Seaham School of Technology

The Seaham School of Technology is a secondary school located in Seaham, County Durham, England, for pupils aged 11–16. It is the only secondary school in the area, acting as a hub for most year 6 children leaving the local primary schools.

New school

In 2007, it was reported in the local newspaper, the Seaham Star, that the school is to be rebuilt on a field at the back of the Milton Close area of Deneside. Pupils and parents were invited into the school to voice their opinion on plans for the new school. Its cost is currently estimated at £16,000,000 and it is scheduled for construction in 2013. The old school uniform consisted of black trousers, a white polo shirt, and a royal blue jumper with school name on it. Year 11 pupils can choose the colour of their sweatshirt, usually with the school name and logo embroidered on it. In September 2010 after consultation with the students, the school returned to wearing blazers. Most recently, planning permission for a new school building was granted for the area which was formerly occupied by Seaham Colliery (locally known as "The Knack pit"). In 2010, the Building Schools for the Future plan was scrapped by the new Conservative coalition government. As a result of this Seaham School will not be getting the new buildings that had previously been approved.

Further Education

The school currently does not have its own sixth form but it does sponsor Byron College which is available to students leaving the school who seek further education. Partly due to open days and visits to the school from further education establishments, the vast majority of students leaving the school go to either City of Sunderland College or Durham Sixth Form College.

Following the success of St. Peter's Sixth Form College (a partnership between the schools of Sunderland), Seaham School of Technology has announced that it has created a partnership between Sunderland College and two other schools to create a state-of-the-art sixth form centre to be called Headways.

Although Seaham School of Technology has had a bad reptutation (after being put into special measures), this school has improved massively. The pupils seem a lot happier and their results come out better each year.

Staff List

A more comprehensive list is available on the school website.

Recent developments

In 2010 the school was placed under special measures due to a number of critical failures recognised by Ofsted. The number of GCSEs students were required to take was reduced and more emphasis placed on BTEC qualifications due to the mediocre results the school achieved in 2009. Other schemes were also implemented such as a heightened level of security and only Year 11 and Year 10 are now able to leave the grounds at lunch time and only by using an ID card received after the return of a parental consent slip, they also have members of staff patrolling the school grounds and nearby areas for pupils who attempt to leave the school without permission, by climbing over spiked fences, which has resulted in a number of injuries. In late 2010 Seaham School was removed from special measures after Ofsted noted a dramatic improvement in performance.

Also in 2010, it was decided that all pupils would have the choice of 1 GCSE option and 1 BTEC option when going into year 10. Following protests from both pupils and parents alike the rule was changed, to allow pupils to take 2 GCSE options, but the school still required all students take the BTEC option as well. It is also mandatory at the school for all the pupils to take a Design and Technology subject which has also led to complaints.

External links

• Seaham School of Technology. School's website.