| Sponne School | |
| Coordinates: | 52.1323°N -0.9935°W |
| Established: | 15th century |
| Head Label: | Headteacher |
| Head: | Iain Massey |
| Founder: | William Sponne |
| Trust: | Tove Learning Trust |
| Address: | Brackley Road |
| Country: | England |
| Postcode: | NN12 6DJ |
| Ofsted: | yes |
| Urn: | 136488 |
| Enrolment: | 1358 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| Lower Age: | 11 |
| Upper Age: | 19 |
| Colours: | Red, Blue and White |
| Website: | http://www.sponne.org.uk |
Sponne School in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England, is the oldest secondary school in Northamptonshire, and one of the oldest in the country.[1] Part of the school was originally Towcester Grammar School, until grammar schools were abolished in Northamptonshire. In 1968, Towcester Grammar School was joined with the next-door Secondary Modern school, and the school was renamed Sponne, after Archdeacon William Sponne, who was Rector at the nearby St. Lawrence Church in the 15th century and the original founder of the school.
Sponne School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form, with 1358 pupils on the roll, around 200 of whom are in the Sixth Form.[2] It is registered as a specialist science and music academy. The school is a member of the Tove Learning Trust, the CEO of which is Dr Jamie Clarke. The Headteacher of the school is Iain Massey.
On the right end of the school is the Sports Hall and changing rooms, located opposite the E Block.
There are two residential houses in the school; they both used to be occupied by the care-takers. The house at the front of school is now the GUTP office. There is also a 4acres field at the back of the school. It is repainted in the summer and the winter with two football pitches, a hockey pitch, 2 rugby pitches, a 400 m track and a 100 m track. It also has two long jump sandpits, and 2 discus circles.Adjacent to the field is a set of tennis courts.
Sponne was one of the first schools in Britain to switch its dietary policies following celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's anti–obesity TV campaign. In July 2006, 13-year-old William Guntrip set up a playground sweet shop to counteract what he considered to be "overpriced health food". Guntrip took more than £50 a day, selling chocolate bars and fizzy drinks to other pupils during break times. He was allegedly threatened with expulsion and the story was picked up by the national media.[3]
Sponne School offers a Sixth Form for pupils in Year 12 and 13. The Sixth Form provides A-Level grade education and provides the same courses as a sixth form college. Uniform is smart-casual. At the start of Year 12, pupils chooses between 3 and 5 A-Level subjects to study. The school holds a Sixth Form open evening for both internal and external candidates and provides prospective pupils with choice application forms. After a month of Year 12, pupils generally drop one subject; the majority of pupils study 3 subjects to A-Level. Sixth Form classes are smaller than standard secondary school lessons, allowing teachers to provide a more in depth level of teaching.[4]
England international and Nottinghamshire offspin bowler Graeme Swann attended the school between 1990 and 1997. Swann's older brother, Alec, also a first class cricketer for Lancashire, was at the school between 1988 and 1995. His father Raymond, who had previously played cricket for Northumberland and Bedfordshire, was a Mathematics and P.E. teacher at the school.
The former Doncaster Rovers attacking midfielder Harry Forrester attended the school between 2003 and 2008. Elliot Parish is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Hannah Barnes, a cyclist who has represented Great Britain, attended the school.[5] International orchestral and opera conductor, Martyn Brabbins attended Sponne school in the 1970s.