The Willink School

Infobox UK school
name = The Willink School


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motto = "Fides et Amor"
(Faith and Love)
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established = 1957
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closed =
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type = Comprehensive community school
religion = Non-denominational
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = Peter Fry MA
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specialist = Language College
street = School Lane
city = Burghfield Common
county = Berkshire
country = United Kingdom
postcode = RG7 3XJ
LEA = West Berkshire
ofsted = 110048
staff =
enrollment = 913
gender = Co-educational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses = Barcelona, London, New York, Paris, Milan, Sydney
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latitude = 51.397
longitude = -1.0700
website = http://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=3046
website_name = Official website

The Willink School is a co-educational comprehensive located in the village of Burghfield Common, Berkshire. The school was founded in 1957, becoming fully-comprehensive in 1975.Quotation|Combines its traditional village ethos with a forward planning appreciation of the future|Good Schools Guide (date unknown)|http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/cgi-bin/gsgdir.cgi?SDETAILSPAGE&OL=Yes&SiteS=None&NUMGSG=102918&Retry=Yes&Num=1 [Lucas, R., (n.d). "The Good Schools Guide". London: Lucas Publications]

Qualifications

Language College

The school was awarded language college status in 1994 - the first school in the county with such an honour. [ [http://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=3062 The Willink ::: Language College ] ] However, the [http://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=2553 official website] is contradictory and in numerous examples states the accolade as 1996.

econdary Education

ubjects

Design Technology is divided into four core areas:
*Food Technology
*Graphic Products
*Resistant Materials
*Textiles

[http://www.westberks.org/GroupRenderCustomPage.asp?GroupID=1863&ResourceId=21865 Subjects in the Year 7 to 11 Curriculum]

Leaver Statistics

[http://www.westberks.org/GroupRenderCustomPage.asp?GroupID=1863&ResourceId=21873 Destinations of School Leavers - July 2005]

ixth Form College

The Willink School also offers post-secondary education.

Courses

*Art and Design
*Art and Design (GNVQ)
*Biology
*Business Studies
*Business Studies (GNVQ)
*Chemistry
*Design and Technology
*Drama
*English Literature
*French
*Geography
*German
*History
*ICT
*Mathematics and Further Mathematics
*Media Studies
*Music
*Music Technology
*Performing Arts
*Physics
*Psychology
*Spanish
*Sociology

"NB: all qualifications are A level unless otherwise stated - list correct as of 2006/07 academic year".

Adult Education

The Modern Foreign Language department at the school offers evening classes for the local community. [ [http://www.westberks.org/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=3768 The Willink ::: Adult Education ] ] The courses run for ten weeks and the languages on offer are:
*Arabic
*Chinese (Mandarin)
*Czech
*English
*French
*German
*Greek
*Italian
*Japanese
*Polish
*Portuguese
*Russian
*Spanish

OFSTED Inspection

The 2005 OFSTED inspection ranked the school (in most sections) as grade two - "generally above average with none " [sic] " significantly below average". The following assessments were classed as grade one - "exceptionally and consistently high":
*Provision, support and guidance of learners "(post-secondary)"
*Effective and efficient resource management "(school-overall)" [http://www.westberks.org/GroupDownloadFile.asp?GroupID=3045&ResourceId=25399] [ [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=summary&id=110048 Whitmore High School ] ] [http://www.westberks.org/GroupDownloadFile.asp?GroupID=3045&ResourceId=25399 Full OFSTED report]

House System

Until the end of the 2004/05 academic year, the houses at "The Willink" were named after four local ecclesiastical parishes:
* Abbots - blue
* Bannister - green
* Ufton - yellow
* Wokefield - red

However, at the start of the 2005 autumn term, the number of houses was augmented and renamed as:
*Barcelona - orange
*London - red
*New York - blue
*Paris - navy blue
*Milan - yellow
*Sydney - green

Leisure Centre

Built in 1997, the Willink Leisure Centre provides for both the school and the local community. Originally partially funded by local councils, the centre is now managed by Parkwood Leisure on behalf of the local authority. [ [http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10024 West Berkshire Council - Willink Leisure Centre ] ]

Facilities

*25m indoor swimming pool
*Fitness suite
*Sports hall
*Sprung floor gymnasium
*Outdoor floodlit sports areas
*Aquarium

References