The School's Development
The School is housed in a
splendid Georgian building to which additions
have been made as the School has grown. A second
large building was erected in 1931 but the major
expansion has taken place since 1957. The money
for this has been provided by the Wheelwright
Trust and from the School's Development Appeal
Fund.
The Old Courtyard
In 1957 a new classroom block was built and the
1960s brought a whole series of developments
including the Chan Music School, Bentley
Swimming Pool, a Home Economics Unit and new
boarding accommodation. The pace was maintained
in the 1970s with the provision of new
classrooms, squash courts, a games hall and,
crucially, the Wade Science Block which provided
new facilities for all the major sciences.
Growth continued in the 1980s. More
study-bedrooms for girls and boys were provided
and in 1983 a major building programme was
undertaken following a School Development
Appeal. A magnificent new building was opened.
It contains ten new classrooms and a
multi-purpose Assembly Hall which can seat the
whole school.
Slitheroe House
A new Library was
established in the atmospheric old Assembly Hall. With over 8000 books, this
was refurbished in 2005. In 1984 a further classroom block was opened and this
is now linked to a specialist suite for Design and Technology
Heathfield Infant Block
A new Sports Hall and a state-of-the-art
Performing Arts Centre (1999) followed.
Among more recent developments are
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The opening in 2006 of a new community
Sports Club, including a completely
renovated and updated swimming-pool with
viewing gallery, squash courts, reception
area and changing-rooms. The fully
air-conditioned gym has a large range of
equipment and a state-of-the-art
audio-visual system. The idea of the Club is a
charitable one: we make available excellent
sports facilities to the local community, at
extremely reduced rates. At the Opening
Weekend in 2006, all 500 memberships were
sold out by the Sunday. As membership usage
was analysed, more memberships became
available. By January 2007, we were able to
expand membership to 750. Reviewing the use
of the facilities all the time, we shall
continue to ensure that as many people as we
feel we can accept as members have the
benefit of access to the Club.
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Continuing, major upgrades of ICT equipment
and the whole-school network: this includes
the installation of interactive whiteboards
and projectors in teaching areas, internet
access from all areas of the school and from
each boarder’s study-bedroom and a
proliferation of additional ICT suites (an
extra one for whole-school use, and numerous
smaller ones for specific applications),
totalling a dozen or so ICT areas.
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The complete refurbishment of all existing
boarding areas and the creation of three new
boarding annexes.
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The stripping and total refitting of the
Science Department Laboratories and Prep
Rooms with the best of modern fixtures and
equipment (Summer 2003) and of the Art
Department (2005).
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The creation in 2005 of a new Reception Area
and offices in the administration building
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The total
refurbishment of the Sixth Form Centre to
provide stunning but practical rooms for
work and leisure (2007)
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The Sixth Form Centre |
Just as the main school has expanded, so has our
Junior School, Heathfield. It occupies a
handsome stone-built house standing in its own
extensive grounds close to the Swimming Pool and
its own Sports Hall.
Extensive alterations have been made to the
original buildings in order to provide
specialist rooms for Art, Music and Design
Technology.
Year 1 and Year 2 children are now accommodated
within the main building in their own Key Stage
1 area and the ICT Room has recently undergone a
complete refurbishment, with the installation of
22 new computers and an interactive whiteboard.
All classrooms have a computer and are
networked.
The Out-of-School Care facility has spacious
accommodation for indoor and outdoor activities
catering for our pupils from Nursery to Year 6.
From September 2007, a self-contained Foundation
Stage Unit housed the very youngest pupils where
the activities are based inside and out within
their own secure environment.
Time does not stand still at Rishworth. It is a
thriving, expanding school which responds to
needs. |