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Coordinates: 53°41′59″N 1°38′49″W / 53.69986°N 1.64696°W / 53.69986; -1.64696
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{{About|the school in Yorkshire|the school in Southport|Birkdale High School (Sefton)}}
{{short description|Secondary school in West Yorkshire, England}}
{{About|the school in Yorkshire|the school in [[Southport]]|Birkdale High School (Sefton)}}
⚫
{{Infobox UK school
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}
⚫
{{Infobox school
| name = Birkdale High School
| name = Birkdale High School
| image =
| image = File:Birkdale High School - geograph.org.uk - 410951.jpg
| size =
| image_size =
| coordinates = {{coord|53.69986|-1.64696|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}
| latitude = 53.69986
| longitude = -1.64696
| dms =
| motto = Forward to Success
| motto = Forward to Success
| motto_pl =
| established =
| established =
| approx =
| closed = 2011
| closed =
| c_approx =
| type =
| type =
| religion =
| religious_affiliation =
| president =
| president =
| head_label = Headteacher
| head_label =
| head = Mrs Christine Caraher
| head =
| r_head_label =
| r_head_label =
| r_head =
| r_head =
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| chair =
| chair =
| founder =
| founder =
| founder_pl =
| specialist =
| specialist =
| street = Wheelwright Drive
| address = Wheelwright Drive
| city = [[Dewsbury]]
| city = [[Dewsbury]]
| county = [[West Yorkshire]]
| county = [[West Yorkshire]]
| country = [[England]]
| country = England
| postcode = WF13 4JB
| postcode = WF13 4JB
| LEA = [[Kirklees]]
| local_authority = [[Kirklees]]
| ofsted = yes
| ofsted = yes
| urn = 107774
| urn = 107774
| staff =
| staff =
| enrollment =
| enrolment =
| lower_age = 11
| lower_age = 11
| upper_age = 16
| upper_age = 16
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| free_label_3 =
| free_label_3 =
| free_3 =
| free_3 =
| website = http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100404021025/http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/ www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/]
| website_name = Official website
}}
}}


'''Birkdale High School''' was a [[secondary school]] located in [[Kirklees]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]].
⚫
'''Birkdale High School''' is a school in [[Kirklees]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. The school is quite small, with just under 600 pupils as of 2006/7. The school's buildings are in two distinct phases; the older building, comprising mainly the former Wheelwright Grammar school (Girl's section) and a newly built wing connected by a bridge c1980. The school is set amongst grassed grounds with a large playing and track area and more secluded grassed quadrangles located within the main building.


== Overview ==
==History==
⚫
The school's buildings were constructed in two distinct phases; the older building, comprising mainly the former '''Wheelwright Grammar School for Girls''' and a newly built wing connected by a bridge {{circa|1980}}. The school was set amongst grassed grounds with a large playing and track area and more secluded grassed quadrangles located within the main building.


The school is located on Halifax road, near the [[Dewsbury]]/[[Batley]] border. The intake of the school is reflected by the surrounding area, most pupils are taken from the Batley/Dewsbury area due to the school's central location and its position on many bus routes through the surrounding towns. The school, oddly, has a slightly high male population due to the presence of an all-girls school in the school's catchment area as noted by [[OFSTED]].
The school was located on Wheelwright Drive. near the [[Dewsbury]]/[[Batley]] border. The intake of the school was reflected by the surrounding area, most pupils were taken from the Batley/Dewsbury area due to the school's central location and its position on many bus routes through the surrounding towns. The school had a slightly higher male population due to the presence of an all-girls school in the school's catchment area as noted by [[OFSTED]]. The school became quite small in the years before closure, with just under 600 pupils in 2006/7.
In May 2015 the [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] show [[Hank Zipzer]] was filmed at the closed school premises after production was relocated from [[St Catherine's Catholic High School]] to Birkdale for Series 3 and onwards. The main entrance sign was carved as Westbrook Academy.


===Closure===
The school has been praised for its improvements and capacity to continue to improve by OFSTED; noting the well-being and care offered by the school. Academically the results for the present year 11 pupils exceeded all externally set targets with an achievement of 37% 5 x A*-C including English and Maths (64% achieved 5 x A* - C in any subjects); making it the school's most successful year to date and exceeding the achievement of many other local schools, especially when comparing the CVA.
⚫
Despite a campaign by parents, staff, pupils and members of the local community to keep Birkdale High School open,<ref>{{cite news|work=Dewsbury Reporter |url=http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/Rallying-call-to-save-Dewsbury.6435512.jp|date= 23 July 2010|accessdate=4 August 2010|title=Rallying call to save Dewsbury school from closure}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/news/galleries/save-our-school-pictures-july-2010.html |title=Online gallery showing protest |accessdate=4 August 2010 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901064658/http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/news/galleries/save-our-school-pictures-july-2010.html |archivedate=1 September 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=Yorkshire Evening Post |url= http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Dewsbury-Protest-march-over-plans.6541914.jp |date=21 September 2010|accessdate=21 September 2010|title=Dewsbury: Protest march over plans to close school}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=The Huddersfield Daily Examiner |url= http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2010/09/21/pupiles-take-to-the-streets-to-save-birkdale-high-86081-27307267/|date= 21 September 2010|accessdate=21 September 2010|title=Pupils take to the streets to save Birkdale High}}</ref> [[Kirklees Council]] formally closed the school in August 2011.


The school was merged with [[Westborough High School, Dewsbury|Westborough High School]], with some pupils from Birkdale transferring to the Westborough campus. However the former Birkdale High School campus is no longer still used to educate any pupils as the final set of year 11's have left to pursue further education or work<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.w-h-s.org.uk/halifax-road-site/|title=Halifax Road Campus|publisher=Westborough High School|accessdate=23 January 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305054629/http://www.w-h-s.org.uk/halifax-road-site|archivedate=5 March 2012|url-status = dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Despite all the success and praise it was recently announced by [[Kirklees]] council (with leaks in the local press) that they were still planning to close the school, despite the BSF money being withdrawn by the new Coalition Government. It has been officially announced that the school will close, and mere with its neighbouring school, Westbourugh High School.


⚫
==Notable staff==
The then Conservative party lost control of council in Kirklees over the Building Schools for the Future discussion. The present council, a minority Labour administration, had vowed to reconsider the proposals but produced a plan with little difference. With the changing national picture over BSF the local authority has now been forced into a re-think about the present proposals. The authority are refusing to engage in discussion about the school's future, even though they have been invited numerous times by staff & parents at the school. The council officers are now suggesting it may turn the neighbouring school (Westbrough High School) into a split site with Birkdale forming a separate campus; much to the shock and disgust of the parents, staff and local community especially when the school founded the School Leaders programme, backed by one, Parf Patel.
* [[Maggie Atkinson]], [[Children's Commissioner for England]] was Head of English in the 1980s.<ref name="dewsbury1">{{cite news | url=http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/local/former-dewsbury-teacher-in-job-row-1-1351762 | title=Former Dewsbury teacher in job row | newspaper=Dewsbury Reporter | date=22 October 2009 | accessdate=30 December 2013}}</ref>


==Notable former pupils==
⚫
The genuine fear for the change and how it will affect the standards of education, staff's careers and the inclusive, achievement based focus of Birkdale have all come to light. This has led the school along with the local community to begin fighting and they are all now campaigning<ref>Dewsbury Reporter Article, http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/news/Rallying-call-to-save-Dewsbury.6435512.jp, 23 July 2010.</ref><ref>Online gallery showing protest, http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/news/galleries/save-our-school-pictures-july-2010.html</ref><ref>Yorkshire Evening Post article, http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Dewsbury-Protest-march-over-plans.6541914.jp, 21 September 2010.</ref><ref>Huddersfield Examiner article, http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2010/09/21/pupiles-take-to-the-streets-to-save-birkdale-high-86081-27307267/, 21 September 2010.</ref> to Save Birkdale High School.

⚫
== Notable alumni ==
* [[Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi]], politician.
* [[Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi]], politician.
* [[Gary Sykes]], featherweight boxer.
* [[Gary Sykes]], featherweight boxer.
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== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/ Official site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100404021025/http://www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/ Former school website]
* [http://www.w-h-s.org.uk/halifax-road-site/ Halifax Road Campus website]

{{Schools in Kirklees}}


[[Category:Comprehensive schools in Kirklees]]
[[Category:Defunct schools in Kirklees]]
[[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Schools in Dewsbury]]

Latest revision as of 13:22, 12 April 2022

This article is about the school in Yorkshire. For the school in Southport, see Birkdale High School (Sefton).

Birkdale High School
Address
Map
Wheelwright Drive

Dewsbury
,
West Yorkshire
,
WF13 4JB

England
Coordinates53°41′59″N 1°38′49″W / 53.69986°N 1.64696°W / 53.69986; -1.64696
Information
MottoForward to Success
Closed2011
Local authorityKirklees
Department for Education URN107774 Tables
OfstedReports
Age11 to 16
Websitewww.birkdalehigh.org.uk/

Birkdale High School was a secondary school located in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.

History

[edit]

The school's buildings were constructed in two distinct phases; the older building, comprising mainly the former Wheelwright Grammar School for Girls and a newly built wing connected by a bridge c. 1980. The school was set amongst grassed grounds with a large playing and track area and more secluded grassed quadrangles located within the main building.

The school was located on Wheelwright Drive. near the Dewsbury/Batley border. The intake of the school was reflected by the surrounding area, most pupils were taken from the Batley/Dewsbury area due to the school's central location and its position on many bus routes through the surrounding towns. The school had a slightly higher male population due to the presence of an all-girls school in the school's catchment area as noted by OFSTED. The school became quite small in the years before closure, with just under 600 pupils in 2006/7. In May 2015 the CBBC show Hank Zipzer was filmed at the closed school premises after production was relocated from St Catherine's Catholic High School to Birkdale for Series 3 and onwards. The main entrance sign was carved as Westbrook Academy.

Closure

[edit]

Despite a campaign by parents, staff, pupils and members of the local community to keep Birkdale High School open,[1][2][3][4] Kirklees Council formally closed the school in August 2011.

The school was merged with Westborough High School, with some pupils from Birkdale transferring to the Westborough campus. However the former Birkdale High School campus is no longer still used to educate any pupils as the final set of year 11's have left to pursue further education or work[5]

Notable staff

[edit]

Notable former pupils

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Rallying call to save Dewsbury school from closure". Dewsbury Reporter. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Online gallery showing protest". Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Dewsbury: Protest march over plans to close school". Yorkshire Evening Post. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  4. ^ "Pupils take to the streets to save Birkdale High". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  5. ^ "Halifax Road Campus". Westborough High School. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Former Dewsbury teacher in job row". Dewsbury Reporter. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
[edit]
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