Hartismere School

Hartismere School

Motto	Discamus ut serviamus (We learn that we might serve)
Established	c. 15th century
Type	Academy
Headmaster	Mr J McAtear MA MPhil MEd MSc
Chair of Governors	Mrs M Ravenhill
Location	Castleton Way Eye Suffolk IP23 7BL England Coordinates: 52°19′24″N 1°08′11″E / 52.32339°N 1.13648°E / 52.32339; 1.13648
DfE number	935/4036
DfE URN	136271 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Students	928[1]
Gender	Mixed
Ages	11–18
Colours	blue, black and gold
Website	www.hartismere.com

Hartismere is a state funded co-educational day school for scholars aged 11–18 in Eye, a town in High Suffolk. The headmaster is James McAtear who joined the School in 2006.

In 2009 the school changed its status to become a Foundation School, the first in Suffolk. In September 2010 the school became Suffolk's first Academy.^[2] During its most recent inspection it was awarded an Outstanding school grade by Ofsted. The school has specialisms in Mathematics, Music, Science and Sport and in 2013 it was awarded Leading Edge status.^[3]

Neolithic Crouch Burial

History

The site of the current School was excavated in 2008 revealing continuous habitation dating back to Neolithic times. Enclosures included a full stone age burial, significant quantities of Roman coinage and a Saxon smithing area.^[4] The school has been gathering materials to set up a museum of local history. Planned exhibits will include Stone Age, Bronze Age, Celtic, Romano-British, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and early modern materials. It also aims to tell the story of Eye airfield and the role of the school during World War II.

The school was founded in the 15th century. Its original form predates the grammar school which was founded c. 1495.^[5] A variety of sites have been occupied by the School which has existed as a National School, a County School and was joined by a Secondary Modern in 1935. The Grammar School was closed in the late 1960s. The school became a Comprehensive and became known as Hartismere shortly thereafter.

Guildhall and original site of the School

Academy Status

Hartismere High School became Suffolk's first Foundation School in 2009. This meant that its Governing Body took ownership of the land and buildings of the school and became the employer of its own staff and its own admissions authority. Following this it became the first school in Suffolk to attain converter Academy on September 1, 2010. It became one of the first secondary schools to do so in England on the same day. At that point only schools graded outstanding by Ofsted were permitted to do so.

The Hartismere Family of Schools

Hartismere School was given Sponsor Academy status on September 1, 2010, the first in England to receive this status. However, it was only in 2016 that the multi-Academy Trust was set up. The became known as the Hartismere Family of Schools. On May 1, 2016 Benjamin Britten Music Academy and Centre of Excellence in mathematics became part of the Hartismere Family of Schools.^[6]

Ofsted Inspections

Hartismere High School was regarded as a Satisfactory School by Ofsted prior to its 2006 inspection. During that year it was graded as Good before two successive Inspections, the first in 2010^[7] and the second in 2014 graded the school as Outstanding.^[8]

The School Estate

The school is entered via a vined archway. Visitors are met by a life size sculpture of a stag in water which is both lit at night and is surrounded by an engraving of the school logo. Latin mottos are inlaid on the entranceway and welcome steps. The reception is hung with the paintings of student artists from both Upper School and the College. The Lines Hall facecs reception and is named after former Headmaster Mr Lines who died after only four years in post in 1985.

The Reading Room is reserved solely for scholars in the College and houses a reference only Library. It faces the College across the Inner Garden which acts as the main playground for scholars in Lower School. The Inner Garden is surrounded by Classroom Suites for Humanities, Mathematics, The Science Laboratories and The Art and Photography Studios. The campus style means that scholars move between seven school buildings. The Old Field sits behind the modern floodlit astro turf and The New Fields occupy a footstep that is equivalent to that of the rest of the school site. Gemma's Garden and Eve's Garden memorialise former members of the teaching staff and contain the apple orchard and school pond. The Dance Studio, floodlit Tennis and Netball courts, The Sports Hall, a floodlit all weather Astro Turf, cricket wicket and track and field area comprise the Physical Education facilities. The Library houses the School's museum which is open to accompanied visitors.

The Hartismere Hundred

The School motto of serving is seen by its staff and children as embodied in The Hartismere Hundred. This is the system by which the school supports one hundred charities annually and seeks to raise at least £100000 rotationally. It harks back to the geographical Hartismere Hundred of the Doomsday Book.^[9] Scholars are introduced to this form of service in the first year of Lower School through supporting Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Headmasters

1495-1532, Thomas Golding; 1532-1548, No Headmaster; 1650-1672, Thomas Brown; 1675-?, Thomas Brown (returned); 1822-?, Rev John Knevett; 1837-1874, Rev. Charles Notley; 1888-1921, Mr Frederick Bray; 1937-1965, Mr Eric Crinean; 1982-1985, Mr Roger Lines; 1986-2016, Mr Richard Hewitt; 2006-present, Mr James McAtear^[10]

Notable former pupils

• Dan Hipkiss: a retired Rugby Union player who played at Centre for Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers. Hipkiss has represented England at U16, U17, U18, U21 and England A. His full England début came versus Wales in a World Cup warm up match at Twickenham on 4 August 2007.[2]* He appeared for England in the Rugby World Cup final in Paris in 2007^[11]
• Alex Reddington: violinist with the Doric quartet.^[12] In 2008 the string quartet won 1st prize in the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Japan.

External links

• Hartismere School Website

Notes