West Hatch High School
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| West Hatch High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
High Road , , IG7 5BT | |
| Coordinates | 51°36′45″N 0°03′47″E / 51.612480°N 0.062933°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Motto | The Best That I Can Be - Manu et Mente (By Hand and By Mind) |
| Established | 1957 |
| Department for Education URN | 136758 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | Victoria Schaefer |
| Deputy Head | Anthony Sinfield |
| Staff | 81 full time |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1258 |
| Website | http://www.westhatch.net |
West Hatch High School is a secondary school located in Chigwell, Epping Forest, Essex (near Woodford Bridge). The area, now currently occupied by West Hatch, was previously the western gate (or hatch as it would have been known) into Hainault Forest; it is from these roots that the school derives its name. The school currently educates 1,300 students from the local catchment area, and nearly 200 sixth form pupils from north east London and west Essex.[1]
History
[edit]The school was built in 1957 as a four-storied building with glazing on all sides on Chigwell High Road by Richard Sheppard & Partners with the Essex county architect, H. Conolly.[2]
The school was awarded 'business and enterprise specialist school' status in 2002.[3]
Facilities
[edit]The grounds have been renovated on numerous occasions developing the many-acre site into seven main teaching buildings. West Hatch has undergone major renovations, including a Maths Dining & Drama Block (1999), Ruby Theatre (2000 built by students attaining Gold The Duke of Edinburgh Award Status), Sixth Form Centre (2000), Music Suite (2002), Business and Enterprise Block (2003), Science block, Design and Technology block and the 4-storey classroom block.
Renovation of the ICT infrastructure has enabled evening classes and Microsoft Digital Literacy training for parents using a parent portal. A new swimming pool, replacing one that was fifty years old, was opened in 2010, named the Race Pool after a former teacher.[4] A sports hall and classroom block were built as an extension to the school and opened in 2021. One of the buildings was named Howarth Hall, after Frances Howarth who was headteacher of West Hatch for over 18 years. Howarth returned to the school to open the building.[5]
Notable former pupils
[edit]- Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli – Britain's Got Talent finalists[1][6]
- Vicki Michelle – actress[1][7]
- Ann Michelle - actress[8]
- Sally Gunnell – Olympic gold medallist[1][9]
- Kate Silverton – BBC newsreader[1][10]
- Mark Wallinger – artist[11][1]
- Joey Essex – reality TV personality[1][12]
- Richard Jones – Britain's Got Talent winner[1][13]
- Nancy Sorrell – model, actress, television presenter[1][14]
- Sonny Jay - Capital Breakfast host and Britain’s Got Talent finalist[15][16]
- Stephen Knight - journalist, author[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i King, Mel (12 November 2020). "The Essex school where Joey Essex and Sally Gunnell were both pupils". Essex Live. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ Bettley, James; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1 January 2007). Essex. Yale University Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-300-11614-4.
- ^ "Specialist school status for West Hatch". East London and West Essex Guardian. 18 July 2002. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ Tobin, Edmund (8 October 2010). "New school pool named after former teacher". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ Berrill, Lewis (20 April 2021). "New sports centre opened at West Hatch High School". Epping Forest Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Three former pupils to perform in BGT final". East London & West Essex Guardian. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Interview with Vicki Michelle". Aspire Essex Magazine. March 2020. p. 24. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
I went to West Hatch High School, in Chigwell...
- ^ Who's who on television : a fully illustrated guide to 1,000 best known faces on British television. London: Independent Television Books Ltd. 1980. ISBN 9780900727719 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Knowles, Rachael (8 November 2013). "Sally Gunnell joins Sport England board". East London & West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
Chigwell-born Sally Gunnell, who attended West Hatch High School in High Road...
- ^ Boyd, Milo (23 August 2018). "Strictly Come Dancing contestant Kate Silverton is from Waltham Abbey". East London & West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
... attended West Hatch High School in Chigwell.
- ^ Hardy, Clare (25 April 2013). "Chigwell artist Mark Wallinger, who attended West Hatch High School, sees his work Labyrinth on display at Tube stations on the London Underground". East London & West London Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ O'Brien, Zoie (19 November 2013). "Chigwell educated Joey Essex has been the talk of TV since he entered 'I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!'". East London & West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
West Hatch High School-educated Joey Essex...
- ^ Flaig, Joseph (31 May 2016). "Former West Hatch High School student Richard Jones wins ITV's Britain's Got Talent". East London & West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ Armstrong, Karen (25 November 2004). "Local support for celeb Nancy". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
...Nancy Sorrell, a former West Hatch High School pupil...
- ^ Earnshaw, Jessica (9 May 2012). "Redbridge band The Loveable Rogues through to Britain's Got Talent final". Ilford Recorder. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
Band members Te Eugene, 18, from Ilford, Sonny Jay, 18, a former West Hatch High School pupil from Chigwell and Eddie Brett, 20, from Chingford wowed the judges on the live semi-final show…
- ^ Idris, Arike (26 August 2023). "Dancing on Ice winner and Capital DJ Sonny Jay reveals his favourite place to eat in Essex". Essex Live. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
The former Loveable Rogue band member was born in Hainualt before moving to Chigwell and attending West Hatch High School.
- ^ Whittington-Egan, Richard (2013). Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Casebook (e-book). Amberley Publishing. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4456-1786-2. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
Stephen Knight was born, a Wednesday's child, on 26 September 1951, at Hainault in Essex. He attended West Hatch Technical High School, at nearby Chigwell...
