Tomlinscote School

History

Tomlinscote was opened in 1970 as Surrey's first purpose-built comprehensive. It has 1570 students (including 270 in Years 12/13), 120 teaching staff and 35 support staff. Students enter Tomlinscote at the age of 11 years from local Junior, Primary and Independent Preparatory feeder schools, for example, Lakeside Primary School, Ravenscote Junior School, Pirbright Primary School or The Grove Primary School. There are often waiting lists for entry.

In March 2011 Surrey County Council proposed that Tomlinscote take over the Kings International College and that years 7, 8 and 9 be based on the Kings site and 10, 11 and VI form on the Tomlinscote site. Initial meetings with Parents at both schools suggested united opposition to the plans and sparked a heated internet debate. In the end, after a due diligence report, letters written by teachers, parents and councillors stating their disapproval of the plan, the Governing Body of Tomlinscote voted unanimously against authorising a merger. This left the Surrey County Council no choice but to scrap the plan.

Sports Department

Tomlinscote's grounds house a sports centre which has undertaken several changes of management in the past two years. The sports centre is run as a Dual-Use centre, with the School using it during the day for lessons, and then during the evenings, weekends and holidays it is operated by Blue Leisure Management, a Leisure company based in Surrey. The sport centre has a fully equipped fitness gym, changing facilities and hires out its Sports Hall and Outside courts to local clubs and the public.

Learning Resource Centre (LRC)

Tomlinscote hosts a Learning Resource Centre (LRC) (also called a library), where students can use computers for educational purposes, as well as borrow books for up to two weeks at a time. The LRC is open Monday to Friday after or during school from 8:00am–4:15pm. It has a range of books, and an after school homework club where sixth formers get involved and help the younger years.

Language College

On 1 September 1996 Tomlinscote was formally awarded the status of a Language College. To attain Language College Status the school had to put together a detailed submission including the aims and targets over a three-year period. These targets were assessed against strict criteria by the Department for Education and Skills each year. The Language College submission related to aspects of the whole school curriculum as well as specific objectives in Modern Foreign Languages. A successful first three years led to a re-designation for a further three years in 1999 and the school was one of the first Language Colleges to be designated for a further four years in September 2002.

In students' first year (Year 7) they have an international week where they go to Germany or France, depending on which language they study. In Year 8, up to 40 students have an opportunity to visit Madrid, Spain during their first year of Spanish lessons. When students are in year 10 or above, they are offered the chance to take part in exchanges to countries including France, Germany and Spain. PGL trips are available from years 8 to 9 to the south of France, and the school ran a 5-week independent expedition to Iceland in the summer of 2010.