Farmor's School
Academy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Farmor's School is a secondary school with academy status in Fairford, Gloucestershire. Including the Sixth Form, the school currently has about 1,000 students on roll.
| Farmor's School | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Established | 1738 |
| Local authority | LEA |
| Department for Education URN | 137097 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Head teacher | Mark Surowiec |
| Enrollment | 1,044 |
| Website | www |
After receiving an inspection from Ofsted in 2017, the school was given a 'Requires Improvement' classification. The 6th Form also received the same classification.[1]
The school is supported by the Elizabeth Farmor Trust, founded in 2008. The trust assists the school by "advancing the education of the pupils at the school".[2] For example, in 2011, the trust helped fund new computer hardware for the school.
History
The school was founded in 1738, using a gift of £500 by Miss Mary Barker and a bequest of £1,000 by Miss Elizabeth Farmor.[3] The original site of the school was next to St Mary's Church on the High Street - the current location of the Community Centre. When it first opened, the school was called Fairford Free School and accepted 60 boys aged 5–12 from the town of Fairford.[3] In 1817, children from outside Fairford were admitted, but had to pay fees, and the school began to accept girls in a separate section of the school and hired a mistress to teach them.[3] The master of the school in 1866 was dismissed on grounds of neglect.[3] In 1877 the school benefited when a charity set up 200 years before by Jane Mico for apprentices in Fairford was merged into the school.[4]
The school's name in 1904 was Farmor's Endowed School, and it became co-educational in 1922, and the sections were combined under a single headmaster. It moved to its current location in 1961, and became an 11 to 18 Comprehensive School in 1966.[5]
In 2020, the school was taken to court over unfair dismissal of a member of staff, who shared posts on social media against LGBT+ inclusive education, in Higgs v Farmor's School.[6] A subsequent appeal found that the school's decision of dismissal was disproportionate and amounted to unlawful direct discrimination.[7]
Specialist School
In 2004 the School became a Business and Enterprise Specialist School. In 2007 the school was named a High Performing Specialist School and as a result of this it became a Science Specialist School.[8] In 2013 the school's rating was downgraded from its previous 'Outstanding' in to 'Good' by Ofsted.[9] A more recent inspection in 2017 again downgraded the schools Ofsted rating from 'Good' to 'Requires Improvement'.[1]
Academy Conversion
In August 2011 the school, after a consultation, applied for and gained Academy status. The move came at a time when many schools across the county were converting.[10]
Academies Capital Maintenance Fund
In 2013, the school was awarded a grant totalling nearly £1 million by the Academies Capital Maintenance fund. The grants were used to complete the schools flat roof repairs and build a new sixth form learning centre. The existing sixth form was re-decorated during the construction of the new extension, which was completed in 2014.[11][12]
Exam results
In 2012, 79% of GCSE students achieved 5 or more A* to C grades. At A-level, 81% received A* to C Grades.
In 2013, both GCSE and A-level results rose in comparison with the previous year, with 89.5% of GCSE students achieving 5 or more A* to C grades. At A-level, 85% received A* to C Grades.[citation needed]
Notable former pupils
- Felix de Giles - jockey