| Great Barr School | |
| Headteacher | Kate Abbott |
| Specialism | Science College |
| Location | Alridge Road Birmingham West Midlands B44 8NU England |
| Students | 2,400 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11 to 19 |
| Houses | Dudley, Warwick, Kenilworth, Ludlow |
| School colours | Black and Green |
| Website | Great Barr School Website |
Great Barr School is a co-educational secondary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham, England for children aged 11 to 19. Science Colleges were introduced as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um The West Midlands is a Metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2591300 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Mixed-sex education, (or just Mixed education) also known as Coeducation, is the integrated education to males and females at the same school facilities Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes Great Barr is a large and loosely-defined area which straddles the boundaries of Birmingham, West Bromwich ( Sandwell; including the Great Barr with Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The school is usually the next level for children who attended Great Barr Primary School on the same area site. Great Barr Primary School is a junior and infant primary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham, England for children aged 3-10
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History
The school was officially opened by the Rt. Hon. D Rogers on September 24, 1957 as Great Barr Comprehensive School. Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) The school had opened in September 1955 with thirteen forms of 11 year old boys and girls and 715 pupils between the ages of 12 and 15, who were transferred from the Aldridge Road Boys and Girls Modern Schools which ceased to exist at that time. Mr Oswald Beynon MA was the first headmaster.
The modern schools building had been incorporated into the comprehensive school and became the Lower School, with new buildings comprising the Middle and Upper Schools. The Lower school compromises of the English, History and Geography departments, with some Science and Technology rooms. The middle school is mainly made up of Technology rooms and the schools main library. The Upper School is primarily Science, Art, Religious Education, Personal Exercise and Modern Foreign Languages.
One of the school's most famous previous employees is Dame Maureen Brennan, who is known for the turn-around of Hillcrest School and Community College in Netherton, West Midlands. Dame Maureen Brennan DBE, known familiarly as "Mo Brennan" is the headteacher at Barr Beacon Language College in Walsall, West Midlands The Hillcrest School and Community College is a secondary school located in Netherton, near Dudley, England. Netherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley.
Sixth Form Centre
Adjacent to the main school is the Sixth Form Centre. The sixth form centre acts as a college and form of higher education after leaving the last year, year 11. It provides its students with a two year course, first contains AS level study and the second year contains A2 level. Most students choose to enter the Sixth form after their last year, as it provides many different courses including Media Studies, Business Studies, Further I. T, Higher Musical Courses, Higher Science, Law, Psychology and many others. The main focus of the Sixth Form Centre is the library called the O. L. C (Open Learning Centre), the centre also contains many class rooms and space for students to study. The centre also contains a specialist Law Room that is made to look like a 'mock-up' court.
New Phase
In 2005, the school was designated as a Specialist Science and Mathematics College due the tireless work of the schools then head of science Dr Stuart Adams. The school also gained a new specialist science building.
On Thursday 24th November 2005 the schools new state-of-the-art music block was opened by former head teacher, Brian Sherratt O. Dr Brian Sherratt OBE JP FRSA was Headmaster (1984-2005 of Great Barr School a Secondary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham B. E. It is hoped that the four new classrooms, six sound-proof practice rooms and a high-tech recording studio will encourage even more students to take up music whilst giving the current musicians a more pleasant environment to perform. The date also marked the formal retirement of Dr Sherratt after 21 years at the school. The schools high standards are often attributed to Dr Sherratts own high level of standards.
Current
The school's current head teacher is Kate Abbott.
Currently the school is the largest single-site school in the country with over 2,400 pupils on roll.
Alumni
References
- E L Russell, Great Barr Comprehensive School Official Opening, City of Birmingham Education Committee, Birmingham 1957