Specialist Science College status for St Michael's Catholic and Church of England High School, Barns

THE students, staff and governors of St Michael's Catholic and Church of England High School, on Carlton Road, Barnsley, were celebrating the announcement today (Tuesday) by the Department for Education and Skills that they had been successful in their bid for Science College status from September.

The school submitted its bid in March, following extensive consultation with its four feeder primary schools and Greenacre Special School. These five partners will benefit from additional resources and support in further raising standards in both science and mathematics.

Headteacher Mr Karol Grabowski said: "This is a fantastic achievement for all of us at St Michael's. I am very excited at the prospect of working with our partners and building on the success achieved by our students in the last few years. We are very proud that this new status recognises the hard work of staff and students across both Key Stages 3 and 4, and that it gives us a platform from which to build further success."

St Michael's has also developed links with sponsor companies who donated a total of £70,000 to the bid. This money, along with a grant of £100,000 from the DfES, will enable the school's science department to have one of its labs refurbished, one of the joint science and maths rooms set up properly for joint use and to purchase a host of ICT hardware which will enhance practical work in both subjects.

St Michael's will benefit from a new course called Learning to Learn, which will help students to reach their potential as they go through school. Plans are already well advanced for the delivery of a new maths and science curriculum so that students are learning relevant topics to help them prepare for the world of work. The expertise developed by both departments will be shared among partner schools and within the specialist schools family across the region and nationally.

In the wider community, St Michael's will continue to develop ways to work with local companies in supporting their employees to gain relevant skills and qualifications in numeracy and science-related areas. They are pleased that initial work with Barnsley Hospice is beginning to bear fruit.

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National Lead Practitioner Co-ordinator in Business

ONE of the business teachers at St Michael's, Ged McInerney, has recently been appointed to an important post with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), the body which supports the development of specialist schools across the country.

Mr McInerney was appointed following a lengthy interview at the SSAT headquarters in London where he had to demonstrate his skill in achieving consistently good examination results and a high level of knowledge in his subject.

Mr McInerney said: "I feel very privileged to have my work at St Michael's recognised in this way. I will be working with schools across the country to support and spread the good practice that is in Specialist Business and Enterprise Colleges and bring back new ideas to help make St Michael's even more successful."

Headteacher Karol Grabowski said Mr McInerney's appointment was a great fillip for the school.

"Mr McInerney is an excellent teacher who has always shown a willingness to embrace new ideas in his teaching," he said. "It is a fantastic chance for him to share his expertise with the wider community of specialist schools. It is also a great boost to us, especially now that we have gained specialist status ourselves.

"I am confident this is recognition of the hard work done by all of my colleagues here at St Michael's."

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Issued by Kevin Smith, Press Office, Tel: (01226) 773442
Email: kevinsmith@barnsley.gov.uk