Rudheath school embarks on fresh journey (From Northwich Guardian)
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Rudheath school embarks on fresh journey
7:50am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in News
A RUDHEATH school has embarked on a ‘fresh part of its journey’ after opening its gates as an Academy.
The University of Chester Academy Northwich (UCAN), formerly Rudheath Community High School, applied for academy status last year and pupils returned from their Christmas break to a new-look secondary school.
Work on the quad areas, computer suites, science corridor and toilet facilities has now been completed and a number of projects, including the creation of a new reception on Middlewich Road, are due to be tied up before March.
Principal Matthew Wood, said the Shipbrook Road school’s first four weeks as an academy had been hectic, but exciting.
“The fact that the transformation wasn’t all done at once helps the excitement to continue,” he said.
“There is something happening all the time as the months go on.
“I think the students are excited by the change - obviously, when the uniform comes in September that will be the big grand opening and the end in terms of direct changes.
“Everything is done to ensure the attainment of all students is the best it can be.”
Mr Wood said the school was still underpinned by the motto ‘Aspire, Achieve and Excel’, and added the strong link forged with the University of Chester was a ‘distinct advantage’ to the entire school community.
He said: “We wanted to promote the idea of being part of a university.
“As a school, we do support and guide our students really well and we don’t want them to have a ceiling on what they can achieve.”
He added that a spokesperson from the university had talked to parents at events for children in Year Nine and Year 11, and students had also travelled to the university for events.
Speaking of his continuing aims for the academy, Mr Wood added: “We want to be at the heart of our community.
“We want people to put ideas to us about what they would like to see us provide for them and we will do our utmost to do that.”
BREAKOUT THE Principal of Rudheath’s new academy said its aspirations run through the whole school, even down to the thread of the uniform.
A duo from Year 11 designed the badge for the University of Chester Academy Northwich (UCAN), which shows the University’s logo above three stars and a upward squiggle.
Mr Wood said the stars represented the school’s three aims - aspire, achieve and excel - and the squiggle the upwards trend.
The Academy has also added Science as a second specialism, in addition to its focus on the Arts, and Mr Wood added the stars also fitted in with an astronomy theme.
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