Furtherwick Park School Explained

Furtherwick Park School
Coordinates:51.5211°N 0.5953°W
Established:1957
Closed:2011
Head Label:Headteacher
Head:Mr John Houghton
Specialist:Art College
Address:Furtherwick Road
City:Canvey Island
County:Essex
Country:England
Postcode:SS8 7AZ
Local Authority:Essex
Ofsted:yes
Urn:115333
Enrolment:1,124 pupils
Gender:Coeducational
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:16
Website:http://www.furtherwick.essex.sch.uk/

Furtherwick Park School was a comprehensive co-educational senior school for 11- to 16-year-olds, located on Canvey Island. The school was based in the town centre and opened in 1957 due to the increase of population on Canvey Island.[1]

History

Between 1957 and 1965 it was known as 'Canvey Secondary'. It was renamed to 'Furtherwick Park School' in 1966.[2]

In 1976 sections of the school were damaged by fire.[3]

It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007 and received media Arts College status. The school had around 1,000 pupils.

The school closed in 2011 due to a reduction in pupil numbers on Canvey Island,[4] which caused great concern amongst parents.[5] The grounds were reused for the new Castle View School which moved to new buildings on the location of the former school.[6]

In the media

The school was used as a location for the filming of the British film Bloody Kids.[7]

In 2008 the school was highlighted as a pioneer of the British School prom in The Daily Telegraph.[8]

OFSTED report

In 2003 OFSTED reported the school as poor and to be put into special measures. This was challenged by the head teacher, Wendy Misson, and the HMI inspection team reversed the decision to requires improvement on their visit.[9]

The final OFSTED report judged the school satisfactory, an improvement on previous years when the school was judged failing on several key benchmarks.[10]

Notable former pupils

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Futherwick Park School Archive - Canvey Island. Org. 17 March 2019.
  2. Web site: 'FURTHERWICK PARK (FORMERLY CANVEY SECONDARY) SCHOOL, CANVEY ISLAND' - Essex Archives Online: Catalogue E/E 75.
  3. Web site: 'FURTHERWICK PARK (FORMERLY CANVEY SECONDARY) SCHOOL, CANVEY ISLAND' - Essex Archives Online: Catalogue E/E 75.
  4. Web site: Pictures from the past - a look back to the nineties at Furtherwick Park School, Canvey - Evening Echo p. 27 May 2016. 17 March 2019.
  5. Web site: Parents demand school rethink - Southend Standard p. 24 March 2008. 17 March 2019.
  6. Web site: Demolition work begins at Furtherwick Park School - South Wales Argus p. 29 July 2010. 17 March 2019.
  7. Web site: TV detectives come to Canvey - Evening Echo p. 18 September 2014. 17 March 2019.
  8. Web site: Leavers want a prom just like on US television show The OC - The Daily Telegraph p. 28 June 2008. 17 March 2019.
  9. Web site: OFSTED over ruled - TES p. 17 June 2005. 17 March 2019.
  10. Web site: Ofsted Report. 17 March 2019.
  11. Web site: Jessica Judd has backing from former coach and former Canvey Commenwealth champion Rob Denmark - Evening Echo p. 23 July 2014. 17 March 2019.