The Priory Academy LSST

The Priory Academy LSST
LSST logo
Motto Courage and Courtesy
Established 1992
Type Academy
Headteacher Jane Hopkinson
Chair of Governors John Weir
Location Cross O'Cliff Hill
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
LN5 8PW
England
53°12′31″N 0°32′46″W / 53.2085°N 0.5460°W / 53.2085; -0.5460Coordinates: 53°12′31″N 0°32′46″W / 53.2085°N 0.5460°W / 53.2085; -0.5460
DfE URN 135565 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Staff approx. 200
Students approx. 1900
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–19
Houses Sempringham, Castille, Alexandria and Avalon
Colours Navy Blue, Purple
Website The Priory Academy LSST

The Priory Academy LSST is a high-performing, co-educational, partially-selective academy school, boarding school and teaching school situated on Cross O'Cliff Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. It specialises in science, technology and teaching, and is the lead school of the Lincolnshire Teaching Schools Alliance[1]. It is also the lead member of The Priory Federation of Academies.

The Priory Academy LSST is the most over-subscribed school in Lincolnshire, the largest school on a single site in the county and one of the most popular of its kind in the country[2].

History

The school is on the site of South Park High School, which had originally opened in May 1922 as an all-girls grammar school (South Park Girls' Grammar School) for the south of the city. New buildings were added in October 1938 and extensions in 1962 and between 1974 and 1977. It became co-educational in September 1974. The school was closed on 27 July 1989 due to falling numbers.[3] South Park had been originally intended for 200 pupils, however, by the time it closed its size had reached 900.

The school was reopened as The Lincoln School of Science and Technology in September 1992, admitting only year seven pupils in its first year, growing in size each year as a new year group joined. Its name changed at the end of 1999 to The Priory LSST, after the nearby St. Katherine's Priory.

In 2008, the school transferred to academy status under the newly formed Priory Federation of Academies, changing to its current name, The Priory Academy LSST.

Headteachers

Sep 1992Aug 1997Frank Green
Sep 1997Dec 2008Richard Gilliland
Jan 2008Aug 2016Ian Jones
Sep 2016presentJane Hopkinson

The current Headteacher is Jane Hopkinson, a former Deputy Headteacher at the academy and Director of Student Standards for the Federation. She was also previously the Headteacher of The Priory City of Lincoln Academy before assuming the headship of LSST in September 2016, following the departure of Ian Jones to the singular role of CEO of the Federation, having previously combined the two roles.

Campus

St. Katherine's Site

The Priory LSST Quad, as seen from the Science Section of the School.

On the main academy site there is a large central garden known as the Quad, in addition to a number of individual gardens for the use of specific year groups. There are also three courts situated at the front of the school, used by year nine, ten and eleven pupils at break and lunchtime, and as a large car park following the end of the school day. The main academy site is also the location of the 'Old Hall', which hosts a large variety of events, including the annual theatre production and talent show.

Attached to the original school buildings is the academy's Department of Technology, which is based around a central concourse housing a laser cutting machine. There are workshops for woodwork, cookery, electronics, textiles, engineering and product design, as well as a robotics lab (The Mackinder Lab) opened in 2015 by MARC (Multi-Actuated Robotic Companion) from the University of Lincoln.[4][5]

Newark Road Site

The main site is linked to the other side of the academy by a large, covered walkway, alongside which there is the Swimming Pool, Boathouse, Pavilion (containing recently renovated classrooms, a study room, and the Department of Psychology), year eleven garden, and a non-denominational chapel which stands alongside the academy's own version of the Chartres Labyrinth. There are separate blocks housing the Department of Religious Education, Department of History, Department of Geography (Rawson Geography Centre) and Department of Music (which contains a sound-proofed recording studio).

At the end of the walkway, there is another large building which houses the Departments of English, Drama and Art. The New Hall is also situated in this building, alongside the lecture theatre, gallery and a reception area for Sixth Form students. Located just outside this building is a food outlet known as 'The Shed' and a shooting range for the use of the academy's Combined Cadet Force.

Sixth Form Centre

The Sixth Form of over 500 pupils is centred around the Sixth Form Centre, which contains a large common room, restaurant and study areas, in addition to staff offices and a multipurpose classroom.

Newton Centre

Officially opened on 29 June 2011, the Newton Centre is a Sixth Form science centre on the academy campus, accessible from a separate walkway that leads from behind the Rawson Geography Centre. The Newton Centre contains a planetarium, laboratories and the Gagarin Debating Chamber.

The Priory Sports Centre

Facilities include a 400m synthetic Olympic-standard running track outside the Sports Centre, and a 60m indoor running track integrated with a multipurpose sports hall. There are classrooms and a state of the art gymnasium, available for use by students during PE lessons and outside school hours through Priory Leisure. On 15 October 2013, The Priory Sports Centre was officially opened by Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE.[6] There is also a rugby pitch situated on a grass bank above the running track, as well as a large field used for PE lessons and other sports events. Within the running track, there are areas for shot putt, javelin and hammer throw. There is also a long-jump pit.

Robert de Cheney Boarding House

The Robert de Cheney Boarding House, opened in 2011, is located adjacent to the Sports Centre. The academy is one of only 40 state boarding schools in England. The majority of boarding pupils are from abroad, with significant numbers from the Czech Republic, Spain, China and the Middle East. It has 60 full-time boarding places in single, ensuite study bedrooms, and was given an outstanding rating by Ofsted in 2014.[7]

Curriculum

An Ofsted inspection in November 2010[8] rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) overall and in most areas. The inspection report stated that the school should promote community cohesion and improve the use of assessment in teaching; both areas were rated Grade 2 (good).[9]

Pupils undergo an accelerated curriculum at Key Stage 3, and begin their GCSE courses in all subjects in Year 9. The subjects taken include the core English Baccalaureate as well as pupils being able to choose from a range of options. Pupils take all of their GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11, with a few exceptions such as a pupil taking a Foreign Language GCSE early if they are already fluent in that language.

In 2015 the Department for Education stated that the school had an 89% GCSE A*-C pass rate, a fall of 10% from 2013 (including English and Maths).[10] This made it the 15th most successful school at GCSE level in the Lincolnshire Learning Authority [11] and the top-performing school in Lincoln.

Sixth Form

The school has a Sixth Form of around 540 pupils. With the introduction of new, linear A Levels (with examinations taking place at the end of the course), students now study three subjects for the two years, with some limited scope for students to take a fourth subject, as well as the opportunity to undertake an Extended Project Qualification. Students will only take the AS exams at the end of Year 12 (which have now been decoupled, and do not count towards the overall A Level grade) in individual cases; for example, if they are leaving at the end of Year 12, in addition to all students studying Further Mathematics.

Due to the school's membership of The Priory Federation of Academies, Sixth Form students are able to study vocational or occupational courses at the federation's two other schools in Lincoln with sixth form provision, The Priory City of Lincoln Academy and The Priory Witham Academy. In the same way, students from those schools may study some subjects at LSST that their school does not have the capacity to offer. For example, all students studying A Levels in science subjects at the other two academy sixth forms in Lincoln take lessons at LSST.

Extracurricular Life

Extracurricular activities at the academy include an annual theatre production, debating and philosophy societies, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to gold level. The academy also has its own Combined Cadet Force, one of only 62 state schools in the country.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lincolnshireteachingschoolstogether.co.uk
  2. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7325921/Thousands-miss-out-in-race-for-school-places.html
  3. ↑ http://www.lincstothepast.com/LINCOLN-SOUTH-PARK-HIGH-SCHOOL/886640.record?pt=S
  4. ↑ http://www.priorylsst.co.uk/blog/?pid=156&nid=7&storyid=306
  5. ↑ http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2015/10/3d-printed-android-opens-new-robotics-lab-at-lincoln-school/
  6. ↑ "Sir Matthew Pinsent opens Priory Sports Centre". Lincolnshire Today. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  7. ↑ http://www.priorylsst.co.uk/page/?title=Boarding&pid=106
  8. ↑ November 2010 Ofsted Report (PDF)
  9. ↑ November 2010 Ofsted Report (PDF)
  10. ↑ http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/group.pl?qtype=LA&superview=sec&view=secprov&set=1&tab=803&no=925&sort=secprov_15.ptac5em_prov&ord=desc
  11. ↑ http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/group.pl?qtype=LA&superview=sec&view=secprov&set=1&tab=803&no=925&sort=secprov_15.ptac5em_prov&ord=desc
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