Ellesmere College, Leicester

Ellesmere College is a community special school in Leicester, England. It serves secondary school students with moderate learning difficulties. Established on 28 August 1995, the school is recognized as a specialist Sports College.

History

Ellesmere College was opened by ex-Leicester City Football Club striker Gary Lineker on 4 September 1995, with Principal Fiona Moir and Vice Principal Dave Thomas at the launch of the new school.

In June 1997 Robbie Savage, ex-Leicester City player, handed over the keys to the first Ellesmere College minibus.

Staff

Principals of Ellesmere College:

• Fiona Moir (4 September 1995 – 14 July 2006)
• Andrew Large (4 September 2006 – 18 December 2009)
• Lin Richardson & Lisa Pittwood (4 January 2010 – present)

Post 16 Sixth Form Managers:

• Neil Foster (4 September 1995 – 13 July 2001)
• Andrea Knight née Soulsby (3 September 2001 – 13 July 2012)
• Nila Lodhia (3 September 2012 –July 15, 2016)
• Nicky Hardwick (1 September 2016 – present)

Assistant Principals:

• Dave Thomas (4 September 1995 – 10 July 2009)
• Neville Logue (3 September 2010 – present)

Longest Serving Staff

• Neville Logue (4 September 1995 – present)
• Linda Oakley née Hill (4 September 1995 – present)
• Tracey Pyatt (4 September 1995 – present)
• Karen Cooper (4 September 1995 – present)
• Carol Paget (4 September 1995 – present)
• Nila Lodhia (4 September 1995 – present)
• Joanne Cave (4 September 1995 – present)
• Glynnis Gallard (4 September 1995 – present)
• Nikki Cunningham (27 August 1996 – present)
• Lisa Pittwood (27 August 1997 – present)
• Paul Gosling (27 August 1997 – present)

Ellesmere College celebrated its 20th anniversary on 7 September 2015.

Sites

• Ellesmere Road (4 September 1995 – 11 July 2014)
• Braunstone Lane East (3 September 2014 – present)

It has been confirmed that Ellesmere College will move to the old Riverside Community College on Lyncote Road on 3 September 2014, Ellesmere will be leaving their old site at Ellesmere Road on 11 July 2014. From 3 September 2014 Ellesmere College will be a Community Special School from their new location at Braunstone Lane via Braunstone Lane East. Students move in to new building on 3 September. Staff move to new building 11 August. New ages will be 4-19 from current 11-19 which runs out on 11 July 2014.

From 1 September 2014 Ellesmere College's address is:

Ellesmere College

40 Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

Leicestershire

LE3 2FD

On 30 June 1995 Long Close, Greenacres & Highleas Special Schools all closed, and the three schools merged and were named Ellesmere College. King Richard III Secondary School had the old Ellesmere Road site from 31 August 1964 to 16 July 1993.

Former staff

• Dave Thomas (4 September 1995 – 10 July 2009)
• Fiona Moir (4 September 1995 – 17 July 2006)
• Neil Foster (4 September 1995- 17 July 2009)
• Ashlee Smith (7 September 2015- 20 May 2016)
• Steph Tirrell (7 September 2015-October 10th 2016)
• Simon Coopey (3 September 2007 – 18 December 2015)
• Sue Mangham (5 September 2005 – 15 July 2016)
• Julie Sheared (4 September 1995 – 17 February 2015)
• Sue Bird (4 September 1995 – 11 July 2014)
• Janet Day (3 September 1996 – 10 July 2009)
• Jill Townsend (4 September 1995 – 16 July 2010)
• Isabel Granger (4 September 1995 – 16 July 2010)
• Andrew Large (4 January 2006 – 18 December 2009)
• Liz Biscombe (4 September 1995 – 15 July 2016)
• Paul Edwards (4 September 1995 – 11 July 2014)
• Mike Tupling (4 September 1995 – 11 July 1997)
• Anne Hurst (4 September 1995 – 11 July 1997)
• Tony Spencer (4 September 1995 – July 2001)
• Janet Stevens (4 September 1995 – 12 July 1996)
• Reece Pinks (4 September 1995 – 11 July 2014)
• Paul Chilvers (4 September 1995 – 12 July 1996)
• Maria Cooper (4 September 1995 – 12 July 1996)
• Julian White (4 September 1995 – 12 July 1996)
• Lucy Ryan (4 September 1995 – 12 July 1996)
• Lynne Glover (4 September 1995 – 12 July 2002)

Extracurricular activities

Sports at Ellesmere College include athletics, dance, football, rugby, and volleyball.

Ellesmere College football managers

• Neville Logue (2 February 1996 – 12 July 1996)
• Neil Foster (6 September 1996 – 8 July 2005)
• Paul Biscombe (6 April 2001 – 13 July 2001)
• Sue Mangham (2 September 2005 –15 July 2016)

PE/Sports Team

• Amy Gibson (1 September 2013 – present)
• Maria Bird (1 September 2005 – present)
• Paul Biscombe (4 September 2000 – present)
• John Duggan (7 September 2012 – present)
• Sandra Pugh (7 September 2012 – present)
• Lucy Rogan ( 30 August 2016- present)
• Kirsty Matthews ( 30 August 2016 present)
• Jack Lane ( 30 August 2015-present)

Ellesmere College made their début in the first-ever football match which took place on 2 February 1996 against Maplewell. Ellesmere won the game 6–1. Neville Logue was the very first manager of the football team. In 2016 it is 20 years since they have been playing against teams from Keyham Lodge, Maplewell Hall, and Millgate.

Notable former students

• Lee Penfold, Basketball Player for Team Great Britain at the 2007 and 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China^[1] and Athens, Greece. Former student (28 August 1995 – 13 July 2001).
• Miles Middleton, Gymnastics for Team Great Britain at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland. Former student (29 August 1996 – 9 July 1999).
• Tom Taylor, Basketball Player for Team GB at 2011 Special Olympics World Games Athens, Greece. Former student (30 August 2004 – 10 July 2009).
• Shaun Pickering, Basketball Player for Leicester District Special Olympics. Former student (4 September 1995 – 9 July 1999).
• Julie Freestone, Basketball Player for Leicester District Special Olympics. Former student (4 September 1995 – 14 July 2000).
• Fatima Omjari, Basketball Player for Leicester District Special Olympics Basketball Club. Former student (4 September 1995 – 14 July 2000).

References

External links

• Ellesmere College