Norton Hill School

Academy in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England

51°17′03″N 2°28′54″W / 51.2842°N 2.4817°W / 51.2842; -2.4817InformationTypeAcademyMottoThe best for all our students. The best from all our students^{[citation needed]}Established1911; 113 years ago (1911)SpecialistsEconomics & Business, Maths & Computing, Languages, Sportsmark, ArtsmarkDepartment for Education URN136335 TablesOfstedReportsHeadteacherGordon GreenGenderCo-educationalAge11 to 18Enrolment1,519 (2013^[1])HousesBlackdown, Cotswold, Exmoor, Mendip and QuantockColour(s)Purple, Yellow, Blue, Red & GreenWebsitewww.nortonhillschool.com

Norton Hill School is a state school with academy status in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England. It is part of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership academy group.^[2] It was formerly the Midsomer Norton Grammar School.^{[citation needed]}

The school had 1,519 students from the age of 11 to 18 as of 2013 including 266 in the sixth form.^[1] It is situated in the Norton Hill area of west Midsomer Norton, north of Radstock. It is between Silver Street (B3355) and Fosseway (A367) near the former Midsomer Norton railway station, being nearer to Silver Street and just east of the railway centre.

History

Grammar school

Some of the current school buildings date back to its original foundation as Midsomer Norton Grammar School in 1911.^[3] In the 1950s, Midsomer Norton Grammar School teacher David Penrose and pupils from the school explored the newly discovered Hillier's Cave in the Mendip Hills, naming it after Gordon Hillier, headmaster at the school from 1926 to 1958.^[4]

Comprehensive

Norton Hill became a comprehensive school in September 1971. Secondary Modern schools at Paulton and Timsbury were also closed and their catchment areas and historical documentation transferred to Norton Hill.^[5]

In 1999, it gained specialist school status as a Technology College. In 2007, the specialism was changed to Maths and Computing College. In 2006, Norton Hill was awarded a second specialism as a Language College.

The school has received both the Sportsmark Award by Sport England and Artsmark Silver Award.^[6]

Academic performance

The school was described by Ofsted in 2007 as outstanding in every respect.^[7] Its GCSE results place it^[when?] seventh overall and fourth in the state schools in Bath and North East Somerset. At A-Level it is 12th in the area for points per pupil score, just below the average.^[8] In 2013 OFSTED awarded Norton Hill 'good'.^[9]

Alumni

Midsomer Norton Grammar School

Sir Kenneth Warren (briefly), Conservative MP for Hastings from 1970 to 1983 and Hastings and Rye from 1983 to 1992.^[10]

Norton Hill School

Duncan Steel, astronomer.^[11]
Liz Durden-Myers, academic
Maisie Williams, actress.
Tim Weaver, author.
Gareth Paisey, musician Los Campesinos!

References

^ ^a ^b "Norton Hill Academy" (PDF). Oftsed. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
^ "Welcome to Norton Hill School". Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
^ "Norton Hill School 2015-16 Prospectus" (PDF). nortonhillschool.com. 2015. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
^ ^ Witcombe, Richard (2009). Who was Aveline anyway?: Mendip's Cave Names Explained (2nd ed.). Priddy: Wessex Cave Club. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-9500433-6-4
^ "SECONDARY EDUCATION (NORTON-RADSTOCK) (Hansard, 5 August 1966)". api.parliament.uk.
^ "Awards". Norton Hill School. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
^ "Norton Hill School". Retrieved 7 December 2007.
^ "Secondary schools and colleges in Bath and NE Somerset". BBC News. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
^ "Norton Hill OFSTED Inspection Awarded 'Good' for 2013". OFSTED. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
^ "Burke's Peerage – Preview Family Record". Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
^ http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Shop-s-T-shirt-sales-sent-orbit/article-1862519-detail/article.html^{[permanent dead link]}