Sandy Secondary School

52°08′13″N 0°17′24″W﻿ / ﻿52.137°N 0.290°W﻿ / 52.137; -0.290

Foundation school in Sandy, Bedfordshire, England

Sandy Secondary School

Address

Engayne Avenue

Sandy

Bedfordshire

SG19 1BL

England

Information
Type| Foundation school
Department for Education URN| 109669 Tables
Ofsted| Reports
Principal| Karen Hayward[1]
Gender| Co-educational[1]
Age| 11 to 18[1]
Enrolment| 1009 (As of 2024[update])[1]
Capacity| 1155 (As of 2024[update])[1]
Website| www.sandysecondaryschool.com

Sandy Secondary School (formerly Sandy Upper School) is a coeducational secondary school, located in Sandy, Bedfordshire, England.[2]

The school educates 11–16 year-olds, mainly from the town of Sandy, Great Barford, Potton and the surrounding villages. In addition, the school offers further education for 16–18 year-olds through its sixth form department.[3]

## History

[edit]

Previously an upper school educating pupils from the age of 13, in September 2018 Sandy became a secondary school educating pupils from the age of 11.

The school was designated as a Sports College in 2003. As a result of this, the school improved its sporting facilities and hired specialised sports teaching staff.[4]

Preparations for the planned academy conversion were controversial with pupils and students, including a requirement for year 10 students to drop one of their GCSE courses.[5] The move to academy status was cancelled after financial irregularities were uncovered at the Barnfield Federation.[6]

Pupils at Sandy Secondary School protesting about changes to their GCSE choices

In January 2013 the Governing Body of Sandy Secondary School voted not to enter into advanced negotiations with the Barnfield Federation, with the intention of Sandy Secondary School becoming a sponsored academy.[7]

## Academic performance and inspections

[edit]

The school received an 'Inadequate' inspection rating from Ofsted at the start of 2013 where the school was subsequently put in special measures.[8]

As of 2024[update], the school's most recent inspection was in January 2023, with an outcome of Requires Improvement.[9]

In 2023, the school's Progress 8 benchmark at GCSE was average.[10] The proportion of children achieving grade 5 or above in English and mathematics GCSE was 34%, lower than the overall figure for the local authority and the England figure.[10] The figure for children entering the English Baccalaureate in 2023 was 78%, higher than the overall figure for the local authority and the England figure.[10]

The average score at A-level in 2023 was C, compared to B- in the local authority as a whole and B in England.[11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Sandy Secondary School - GOV.UK".
2. ^ [1] Ofsted Sandy Upper School
3. ^ [2] Newspaper report on Status as member of Barnfield Federation
4. ^ "Sports Specialist Status". Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2013. Sandy Upper School Sports Specialist Status
5. ^ "Sandy Upper School in chaos over last minute takeover". Bedfordshire News.
6. ^ [3] theadvertisergroup.co.uk : Ministers have ordered a school to cut its links to the Barnfield Federation
7. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2013.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Sandy Upper School Press Release
8. ^ "Sandy Upper School OFSTED Report, February 2013".
9. ^ Loneragan, Damian (2023). "Inspection of Sandy Secondary School". Ofsted. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
10. ^ a b c "Sandy Secondary School". Compare school and college performance in England. Gov.UK. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
11. ^ "Sandy Secondary School". Compare school and college performance in England. Gov.UK. Retrieved 15 January 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Sandy Secondary School homepage

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Schools in Bedfordshire1

Secondary|

* All Saints Academy
* Bedford Academy
* Bedford Free School
* Biddenham International School
* Cardinal Newman Catholic School
* Castle Newnham School
* Cedars Upper School
* The Chalk Hills Academy
* Challney High School for Boys
* Challney High School for Girls
* Daubeney Academy
* Denbigh High School
* Etonbury Academy
* Goldington Academy
* Harlington Upper School
* Houstone School
* Icknield High School
* Kempston Academy
* Lealands High School
* Lea Manor High School
* Lincroft Academy
* Manshead CE Academy
* Mark Rutherford School
* Putteridge High School
* Queen Elizabeth School
* Queensbury Academy
* Redborne Upper School
* St Thomas More RC School
* Samuel Whitbread Academy
* Sandy Secondary School
* Sharnbrook Academy
* Stockwood Park Academy
* Stopsley High School
* Stratton Upper School
* Vandyke Upper School
* Wixams Academy
* Wootton Upper School

Private|

* Bedford Girls' School
* Bedford Greenacre Independent School
* Bedford Modern School
* Bedford School

Special|

* The Chiltern School
* Grange Academy
* Ivel Valley School
* Oak Bank School
* Ridgeway School
* St John's School
* Weatherfield Academy
* Woodlands Secondary School

Sixth form and
FE colleges|

* Barnfield College
* Bedford College
* The Bedford Sixth Form
* Central Bedfordshire College
* Kimberley College
* Luton Sixth Form College
* Shuttleworth College
* Stella Mann College

Former|

* Alban Church of England Academy
* Ashton Middle School
* Bedford High School
* Dame Alice Harpur School
* Dunstable Grammar School
* Rabia School
* UTC Central Bedfordshire

1includes schools in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

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