Soham Village College

Soham Village College is a state secondary school with specialist Foundation Technology College and Language College status in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England. It has around 1350 students, aged 11 to 16. It has a wide catchment area which does not include Ely, although some students from Ely and the neighbouring villages attend the school. The college is split over two adjacent sites, Beechurst (formerly a large house) and Lodeside, built more recently.

The School is controlled by Cambridgeshire LEA.

  

History

The College has its origins in the Soham Free School, established in 1686. The School became known as the Soham Grammar School from 1878 and occupied a site on Churchgate Street. In 1925 the Grammar School moved to Beechurst House, located on Sand Street. Beechurst House (built in 1901) was formerly the home of the late Newmarket jockey, Charles Morbey. The Grammar School took boys aged 11-18 from surrounding villages, and was also home to a few weekly boarders.

The name Soham Village College comes from the former secondary modern style Village College which was established in 1958. The original village college took boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 15, and was built on a 17-acre (69,000 m²) site next to the Soham Lode known as Moat Fields. The village college system was the brainchild of Henry Morris, the Chief Education Officer at Cambridgeshire County Council. The College was officially opened by the Baronet and MP Sir Edward Boyle, a former Minister for Education. Morris's emphasis was on a community based establishment, and indeed the College was equipped with a public library and a youth leader.

The present day village college came into being in 1972 when the modern co-educational Village College merged with the long-established Grammar School. The merger was a direct result of the government raising the school-leaving age to 16.

Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s building work was carried out under the headships of A.E. Lawrence (between 1972 and 1985) and Dr. A.W. Bullock (between 1985 and 1999). This included the construction of the Ross Peers Sports Centre, a music block, and a science and technology block.

In 1993 the village college gained grant maintained status. This allowed for generous donations, such as the funds donated in the mid 1990s by Simon Gibson for the extension to the Mathematics and English departments (known as the Gibson Block in his honour).

In June 1998 the 'M Block', which contains science, humanities, ICT and languages rooms, was opened by Princess Margaret.

In August 2002 the school became infamous as the place where double child killer Ian Huntley worked as school caretaker. Clothing from the murdered children was found on the school grounds, leading to Huntley's arrest and eventual conviction in the Soham Murders case. Huntley's house on the school site, and the storage hangar where the clothing was found, were both later demolished.

Academic reputation

In the school's 2010 public exam results, 73% achieved at least 5 grade A-C GCSEs. The school still attracts many students from many schools both within and outside the catchment area. Many students have the opportunity to take extracurricular GCSE's, including Astronomy, Society Health & Development, Italian and Spanish.

However, students wishing to continue onto sixth form studies must change schools, usually attending establishments in nearby Ely or Cambridge.

  

New and Future Developments

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New Inclusion Facility

 

In April 2010 the 'The Lode Centre' was refurbished to incorporates an new inclusion facility and is now known as 'The ISLE'. The centre will continue to house the Youth Development Team as well as being used for after school clubs.

Academy Status

 

As of 7th December 2010, the school governors voted unanimously to convert the school into an academy. A meeting was held with parents, who generally received this well. A final decision was announced on 30th January 2011. On 2nd February, the school announced that it would go forward with the conversion. The school will become an academy as of 1st April 2011.

New Performing Arts Block

 

On 6th April 2010, the school began the construction of a new Performing Arts Centre. It will be used for lessons (and activities) in music, dance and drama. The centre was finished in mid-2011 and opened by Ian Lavender on the 3rd November 2011.

Proposed New Sixth Form and College Green

 

During April 2010, East Cambridgeshire District Council issued the final draft of the Soham Masterplan Vision, a proposed improvement/redevelopment of the town over the next 20 years. The plan included a Sixth Form college and a new college green. The Sixth Form would be built at the current location of Soham's playing fields and the College green would be in-between St Andrew's C of E Primary, the new Performing Arts Centre and Beechurst.

New Multi-Purpose Tennis Courts

 

From January 2011 the Construction of new State of the Art Tennis Courts began to replace the original tennis courts which were demolished in order for the new Performing Arts block to be Built. They were built on what was Lodeside Playground and Opened in March 2011.

Awards

The Village College holds many awards. Currently it is a Foundation College with specialist status in technology and languages. The College has also been awarded the Artsmark - Bronze Award, International School Award, School Achievement Award, Sport England SportsMark Award, Basic Skills Quality Mark and Becta ICT Mark for Excellence in ICT.

The students are also awarded many different forms of awards for various achievements by the school, such as outstanding attendance, distinctive progression, and extra-curricular activities out of school such as sport. Scarlet ties are awarded to students who excell within sport, whether that be dedication to school teams or county sport participation, Emerald ties are awarded to those who are dedicated to the school's performing arts or county-level performing organisations. Tri-coloured ties are awarded to those within either the performing arts or sports at a national level.

Catchment area

 

The school has a wide catchment area, owing to its rural location. Students come mainly from the following areas:

• Soham
• Barway
• Wicken
• Fordham
• Isleham
• Chippenham
• Snailwell
• Kennett
• Burwell

However, some students come from other nearby settlements outside of the catchment area including:

• Stuntney
• Ely
• Littleport
• Newmarket
• Little Downham
• Witchford
• Stretham
• Wilburton
• Haddenham

The principal feeder primary schools are:

• St Andrew's C of E Primary (Soham)
• The Weatheralls (Soham)
• Fordham C of E Primary
• Isleham C of E Primary
• Kennett Primary
• Burwell Village College (Primary)
• Ely St. Johns (Primary)
• Ely St. Mary's (Primary)

50th Anniversary Celebrations (1958-2008)

 

A weekend of celebrations was staged to mark the 50th anniversary of Soham Village College. Between the 23rd and 25th of January 2009, displays of memorabilia and personal souvenirs provided a chronological account of past events and life at the Village College.