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Woodham Academy

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Coordinates: 54°38′N 1°34′W / 54.63°N 1.56°W / 54.63; -1.56
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Woodham Academy
Address
Map
Washington Crescent

Newton Aycliffe
,
County Durham
,
DL5 4AX

England
Coordinates54°38′N 1°34′W / 54.63°N 1.56°W / 54.63; -1.56
Information
Other nameWoodham
Former names
  • Woodham Community Technology College (1999–2012)
  • Woodham Comprehensive School (1970–1999)
TypeAcademy
MottoAchievement for All
Established29 June 1970 (1970-06-29)
Local authorityDurham County Council
TrustEden Learning Trust
Department for Education URN138717 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherAndrew Bell
GenderMixed
Age range11–16
Enrolment987 (2022)[1]
Capacity1,100[1]
Colour(s)Black, grey, gold, green     [2]
Websitewww.woodham.org.uk

Woodham Academy (simply referred to as Woodham, formerly Woodham Community Technology College and Woodham Comprehensive School) is an 11–16 mixed secondary school with academy status in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, England. It was formerly a foundation school that was established in 1970 and adopted its present name after becoming an academy in 2012. It is part of the Eden Learning Trust.

History

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Woodham Comprehensive School: 1970 to 1999

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Woodham Community Technology College

Woodham Comprehensive was a foundation school[3] that opened on 29 June 1970 by Alice Bacon, Baroness Bacon, a former Labour MP. It was built under the Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme.[4]

As well as Woodham and Greenfield schools there was a third secondary school in Newton Aycliffe called "The Avenue Comprehensive" which was closed in 1992 and amalgamated with Woodham. It was created from two former secondary schools; Marlowe Hall Secondary Modern School and Milton Hall.[5]

On 4 July 1990, the school was set alight by arsonists. Around a third of the school's teaching area was destroyed and an estimated £1 million of damage was caused. The damaged section of the school was rebuilt and reopened on 12 December 1992.[4]

Woodham Community Technology College: 1999 to 2012

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Woodham gained Technology College status in 1999 and was opened by Kate Adie.[6][7]

In March 2008, Woodham Community Technology College (often written as Woodham CTC) announced the closure of its sixth form provision due to low applications but remained committed to current sixth form students.[8]

The Woodham Warriors were the school's American flag football team from 2003 [9] to around 2014 and won many tournaments and accolades, including representing the UK in 2005 [10]

School rebuild

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The school was scheduled for a complete rebuild but the government axed the Building Schools for the Future rebuilding programme in July, 2010 [11]

House system

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In September 2011, the Woodham house system was re-introduced for year seven to ten. The houses were named after local castles. The houses were Brancepeth, Lambton, and Raby. Students collect points for their house by working hard and taking part in extracurricular activities. In 2015 there was no house captains or head of house due to the departure of two of the head of houses and all the house captains. The house system was eventually retired.

Woodham Academy: September 2012 to present

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In March 2012, the school announced it would be submitting a request to turn the school into an academy. In July 2012, it opened its Sports Academy which aims to offer "high quality coaching opportunities to elite athletes in a range of sports"[12] The school introduced a new uniform in September 2012 for the new Academy.

In July 2021 it was announced that Woodham was amongst 50 schools nationally to be considered for a major rebuild, partial rebuild or refurbishment under the School Rebuilding Programme with the Government's decision expected early 2022.[13] The New building is set to be finished by September 2024. Fortnite is also set to become a subject in the school in September 2024 ahead of the highly anticipated Chapter 2 OG season.

Facilities

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The school has a range of facilities including [14]

  • 9 science laboratories
  • 2 music suites
  • a technology complex with 6 specialist workshops
  • a textiles studio
  • a sports hall
  • a gymnasium
  • a drama studio
  • a swimming pool
  • multiple IT suites

Academic performance

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Curriculum provision

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Woodham offers a broad range of learning experiences that meet the needs of learners, engage them and maximise their opportunities to achieve well. Pupils learn about a variety of employment sectors and routes into further education. The range of external qualifications is suitably varied to support pupils’ aspirations [15]

The school offers a range of GCSE and vocational qualifications.[16]

Progress 8 comparison with other local schools [17]

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2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Greenfield -0.23 (below average) -0.34 (below average) -0.26 (below average) -0.51 (well below average) - -
UTC South Durham - - -1.05 (well below average) -1.15 (well below average) - -
Woodham -0.3 (below average) +0.25 (above average) +0.1 (average) +0.1 (average) - -
Local Authority -0.9 -0.23 -0.23 -0.2 - -
Maintained School National Average -0.01 -0.03 -0.23 +0.3 - -

Results from 2020 and 2021 were not published due to exam disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic.

As UTC was a new school the first published results were 2018.

Ofsted report judgements [18]

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  • 2023 - Good
  • 2018 - Good
  • 2016 - Requires Improvement
  • 2011 - Good
  • 2009 - Satisfactory
  • 2006 - Satisfactory

Head teachers

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Head teachers of the school are:b[4]

  • John Pearson (OBE), 1970–1980
  • Katherine Carr, 1980–1990
  • Andrew Bennett, 1990–1994
  • Steven Harness, 1994–2010
  • Christine Forsyth, 2010–2019[19]
  • Andrew Bell, 2019–present[20]

Notable alumni

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[edit]
  • Fire damage in The Auckland Sector of the school
    Fire damage in The Auckland Sector of the school
  • Before and after the fire
    Before and after the fire

Notes

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  1. ^ Position name changed to "Principal" in 2010.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Woodham Academy". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Uniform Information". Woodham Academy. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Woodham Community Technology College". Get information about schools. GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "A short history of Woodham". Woodham Community Technology College. Archived from the original on 14 November 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  5. ^ "History of Newton Aycliffe". Great Town Council. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Technology College Status". Woodham Community Technology College. Archived from the original on 28 September 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Television star Kate opens new college". Northern Echo. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  8. ^ "School cuts back sixth form". The Northern Echo. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  9. ^ "England rules". Northern Echo. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Team flies flag for UK". Northern Echo. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ "£55bn flagship schools programme in ruins". Northern Echo. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Woodham Opens Sports Academy". Newton News.
  13. ^ "Two Aycliffe Schools Earmarked for Building Upgrades". Newton News. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Facilities at Woodham". Woodham Academy. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  15. ^ "218 Ofsted report". Ofsted. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Woodham Academy Curriculum". Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Compare selected schools and colleges". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Woodham Academy Ofsted Reports". Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Christine Forsyth - New Head Teacher". Woodham Community Technology College. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  20. ^ Walker, Martin (1 March 2019). "Woodham Academy reveals new head teacher". Aycliffe Today. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  21. ^ a b c "Football Flourishing at Woodham Academy". Newton News. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Mark's in league of his own". Sunday Sun. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  23. ^ "Paul Magrs". Fantasticfiction.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  24. ^ a b "Small town is in safe hands". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  25. ^ a b "Woodham Community Technology College - Parents' Mailing (March 2010)" (PDF). Woodham Community Technology College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  26. ^ "Ross Turnbull". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
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