Established 1964 Headteacher Stephan Heal Phone +44 1666 823514 Founded 1964 | Religion Church of England Chair of Governors Tristan Cork Number of students 407 (2010) Gender Mixed-sex education | |
Type Primary School, Academy (UK) Location Tetbury Hill
Malmesbury
Wiltshire
SN16 9JR
England Address Tetbury Hill, Malmesbury SN16 9JR, UK Profiles | ||
Malmesbury Church of England Primary School is one of two schools in the town serving the various rural communities, villages and towns surrounding Malmesbury, Wiltshire in south west England. It is affiliated to the Diocese of Bristol. In 2010 it had an annual intake of around 400 pupils, with an age range from 4–11 years. The academy enrols pupils from age 7 to 16 years old. Pupils are required to maintain a strict dress code and wear the school uniform.
Contents
History
The school was created in 1964 when two co-educational schools were combined and rehoused in the old grammar school buildings located at Tetbury hill in the town. In 1983 the old buildings were replaced by a new construction more suitable to local requirements and this enlarged capacity of the facility allowed around 300 pupils to attend this new school. Another modern purpose built £3.5 million school building was completed on the site in 2008. In the same year an Ofsted report showed the school to be both "good" in most areas, and "outstanding" in many parts of the curriculum. In 2010 the school achieved above average results in the league tables of primary schools in Wiltshire.
Curriculum
As well as a broad range of planned development courses with emphasis on Art, Music and ICT skills arranged over seven years, subject matter is provided to promote Christian community values among the pupils attending this school. Standard assessment tests SATs, are undertaken by pupils at the end of year two and year six during their period of education at the school. If pupils are assessed to be outstanding in any subject then additional specialist courses of study are offered, (subject to the consideration of the parents of the child), to encourage further development of any aptitude that a pupil might display. Some of these courses may incur extra financial contributions from the parent to support the additional costs. A number of parents are members of the MPSA (Malmesbury primary school association Reg.Charity No.1025921), and provide valuable interaction and support to the school with its various educational projects.
Pupils of this school have access to the "Bungalow", an extended service facility at Malmesbury maintained by Wiltshire council. This centre offers further medical, community support and assistance to parents with all aspects of their child's education and well being whilst at school, as well as offering a safe after school environment for children to undertake their homework assignments. Many working parents in our modern society have a requirement for such additional services.
The school encourages a variety of extra-curricular activity both during lunch breaks and after school hours, which includes many team sports such as hockey, tag rugby, kwik cricket, basketball, football, netball and gym club. Other activities include cookery, drama, dance and choir clubs. This school has recently been awarded the Activemark Gold award and the Eco bronze award.
The school has a Choir which has the notable distinction of forming one third (along with the choirs of St. Joseph's Primary school and Lea Primary School) of the Malmesbury Gospel Choir. Their combined performance was chosen to open the 2007 WOMAD festival at Womad Charlton Park, and the choir also performed in the Thursday pre-show concert in 2008.
Malmesbury Music Academy
The school is home to the Malmesbury Music Academy. The academy accepts youngsters from a dozen primary and secondary schools in the surrounding area. The academy is open to pupils from the ages seven to sixteen. Lessons are available in a wide range of musical instrument types and singing styles.
On Saturday, 27 September 2008 the mayor of Malmesbury Andrew Woodcock was among those attending the launch of the academy, which has the backing of Womad Festival founder and former Genesis star Peter Gabriel. 140 members of the academy and local choir members performed at the first 2008 WOMAD festival held at Cahrlton Park, Malmesbury. The new academy can cater for up to 100 pupils at a time, in 2008 there was a waiting list for pupils to attend this new facility.
The music academy was formed as a result of a joint idea from school teacher Angelique Williamson (née Martin). and music tutor Steph Kenny. Local events help to fund the academy in its search for new innovative sound equipment. A music store in Chippenham called Noteworthy has agreed to provide additional sponsorship to the academy. In 2009 the academy launched a new music teaching pack and this was made available throughout the country to other music schools. In the same year pupils from the academy performed at the international WOMAD festival and the local Trowbridge Music festival. The Malmesbury Concert Band which was formed in 1859 is now closely linked with the new music academy.