Dene Magna School

Dene Magna School is a secondary school in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, England. The school takes both girls and boys, and has 1005 pupils aged between 11 and 18, including a sixth form.[1] In 2005, the school was included on Ofsted's "Honours List" of 234 high-achieving schools,[2] and received further positive Ofsted reports in 2008 and 2012.[3] The headteacher is Stephen Brady, who replaced Robert Broadbridge in December 2009.[1]

Dene Magna School
100%
Address
Abenhall Road

Mitcheldean
,
Gloucestershire
,
GL17 0DU

England
Coordinates51°51′33″N 2°29′03″W
Information
TypeAcademy[1]
Motto"That each and every learner shall achieve their maximum potential and enjoy the process."
Established1930 (re-named 1985)
Department for Education URN137387 Tables
OfstedReports
ChairMatthew Reid
HeadteacherStephen Brady[1]
Deputy HeadteacherFred Mitchell
Staff120
GenderCoeducational[1]
Age11 to 18[1]
Enrolment1005[1]
Capacity1125[1]
Houses
  Dowty
  Foley
  Jenner
  Wilson
Colour(s)Blue, Yellow and White
Websitehttp://www.denemagna.co.uk

School history

The school was established in 1930 as Abenhall County Secondary School.[4] It became a secondary modern school following the Education Act 1944, and was then known as Abenhall Secondary Modern School.[4] It later became Abenhall Comprehensive School, and was renamed Dene Magna Comprehensive School in 1985.[5]

The school became a Technology College in 1999.[6]

In 2011 the school adopted academy status, allowing governors and school management to take control of financial oversight of the school.[7]

The school's sixth form was established in 2019 and is based at Gloucestershire College.[8] Another school, John Kyrle High School in Herefordshire, had requested judicial review of the decision which the Regional School Commissioner had made about the new sixth form, but lost the case and was ordered to pay £55,000 to Dene Magna School.[9]

School performance

The school has a history of working to improve teaching.[10] In 1993 it set up the Gloucestershire Initial Teacher Education Partnership with Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education.[10] In 2002 the school was reported as "held in extremely high regard" and as a "leading edge school".[6] In 2005 the school was noted to have observation rooms where teachers could be observed.[11] In 2006 it had a "reflective practitioner programme" which contributed to a "powerful learning environment".[12]

In 2008 and again in 2012 the school was judged Outstanding by Ofsted; as of 2022 the 2012 inspection is the most recent.[3] This is despite a catchment area described as "not ... an advantaged area".[6]

Health and environmental campaigns

In 2000, the school was awarded a certificate by the United Nations for its contribution to environmental education, when a seven-month campaign to reduce the school's waste resulted in a 59% reduction in the volume of rubbish produced.[13] The staff intended to change the menus for the food offered by the school to make the students' diets healthier, responding to the area's status as being the area with the highest incidence of heart disease in the country.[14] The school was quoted as a case study in the White paper on public health.[15]

The school has links with other schools in Kenya, Spain, Qatar and Japan.[16][17] It achieved the International School Award in 1999.[18]

Notable former pupils

References
  1. "Dene Magna School". Get Information about Schools. Gov.UK. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  2. "Government News Network OFSTED launches 'Honours List' of England's most successful schools and colleges". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
  3. Limm, Peter (2012). "Dene Magna School". Ofsted. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  4. "A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 5, Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, the Forest of Dean". British History Online. Victoria County Histories. 1996. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  5. "ABENHALL COUNTY SECONDARY SCHOOL later DENE MAGNA COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL". The National Archives. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  6. Hughes, Mike (2002). Tweak to Transform: Improving teaching: a practical handbook for school leaders. A & C Black. ISBN 9781855394346. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  7. Norris, Frank (2012). "Academy conversion and predecessor schools". Ofsted. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. Brazendale, Sarah (7 May 2021). "Exciting futures ahead for sixth formers at Dene Magna". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. Garcia, Carmelo (19 November 2020). "Herefordshire school's £187,000 bill for battle with rival". Hereford Times. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  10. "Parliamentary Debates: Standing committees". Hansard. Houses of Parliament. 1993. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  11. Bubb, Sara (2005). Helping Teachers Develop. SAGE. ISBN 9781412918992. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  12. Schollaert, Rudi; Leenheer, Pieter (2006). Spirals of change: educational change as a driving force for school improvement. Lannoo Uitgeverij. ISBN 9789020968125. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  13. 'How Dene Magna turned greener'. BBC news online, 30 December 2003
  14. "'Goodbye Mr Chip'. TeacherNet case study". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  15. "The Government's Public Health White Paper (Cm 6374): Written Evidence" (PDF). House of Commons Health Committee. 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  16. Cosway, D (1996). "INSPECTION REPORT: DENE MAGNA SCHOOL". Ofsted. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  17. "Funding for Links with Japan (UK)". Grants Online Local. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  18. "IAIN BAIRD". Global Learning Association. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  19. Iles, Robert (20 December 2018). "Gloucester-born Natasha Hunt is one of three players to be awarded England Women XV contracts". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
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