Heywood Community High School

Heywood Community High School

Established	1966 (as Sutherland High School)
Closed	31 August 2010
Type	High School Community School
Headteacher	Mr David Yates
Chair	Mrs V Purslow
Location	Sutherland Road Darnhill, Heywood Greater Manchester OL10 3PL United Kingdom Coordinates: 53°35′16″N 2°15′08″W / 53.5879°N 2.2523°W
Local authority	Rochdale
DfE URN	105835 Tables
Students	216 (at the time of closure)
Gender	Mixed-sex
Ages	11–16
Former name	Sutherland High School
Website	www.hchs.co.uk

Heywood Community High School was a secondary school in the Heywood district of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. The school closed 30 June 2010 to students^[1] but officially closed on 31 August 2010.^[2]

History

The school opened in 1966 as Sutherland High School.^[3][4] The school was renamed to Heywood Community High School 31 August 1990.

In 2006 when the position of Headteacher was appointed to David Yates the school's performance improved dramatically. from 10% A-C GCSE grade to 71% in 2010, the year of the school's closure.^[5] This made the school one of the best in the Rochdale borough^[5] and in the top 20 most improved schools in the country.^[6][7]

The school officially closed on 31 August 2010,^[2] as a result of the British Governments Building Schools for the Future strategy.^[1][8] The school stopped accepting new students in 2008 in order to phase out the majority of students in preparation for the closure in 2010. When the school closed the majority of remaining students were transferred to neighbouring Siddal Moor Sports College^[9] and the remainder to Holy Family College.^[1] In the school's last Ofsted report it was found to be outstanding in many areas.^[10] The former school building was demolished in late 2010.

In the media

• 27 September 2003 the school had a large fire in the technology department. The school was open as usual after the fire.^[11]
• 10 August 2010 Arsonists deliberately set fire to the former school building. Two days later another fire was started in the building. Heywood councillor Jacqui Beswick reported the site has been left unsecured.^[12][13][14]
• 26 August 2010 the school announced record GCSE exam results for the last year of the school. 71% of students achieved A-C grades.^[5] This is above the national average of 69.1%.^[15]

Notable alumni

• Elliott Tittensor, an actor best known for his role of Carl Gallagher in the Channel 4 show Shameless, is a former student of Heywood Community High School. He left the school in 2006.^[16]
• Luke Tittensor is an actor best known for playing Daz Eden in the ITV soap Emmerdale. He is the twin brother of Elliott Tittensor.^[17]
• Lisa Stansfield

Gallery

• 

  Outside Sutherland High School in 1977

• 

  Aerial view of Sutherland High School in 1977

• 

  The drive of Heywood Community High School

• 

  The reception area, displaying HCHS on the tower

• 

  The school whilst being demolished

References

1. "GCSE pupils' 'heartbreak' at Rochdale school demolition". BBC News. 24 August 2010.
2. EduBase - HCHS edubase.gov.uk.
3. Link4Life Darnhill Link4Life.
4. Sutherland High School Edubase.
5. Gray, Lisa (26 August 2010). "RIP Heywood Community School". Manchester Evening News. M.E.N. Media.
6. Results boost for HCHS Rochdale News Online.
7. "Reward scheme pays off at school". Heywood Advertiser. M.E.N. Media. 22 January 2009.
8. Rochdale BSF Consultation rohdale.gov.uk
9. Harvey, Paul (8 October 2009). "School's name will live on". Heywood Advertiser. M.E.N. Media.
10. 2009 HM Ofsted Report ofsted.gov.uk
11. "Pupils off after school fire". BBC News. 28 September 2003.
12. Deliberate fire at HCHS Rochdale News Online.
13. Second school fire in 2 days Rochdale News Online.
14. "School under firebug attack". Heywood Advertiser. M.E.N. Media. 19 August 2010.
15. Vasagar, Jeevan (24 August 2010). "GCSE results: Record results see pass rates rise for 23rd year in a row". guardian.co.uk. London: Guardian News and Media.
16. Parker, Gareth (28 February 2007). "No shame in playing tough role on screen". Heywood Advertiser. M.E.N. Media.
17. Luke Tittensor IMBd