Hummersknott is a successful and thriving Community School. Consistently over subscribed, it was described by Ofsted as “Good and Improving” in December 2005. We also pride ourselves on our commitment to a broad education with a wide range of curricular activities both in and out of School. Academic progress is good, with results well above national and local averages.  

History

Hummersknott was originally the Girls' High School which moved into this building in 1955. In 1968 it was reorganised by the then Darlington County Borough to form one of six 11-16 co-educational comprehensive schools, with the Boys' Grammar School becoming a Sixth Form college nearer the town centre and near to the College of Technology.

Facilities

We enjoy excellent facilities, including a technology block, sports hall, swimming pool and gymnasium. We have 10 laboratories, a resource centre, five computer suites and a business studies unit. Outside, the school grounds are attractively laid out, with tennis courts, football and rugby pitches, a hockey pitch and an all weather pitch. ICT resources are developing with Interactive white boards available in many departments.  

Organisation

The school, which is heavily oversubscribed, now takes 245 students each year and these are organised into 5 colleges of entry.  Students are then organised into teaching groups by each subject area, allowing each subject leader to set or use mixed ability organisation. At present the Mathematics, English, Science and MFL Departments set students.  

Languages

As a Specialist Language College we are committed to ensuring that all students have access to a wide range of languages.  All students study either German, French or Spanish in Year 7.  In Year 8 they take a second language chosen from these three along with Russian and Chinese.  All students take a language to GCSE.  We have partner schools in France, Germany, Spain, Russia and China and students have opportunities to exchange with students in these countries and to take part in visits abroad.  

Guidance and Welfare System

 

There are 5 College Directors who also manage and lead subject leaders. Students are registered in their college blocks. Form tutors follow their form through the school and are responsible for the individual care and welfare of their students. All students spend at least a week on work experience in year 10. Extra curricular activities are a strong feature of the school and inter-college activities take place on Wednesday evenings. These are led and organised by Year 11 students. The school is also a centre for students with physical disabilities.

 

Contact with Parents

The school believes a strong partnership between staff, parents and students is vital for success. We operate an open school policy, and all staffs e-mail addresses are available on this website. Parents receive  a report each term and there are two parents meetings each year, one with form mentors the other with subject teachers. Parents also have access to student’s information held on the Schools information Management System.  

Staffing

There are over 70 members of teaching staff (including a swimming instructor) and over 60 Support Staff who have provided a curriculum to cater for the needs of all abilities. Staff are encouraged to use a wide variety of teaching styles to meet different objectives.

Full Service School

Hummersknott is a Full Service School.  We are developing a range of extended learning opportunities for adults and young people after school, in the holidays and at weekends.  In addition we are looking at ways of supporting health and social care for the local community through school.

Training School

We are committed to staff development and are the lead school in a innovative Training School Partnership covering all of the secondary schools in Darlington.  This partnership is currently supporting the provision of high quality Initial Teacher Training as well as a programme of Continuous Professional Development for all of the staff working in secondary education in the Town.