The Voyager School

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The Voyager School
Established 2007
Headteacher Mr Hugh Howe
Specialism Arts College
Location Mountsteven Avenue
Peterborough
Cambridgeshire
PE4 6HX
England
LEA Peterborough
Ofsted number 130389
Students 1746
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11 to 18
Website http://www.thevoyagerschool.com/
Coordinates: 52°36′17″N 0°15′59″W / 52.60468, -0.26642

The Voyager School is a comprehensive school in Peterborough, England for 1,675 students aged 11 to 19. The school replaced Walton and Bretton Wood schools as the two schools were merged together.[1]

[edit] History

The development of The Voyager School (TVS) began in September 2003 when consultation began on the £100 million transformation of secondary schools in Peterborough. 4 schools were planned for the city and 7 schools would be refurbished or expanded.[2]

In 2004, the decision to create these new schools was given the green light, and the decision to close both Walton Community School and Bretton Woods Community School was decided. Both schools were to be merged to form The Voyager School, with £26 million of the investment being poured into the new school.[3]

Much consultation occurred between parents, students and members of the public involving the merging of the two schools and whilst at first there were several objections about closures, primarily from Bretton Woods School, many people came around to the idea of this new school.

In January 2005, the headteacher of TVS was announced at town hall. It was decided to be Hugh Howe. He would oversee the development and then become the headteacher when the school opened in September 2007. Mr.Howe, known for his innovative leading style, his sense of pride and his turn-about of other new and failing schools felt the opportunity was an "exciting new challenge" and was "looking forward to taking up his role".[4]

In February 2005, the building contractor for the, at the time, North School was being debated. Out of 3 possible candidates, the city decided on Bouygues Education/Mills group, a French company, well known for its educational building project, to begin construction in March '06.".[5]

It was in March 2006 that The Voyager School launched its bid to become Peterborough's first Media Arts College. The bid offered local businesses the opportunity of helping the school achieve the £50,000 sponsorship necessary to draw on government funding of £1 million.[6]

The Voyager School's uniform was unveiled in June 2006, as students from both schools took to the catwalk to showcase the schools designs. The uniform focuses on the idea of "identity" as well as being in keeping with the approach to the establishment of the school and is characterized by flair, panache and innovation.[7]

As both schools began to work together through a series of "Mission Impossible" transition events to premote team building, leadership and innovate skills. The first of these in February '07 was used to create The Voyager School Senior Executive Group (SEG), a new form of student leadership within the school where a group of six students would work to create and manage the leadership scheme of The Voyager with Deputy Headteacher, Jane Mullan.[8]

After nearly a year of developing the preoposal, The Voyager School finally achieved Media Arts Status in February '07 before it had even opened following a successful application to the Department for Education and Skills.[9][10]

In September 2007, The Voyager School finally opened its doors to its students and staff, as well as the local community, ready to begin the adventure to go "above and beyond".

In August 2008, The school will receive its first A-Level and GCSE results since it opened.

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