's was converted to the county council records offices. A new site was built to house the new 'upper site' at Lumsdale.

David Marshall was headmaster from the school's founding in 1982 until he was replaced by Ian Dalrymple-Alford. Today, Marshall is remembered in the name of the Lumsdale site's David Marshall Sports Hall. Dalrymple-Alford left the school in January 2006, being replaced by Dr Ramsey Tetlow.

The school was a specialist 'performing arts college' from 2005, until the specialist schools programme was ended in 2010. The school retains an emphasis on its performing arts credentials. Dr Tetlow in turn retired in 2011, being replaced by Eddie Wilkes.

The school has been criticised, amongst several other British schools, for making use of the Brain Gym 'mental exercise' programme, which claims that 'the brain is a muscle' and that a set of hand and leg movements and chest rubs can promote learning. Commonly described as pseudoscience, physician Ben Goldacre has described the programme as 'ludicrous' while Teacher of the Year award-winner Philip Beadle described it as 'moonshine...you'd probably get as much benefit from taking a Brain Gym book and booting it around the room'.

Uniform

School uniform consists of a black jumper with the school logo, plain black trousers or skirt and a white polo shirt with logo. Alternately, a full length shirt may be worn with a red tie with a school logo.

Sixth form students have no set uniform but have to stick to a dress code defined as 'smart office wear'.

The school PE kit includes navy blue shorts, royal blue knee-length socks and either a royal blue rugby shirt with reversible white strip or royal blue polo shirt.

Sites

'Lower site' is situated at Starkholmes and is the site used by year 7 and 8 students. The head of Starkholmes site is Karl Rodgers. The building used to be the site of Charles White Secondary Modern School but was converted in 1982 (See history). The site underwent a £1.2m refurbishment in 2004.

'Upper site' is situated at Lumsdale and it is used by years 9–11 and sixth form. The site was built in 1982 especially for the new school.

Key Staff

Ofsted inspections and performance

The school was inspected in full by Ofsted in 2006. This determined that the school was 'satisfactory... with some good features'. This contrasts to the 1999 report which said 'On balance, the school has more strengths than weaknesses'.

The history department was inspected in 2007. The subsequent report found the department to be 'outstanding' - achieving a grade 1. Furthermore, Highfields was the third best-performing school in Derbyshire at A-level in 2007 according to BBC league tables and the seventh best-performing at GCSE, higher than their normal placings in these league tables.

In a February 2009 whole-school inspection, the school found to be 'satisfactory' (grade 3) - below its 'good' (grade 2) target - but with improvements since the last inspection. It also noted the school's performance, citing that 'standards are above average'.

Following a 2011 whole-school inspection, while still classing the school's sixth form as 'good' (grade 2), the school as a whole was determined to be 'inadequate' (grade 4) and was given 'notice to improve'. Despite Ofsted's criticisms, the school recorded its best-ever A-level results in August 2012, with a 99.6% pass rate and 60% of results at grade B or above. The school also saw a 7% increase to 70% of students earning 5 A*-C grades at GCSE. Subsequently, a September 2012 follow-up inspection found the school to have improved markedly, achieving a 'good' (grade 2) for the first time in over 6 years.

Racism study

Highfields took part in a study in 2004 which was reported by the Department of Education. The interest arose from the school choosing to look at diversity despite its very low ethnic mix. A theatre group presented plays that centred on racism in towns like Matlock. The study led to collaborations with dissimilar schools in Derby that were funded by an interested company.

Student protest

On 24 November 2010, Highfields students staged a demonstration as part of a nationwide student protest day against the government's scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance and decision to raise the cap on university tuition fees. Up to 300 students walked out of classes and marched, escorted by police, first to the Local Education Authority headquarters at County Hall and then onto Matlock town centre

Sports Leadership Academy

The school's Physical Education department was presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service - the equivalent to an MBE for organisations - in June 2010 by HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, accompanied by Olympic badminton player Donna Kellogg, for its 'Sports Leadership Academy', co-ordinated by Jayne Allen. Sports Leaders UK later announced the school's academy was to be the first ever academy to reach 'World Leader' status for leadership and voulenteering.

Olympic torch

The school was visited by the Olympic torch relay in June 2012, the school forming the relay's 'lunch stop' as it traveled through Derbyshire. A commemorative stone at the school marks the occasion.

One student, Sarah Needham, a member of the school's Sports Leadership Academy, carried the torch later that day in Derby, whilst Jayne Allen, the academy's co-ordinator, was later honoured with carrying the Paralympic torch. George Marriott also carried the torch in Chesterfield

Notable alumni

George Moran- Bass Guitarist of former band, Mabel Love and current Rhythm Guitarist for Indie-Rock Musician, Miles Kane.