Wilsthorpe School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilsthorpe School |
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| Address | |
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Derby Road
, England
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| Coordinates | 52°54′11″N 1°17′28″W / 52.903°N 1.291°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Local authority | Derbyshire |
| Trust | The Two Counties Trust |
| Department for Education URN | 146451 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | Derek Hobbs |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1042 |
Wilsthorpe School is a school in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, England. It teaches both boys and girls. Students can attend from age 11 up to 18, including a special section for older students called the sixth form. The school used to be known as Wilsthorpe Community School.
Contents
School History and Development
Wilsthorpe School first opened its doors in 1954. Back then, it was called Wilsthorpe Secondary Modern School. Close by, there was another school, Parklands County Secondary Modern School, which later became a school for younger children.
During the 1980s, the school was known as Wilsthorpe Community School. In 2005, it became a specialist school for Business and Enterprise. This meant it focused more on teaching skills related to business.
Wilsthorpe School shares its campus with other schools. These include Parklands Infants School and Harrington Junior School. This setup allows children to stay on the same site from their very first year of school until they finish the Sixth Form. Brackenfield Special School and English Martyrs RC Junior School are also on the same site.
The school used money from its Business and Enterprise status to build a separate place called The Enterprise Centre. In 2009, this building was updated. It became a modern teaching area especially for cooking and catering classes.
A brand new school building was constructed starting in July 2017. It was finished by September 2018. The old Sports Hall stayed, but a new gym was added in the new building. The Sixth Form building was replaced with a new one, which opened in 2024.
School Strengths and Performances
Wilsthorpe School is now known for being strong in all school subjects. It also excels in Sports and Drama. The new building has great facilities for both.
In recent years, the school has become very good at putting on stage shows. These have included popular musicals like Little Shop of Horrors, Singin' in the Rain, Fame, Hairspray, Grease, The Sound of Music, Les Misérables, and West Side Story. The school also puts on plays, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2016. This play was even performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company's theatre in Stratford-on-Avon.
In December 2018, Wilsthorpe Community School changed its status. It became an academy and was renamed Wilsthorpe School. This means it is now sponsored by The Two Counties Trust, rather than being run by the local council.
Film Connection
In 2005, the school was used for filming parts of the movie This Is England by director Shane Meadows. The school was the setting for the opening fight scene in the film.
School Leadership and Facilities
The current headteacher of Wilsthorpe School is Derek Hobbs.
From 2008 to 2021, Jonathan Crofts was the headteacher. He used to be a teacher at Wilsthorpe and was a Deputy Headteacher at Chellaston School before becoming head here.
The school has a special sports pitch called the Bainbridge Astro. It has lights so it can be used at night. This pitch is named after John Bainbridge, who used to be the Head of Sport and Recreation at the school.
The Enterprise Centre was officially opened in May 2008 by Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire.
Academic Achievements
The latest information about the school's academic results is from the 2018/19 school year. This was before the school became an academy.
The school's Progress 8 score was average. This score measures how much progress students make from primary school to GCSEs.
The number of students taking the English Baccalaureate was above average. About 50% of students took it, compared to 35% in the local area. The English Baccalaureate is a set of GCSE subjects that are considered important.
About 45% of students achieved a grade 5 or higher in their English and maths GCSEs. This was similar to the local average of 44%. The Attainment 8 score, which measures overall achievement, was just below average.
Past School Shows
- 2011 - Little Shop of Horrors
- 2012 - Singin' in the Rain
- 2013 - Fame
- 2014 - Hairspray
- 2015 - Grease
- 2016 - The Sound of Music
- 2017 - Les Misérables
- 2018 - West Side Story
- 2019 - Legally Blonde
- 2020 - Oliver!
- 2021 - No show due to COVID-19 rules
- 2022 - Shrek the Musical
- 2023 - Guys and Dolls
- 2024 - High School Musical (Jr version)
- 2025 - Mary Poppins (Jr version)
Famous Former Students and Staff
Many people who went to or worked at Wilsthorpe School have gone on to do interesting things.
- Sir Brian Smedley, a Judge, taught here for a short time in 1957.
- Lucy Kite, a TV presenter.
- Mark Draper, a former professional footballer who played for teams like Aston Villa.
- Lewis McGugan, a professional footballer.
- Dan Wheeldon, a cricketer.
- Saira Khan, a TV personality.
- Perry Fitzpatrick, an actor.
