Cowes Enterprise College, previously known as Cowes High School, is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status located on the outskirts of Cowes at Crossfield Avenue on the Isle of Wight, England.
| Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy | |
|---|---|
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| Address | |
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Crossfield Avenue , , PO31 8HB England | |
| Coordinates | 50°45′49″N 1°18′27″W / 50.763611°N 1.3075°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Established | September 2014 |
| Local authority | Isle of Wight |
| Specialist | Business and Enterprise College |
| Department for Education URN | 140845 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Principal | Rachel Kitley |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 19 |
| Enrolment | 1216 (Data from January 2022) |
| Capacity | 1585 (Data from January 2022) |
| Houses | Britannia, Endeavour, Enterprise, Shamrock |
| Colour(s) | Charcoal/White/Red |
| Website | cowesec |
History
editAs Cowes High School, the school was designated a Business and Enterprise College.[1] As part of the reorganisation of the education system on the Isle of Wight, Cowes Pathfinder Partnership was successful in their bid against Academies Enterprise Trust take over the school. In 2011, the school opened with the age range extended to years 7 through 13. It is now one of five secondary providers on the Isle of Wight.
As part of the reorganisation, a bid for £30.5 million was won from the Department for Education and Skills to rebuild the school with a carbon-neutral building, with an aim of being completed by 2012.[2] In December 2008, it was announced that redevelopment of the school had been delayed, caused by procurement rules following court rulings elsewhere, by up to a year with an opening of summer 2012 as the latest opening date,.[3]
The 2014 pass rates for the school were 58% for five or more GCSE A* to C passes including English and Maths, significantly higher than the average for the Isle of Wight and 97% pass rate with 67% of students gaining at least 3 A Level passes.[4]
In September 2012, the college was due to move across into a new £32 million building, however, due to a sustained period of wet weather the opening was delayed until November 2012.[5] At the beginning of December 2012, parents received a letter stating that occupation of the new building now would not take place until September 2013.[6]
Prior to the new opening of the school, headteacher David Snashall stated he would be standing down, with Dave Goodhead taking over.[7] Jonathan Russell was appointed principal for the new Cowes Enterprise College.
Cowes Enterprise College appointed Rebecca Pearce (current vice principal of The City Academy Bristol) as the new principal for January 2014 and converted to academy status in September 2014 joining the Ormiston Academies Trust.[8]
"Personal circumstances" forced Pearce's departure in November 2014 and former Ofsted inspector John Peckham was appointed to "take the school to the next stage"[9]
Notable former pupils
edit- Si Genaro, British musician and featured contestant on The Voice UK.[10]
- Mark King, lead singer and bass player with Level 42, attended Cowes High School.[11]
- Mornington Lockett, jazz saxophonist
- Kay Marriott, High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight
- Cliff Michelmore, British television presenter and producer.[12]
- Helen Roy, British ecologist, entomologist, and academic
References
edit- ^ "Cowes High School – about us". coweshigh.org.uk. Archived from the original on 16 October 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Isle of Wight County Press – "£30M to transform high school"". iwcp.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Isle of Wight County Press – "Cowes school delayed"". iwcp.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
- ^ "Cowes Enterprise College tops the Isle of Wight class for GCSEs". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ "School Opening Delayed". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ "Cowes Enterprise College opening delayed yet again". On The Wight. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Heads set to leave". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ "New principal for Cowes Enterprise College". Iwradio.co.uk. 30 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
- ^ "New head for Isle of Wight School". Isle of Wight County Press. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- ^ "Si catches the judges' eyes on The Voice". Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "IW County Press". Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
- ^ "Cowes Heritage".