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The School

Students by the Pond

Students by the Pond

Barnwell School was established in 1959 and is situated to the south of Stevenage and is one of the most popular schools in Hertfordshire. Between 2002-2005 it was the most improved school in Hertfordshire and one of the most improved schools in England.

In September 2006 the school expanded by taking in the students from another nearby school that closed. As a consequence, the school now has two campuses. Barnwell West (the original Barnwell site) and, less than a mile away, Barnwell East (the site of the closed school). All Year 7 students are taught on the West Campus. The expansion of the school has brought considerable benefits to the students on both campuses, for example:

  • More choice at GCSE and A Level
  • More clubs and activities and extra curricular opportunities.

The school is a Business and Enterprise College and the extra resources this brings and put back in to extra opportunities for students and a wide range of community provision.

A feature of the school is that over 2,500 people use the school site each week outside of school time.

The accommodation on the West Campus comprises 46 teaching rooms. This includes, situated within the extensive school grounds, Technology block, Music block, two Art rooms, Humanities block, six laboratories, Drama studio, Gym, Eight fully equipped IT rooms with internet and e-mail facilities, main hall, dining room, sixth form common room with study area, Learning Resources Centre, swimming pool and leisure Centre. The school has completed a number of major building programmes:

  1. A total of over £1 million was spent on a suite of four new Humanities classrooms, two new Food rooms and one Textile room, new Learning Resources facilities and a new Science laboratory.
  2. The school is the site of the Shephall Leisure Centre offering a very large Sports Hall, Dance Studio, Fitness Suite and Conference Room. This superb facility was lottery funded to the tune of £1 million with a further £½ million raised locally towards the costs.
  3. This past year saw £350,000 spent on a new Reception and superb new ICT facilities including a suite of ICT rooms.
  4. Much of the school has interactive whiteboards and similar resources in classrooms.

On the East Campus the school has over 30 classrooms with specialist ICT and Expressive Arts Blocks and specialist rooms for Science, Technology, etc.

ICT is also a feature on this campus. In addition, in September 2006, a superb construction facility was opened to provide a joint facility for students at the school and North Herts College.

The school prides itself on its commitment to proving the best possible learning environment for its staff and students alike.