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Field Trips
Subjects and Results
Extra-curricular
Links to educational sites
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ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Contents
Administrative staff
Please note that contact out of term time should be made through the Bursar's office and NOT the main school office.
W G Osmond e mail : bursar@abbeygatecollege.co.uk
Bursar's Assistant Mrs L Darlington Davies e mail : leesa@abbeygatecollege.co.uk
Mrs A M Barton Contact re: Admission and application form e mail : margaret@abbeygatecollege.co.uk
Mrs C Harding Contact re: Prospectus enquiries e mail : Claire@abbeygatecollege.co.uk
Mrs R Williams Mrs F Wilson
CalendarSpring Term 2004Headmaster’s Briefing (all Staff) : Mondays, 11.00 am (Staff Room) Sixth Form Assemblies : Tuesdays, 9.00 am (Sixth Form Centre) Full Assemblies : Wednesdays, 9.00 am (Sports Hall) House Assemblies : Thursdays, 9.00 am (Hastings – Theatre; Marmion – Refectory) Lower School Assemblies : Fridays, 9.00 am Alternate Weeks - Forms 1-3 & 4-5 (Theatre)
January Tues 6 SPRING TERM BEGINS Fifth Form Study Leave (two days) 4.10 pm Full Staff Meeting (Theatre) Thurs 8 Fifth Form Mock Examinations begin (8-16 incl.) L6/AS Modular Public Examinations begin (8-20 incl.) Mon 12 am: Samba Workshop (Theatre) 2X and 2Y Tues 13 1.10 pm : Form Tutors’ Meeting (Room 7) Mon 19 U6/A2 Modular Public Examinations begin (19-29 incl.) Tues 20 pm: French Theatre Company performance (Theatre) First and Second Forms Wed 21 3-4 pm Secondhand Uniform Shop Thurs 22 4.10 pm SMT Meeting (HM’s Study) Fri 23 Music Teachers’ Charity Concert : 7.30 pm (Theatre) Sat 24 Chapel Choir Evensong, Chester Cathedral, 4.15 pm Mon 26 English Poetry Day – Fourth and Fifth Forms Tues 27 4.10 pm Staff Health and Safety Meeting Fri 30 am: Seminar – ‘Effective Communication’ – all Sixth Formers Music Scholarship Tests
February Mon 2 GCSE Art Examination period begins Tues 3 4.10 pm HOD’s Meeting (Library) Wed 4 Fourth Form Geography Trip – Cwm Idwal (provisional) Fri 6 7.30 pm People to People Concert (The King’s School) – Chapel Choir Sat 7 9.00 am 11+ ENTRANCE EXAMINATION Mon 9 9.00 am 11+ ENTRANCE EXAMINATION (Supplementary) Tues 10 Fifth Form Reports home Thurs 12 FIFTH FORM PARENTS’ EVENING J4 visit to Harvington Hall Fri 13 Effort Cards (Forms 1-4) home 4.00 pm HALF TERM BEGINS (Mon 16 – Mon 23 incl.) Aldford School Family Ski Trip (Fri 13 – Fri 20 incl.) Mon 23 NO SCHOOL – STAFF INSET (Theatre) 3.00 pm Full Staff Meeting Tues 24 Return of Effort Cards (Forms 1-4) Wed 25 3-4 pm Secondhand Uniform Shop Thurs 26 4.10 pm SMT Meeting (HM’s Study) J4 visit to Theatre Clwyd
March Mon 1-Fri 5 SCHOOL INSPECTION WEEK Mon 1 AS/A2 Art Examination Period begins Fri 5 pm: L6 Higher Education Fair, Manchester Thurs 11 THIRD FORM PARENTS’ EVENING Sat 13 Chester Speech and Drama Competitive Festival Mon 15-Fri 19 Fourth Form Work Experience Week *NB: CHANGE OF DATE* Mon 15-Fri 19 Scholastic Book Fair at Aldford School Mon 15 4.10 pm ICT Committee Meeting Tues 16 FOURTH FORM PARENTS’ EVENING First Form Geography trip – Aerospace Factory (Provisional) Thurs 18 1.10 pm : Form Tutors’ Meeting (Room 7) Tues 23 7.30 pm PASSIONTIDE SERVICE, Chester Cathedral Wed 24 3-4 pm Secondhand Uniform Shop Thurs 25 2.00 pm Health & Safety Policy Meeting 4.10 pm: HOD’s Meeting – Curriculum (Library) Fri 26 Effort Cards Home (Forms 1-5) Sat 27 Junior and Infant Department Easter Egg Hunt (Saighton) Mon 29 Return of Effort Cards Form Time – Records of Achievement (Forms 1-4) L6/U6 Reports home Tues 30 Form Time – Records of Achievement (Forms 1-4) House Music Competition (all day); Finals (evening) Wed 31 L6/U6 PARENTS’ EVENING L6 Geography Field Day - Chester
April Thurs 1 END OF TERM (buses leave at 12 noon) Junior Department Effort Cards home Fri 2-Fri 9 Ski Trip 2004 – Les Deux Alpes, France Mon 19 St Paul’s Cathedral – Evensong, Chapel Choir Tues 20 NO SCHOOL – SMT PLANNING DAY Wed 21 SUMMER TERM BEGINS *PLEASE NOTE ADDITIONAL DAY’S HOLIDAY FOR PUPILS* Wed 21-Fri 23 L6 (AS) Geography Residential Fieldwork Mon 26 Aldford School Parents’ Evening Wed 28 Aldford School Parents’ Evening
May Mon 3 BANK HOLIDAY: NO SCHOOL
June Wed 9-Fri 11 Fourth Form Geography Residential Field Trip Fri 11 Aldford School class and team photos Wed 16-Tues 22 School Examination Week (Forms 1-4) Fri 18 Jazz Picnic at Saighton (Aldford School Social Committee event) Sun 27 Aldford School Leavers’ Barbecue
July Fri 2 – 9 (incl) L6/A2 Ecology Residential Field Work: North Wales Fri 2-Sun 4 Aldford School Parent and Child weekend Mon 5 – Tues 6 Second Form DRAMA Festival Thurs 8 7.30 pm GALA Concert Sat 10 French Educational Trip (1 week) Mon 19 – 23 Chapel Choir visit to Chichester Cathedral (Return Sat 24) Sun 25 2 Week SPORTS TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA (25 July – 8 August)
Further InformationSchool Prefects
Heads of SchoolChristopher Aspinall : Head Boy Frances Allum : Head Girl Jemma Hook : Deputy Head of School Patrick Tedham : Deputy Head of School
Heads of HouseHastings Marmion Tara Finney Gregory Smith Raymond Manning Simon Vlies
School PrefectsGary de Bolla Laura Fair Joanna Lee Richard Parker Louise Wilkinson
Term Dates2004 Tuesday 6 January : SPRING TERM begins Mon 16-Mon 23 Feb (inc) : HALF TERM Thursday 1 April : END OF TERM *Wednesday 21 April : SUMMER TERM begins* *PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE* Mon 31 May-Fri 4 June : HALF TERM Tuesday 13 July : END OF TERM Thursday 9 September : AUTUMN TERM begins Mon 25 – Fri 29 October : HALF TERM Wednesday 15 December : END OF TERM 2005 Wednesday 5 January : SPRING TERM begins Mon 14 –Fri 18 February : HALF TERM Friday 18 March : END OF TERM Tuesday 12 April : SUMMER TERM begins Mon 30 May- Fri 3 June : HALF TERM Friday 15 July : END OF TERM PARENTS’ EVENINGS 2004 (6.00-8.30 pm SPORTS HALL) Third Form : Thursday 11th March 2004 Fourth Form : Tuesday 16th March 2004 Fifth Form : Thursday 12th February 2004 Sixth Form : Wednesday 31st March 2004
Parent Evenings (Aldford School)
All Classes : Monday 26th April 2004 All Classes : Wednesday 28th April 2004
Public Examinations 2004
*Please note change of Results Days* Sixth Form (A Level) Winter Examinations (Modular) L6/AS Level: January 8th-20th (inclusive) U6/A2 Level: January 19th-29th (inclusive) Modular Examination Results: Thursday 11th March 2004 Summer Examinations (provisional) L6/AS Level: May 19th-June 14th U6/A2Level: June 15th – July 1st Results: *Thursday 19th August 2004* FIFTH FORM (GCSE) Study Leave: January 6th and 7th 2004 Mock Examinations: January 8th-16th 2004 (inclusive) Summer/GCSE Examinations: May 24th – June 29th (provisional) GCSE RESULTS: *Thursday 26th August 2004* FORM TUTORS/ROOMS 1X: KG: H1 1Y: SC-W: 10 1Z: EF: H2 2X: RK: 7 2Y: CHe: 1 3X: JQ: 11 3Y: JG: 4 4X: AA: 3 4Y: MT: 2 5X: JJ: 9 5Y: CR: 8
SHMIS Summary of review visit
Abbey Gate College
provides a good education for all its pupils both in the Junior Department and
the Senior School. Junior pupils
develop their literacy and numeracy skills and acquire a good understanding and
knowledge of key concepts in all subjects and often work at levels above those
expected of pupils their age. The
generally high standards achieved by pupils of all ages in the Senior School are
reflected in the very good examination results at GCSE and at A-level which
compare very favourably with national figures for maintained selective and
independent schools.
Pupils speak with affection and pride of the college and express appreciation of the care and support they receive from staff. The impression is of a happy, civilised community with an active corporate life.
Mission StatementTo provide educational excellence across a broad range of subjects in which pupils of all abilities are enabled to meet their full potential.To encourage pupils to excel in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including Music and Drama.To build on the prevailing culture of good manners and self discipline within a caring environment, which treats each pupil as an individual.
Prospectus
Abbey Gate College is an independent co-educational day school set in beautiful grounds at Saighton Grange, some three miles south of the City of Chester. The Senior School admits children at the age of 11 and provides education up to University entrance. The College also admits pupils of Junior School age to its Junior Department at Aldford School. We provide a caring environment; we are proud of our relationship between teaching staff and their pupils. No child at Abbey Gate College or Aldford School will feel lost; everyone is made to feel important in at least one area of the educational process.
The College encourages its students:
The Junior Department of Abbey Gate CollegeThe Junior Department of Abbey Gate College opened in 1993. Formerly housed at the main school site at Saighton, the Department moved to Aldford for the academic year 1996-7. In a very short time Aldford School has established a firm reputation for its happy and secure learning environment with small classes, excellent facilities and caring staff.
Pastoral Care Each year is divided into two forms for tutorial and pastoral needs; form tutors have the first responsibility for the welfare, discipline and work of the pupils in their care. Two Form Entry *NOTE: Due to an increase in numbers for 2003 entry there will be a THREE FORM ENTRY for this year group.* Effort Cards Regular Parents Evenings
Sixth Form Following success at GCSE our pupils are expected to enter the Sixth Form where the Senior School curriculum is available in full with the addition of Politics, Economics, Business Studies and English Language The College takes great care to ensure that Sixth Formers take up courses in higher education for which they are most suited. We pride ourselves on the fact that students who successfully complete their courses do not leave without a place in higher education. A separate Sixth Form Prospectus is available from the College Secretary.
Music and Drama A school play or musical is produced every other year. Our boys and girls regularly win class awards at the Chester Speech and Drama Festival specializing in acted scenes: Prose/Poetry Reading, Improvisation, English Speaking Board, Acted Scenes and Mime.
The College is also expected to achieve two or three class wins at least at the Festival every year. The College is well known throughout the area for the outstanding quality of its music.
The Chapel Choir visits St Paul's Cathedral every year and tours abroad have included Holland, Germany, Denmark and the USA. Abbey Gate College, among other schools, is prominent in the education of Cathedral Choristers, for which Bursaries are available.
Sport Pupils are regularly sent for trials for Chester and District and County Teams. The college has had pupils selected to represent Cheshire in Hockey, Cricket and Rugby and has produced national athletes in the last few years. Tours abroad have included Hockey to Holland; Football to Malta; both in 1997. Facilities include extensive playing fields, tennis courts, sports hall (four badminton courts, tennis court, volleyball, indoor nets, indoor hockey, basketball etc.
Scholarships Two academic scholarships are awarded following the results of the Entrance Examination. For musical talent, three awards are offered including Music Exhibitions at First Form and Sixth Form level and the Daphne Herbert Choral Scholarship. During their time at Abbey Gate College pupils develop from children into young adults. In these vital years, we believe that parents should be closely involved. Parents evenings are held regularly, and more informal evenings are organised by the Social Committee.
Old Saightonians
Pupils are encouraged to take an active part in our extra-curricular programme: activities include music tuition (brass, woodwind, strings, singing, piano, guitar, etc.); speech and drama; school musicals; outdoor pursuits; Duke of Edinburgh Award; English Speaking Board and Young Enterprise Scheme.
Location
The school is situated in the North-West of England, some 3 miles from the center of Chester and in the village of Saighton.
The Junior department of the school is located in the nearby village of Aldford.
Chester - (Huxleys 01948-770661) Delamere Street 08.28 Railway Station 08.32 Henlys 08.35 Boughton (Peacock) 08.40 Rowton Crossroads 08.42 Waverton 08.45 Hawarden/Hough Green/Westminster Park (Vale of Llangollen 01978 810070) Hawarden 07.45 Penymynydd 07.55 Broughton Shops 08.00 Saltney Bridge 08.10 Hough Green (Tennis Courts) 08.12 Selkirk Roundabout 08.15 Lache Lane 08.20 Christleton A41 08.40 Wrexham - (G H A Coaches - 01978-753598) King Street, Wrexham 08.05 Gresford 08.13 Marford 08.15 Rossett 08.20 Holt 08.30 Whitchurch - (Merediths - 01948 860405) Whitchurch (Tesco) 07.50 Whitchurch (Brownlow Car Park) 07.55 Grindley Brook 08.00 Hampton 08.10 Tilston Village 08.18 (Duckington Crossroads 08.21) Broxton Roundabout 08.23 Frodsham - (Vale of Llangollen - 01978 810070) Frodsham (Bears Paw) 07.50 Kingsley Post Office 07.55 Norley Post Office 08.00 Manley Village 08.10 Kelsall (Morris Dancer) 08.20 Tarvin (A56 end) 08.30 Nantwich/Tarporley - (Acorn Travel - 01244-340424) Nantwich Bus Station/Library if raining 07.45 Winsford 08.05 Tarporley High Street/Chemist 08.30 Waverton 08.35 All the above times are approximate and vary according to demand
School FeesThe Charitable Trust which runs the College has a policy of keeping the parents' commitment as low as possible, consistent with the education policy of the College. (a) The cost of teachers' salaries and all other costs of running the College are paid by the TERMLY FEES payable in advance for each child starting at the College. As from 1st September 2003 these are as follows:
These are increased normally in September of each year, but in any case a full term's notice of any increase will be given. A full term's notice of withdrawal of your child from the College is required. In default, a full term's fees are payable in lieu of notice. (b) Books required by 'A' level and some GCSE pupils are charged as provided. (c) There is a voluntary 7-year Deed of Covenant Scheme to pay for College Buildings and Equipment and new developments, which we encourage all parents to pay. The annual amount requested from 1 September 2003 will be £200 which after tax recovery is worth £250 to the Trust. The Covenant is payable by Bankers' Order and an Inland Revenue Form R185 is required. Alternatively a non-refundable lump sum of £1,200 may be paid in advance as Gift Aid to cover the full period. (d) An Accident Insurance Scheme is provided and is payable for every pupil at the College. Cost per term is: £3.70 (e) No claim can be made for absence from College through illness, but an INSURANCE SCHEME is available for parents wishing to insure themselves against loss of tuition fees. This is the School Fees Protection Scheme, currently, per term: £21.00 (f) Additional optional charges are made termly if requested, for individual Music tuition, at £9.75 per half hour - average number of lessons 10 per term: £97.50 Bus Fares to and from Chester, Tarporley, Whitchurch, Wrexham and Helsby/ Frodsham (details on application). At least one term's notice must be given, in writing, to terminate any of the above options. (g) The Trust also makes available a voluntary BUPA SCHEME for College children at an attractive price, currently per term: £47.00 (h) Parents should also take into account the cost of providing the College uniform. (i) A 5% discount on Termly Fees is made available for the second child of any family attending the College. (j) Friends of Independent Schools (voluntary) £1 per term per family FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND ALSO 6TH FORM AND JUNIOR SCHOOL FEES PLEASE CONTACT:
Grounds and GardensA selection of pupils' writing about the gardens
"When
I looked around me I saw lots of different shades of different colours. They
ranged from the bright colours such as fuchsia and poppy red to the light
colours such as baby pink and lilac. Mixed in with these colours were greens
such as yellow green and olive green. One of my favourite was the aubergine tree
which mingled in with baby pink bushes and a patch of forget-me-nots and
bluebells so that the aubergine really stood out and it looked it was floating
in the air because of all the flowers around it. In another part of the garden there was a patch of flowers ranging from canary yellows to the rusty copper oranges to the plum coloured flowers."
"The sky was the clearest blue possible with not one cloud
in it. The only thing to penetrate the intense heat was a light breeze, which
made the banks of wallflowers dance. At the end of an avenue lined by huge dull
jade conifers, three steps under an arch of lime-coloured trees led to a
wilderness of daffodils, a carpet of crocus yellow. Lavender and lilac flowers
tumbled over a sandstone wall weathered by time. The borders surrounding the vast striped lawns were ablaze
with a mass of rust, lemon and tomato. The ruby petals of a rose fell like tears
to the ground, with the scent of honey as sweet as it tastes. Looking down through the different gardens you can see a gate at the bottom leading to a lush green and vivid buttercup yellow fields in the distance."
"It was a beautiful day when we went in the gardens at Abbey Gate College. We saw lots of greens like mint leaves, bottle green hedges and brightly coloured green grass. We saw pink and purple shades including fuchsia, lavender and plum flowers in moss green plants over the granite floor. A wide range of yellows could be seen, from magnolia to saffron, from primrose to buttercup and from daffodil to canary. Reds could be seen, such as, poppy, scarlet, crimson and lobster and dark shades of red including wine, darker wine and aubergine. I wish to go back and see the beautiful colourful gardens."
Life at Abbey Gate CollegeSome 3rd Year views about Abbey Gate College
Sport"Abbey
Gate College has many lessons in sports. In P.E we do many activities, some team
sports and some individual. These include rounders, hockey, football, athletic
events etc. Also Chester Baths is reserved one day a week for the Junior
Department and the First Year. Abbey Gate also competes in Wigan, Birmingham and
Chester and District Athletics events. There are several sports facilities including two full sized fields, a sports hall, 3 tennis courts and the use of The North Gate Arena."
"Abbey
Gate College is very nice and has an excellent PE department. We have just had a
new tarmac court on the edge of are large field. Each year has its own football,
rugby, rounders, cricket and football teams plus many, many more teams and
activities to take part in. The under 14's football team had a successful season and ended the season top of the North-West Independent Schools League. The rest of the teams were also very successful."
The Choir
"Abbey
Gate College is a small converted mansion situated on the outskirts of Chester,
in a village called Saighton. Abbey Gate started up 25 years ago and has come a
long way since then, especially Abbey Gate College Chapel Choir.
Last
summer they went to Well's Cathedral and sang evensong for one week. In April
this year they travelled to London to sing evensong in the world famous
St.Paul's Cathedral which they have been doing for the past few years.
In
July 2003 they are heading off to tour America where they are going to be
singing in New York, Lancaster, Washington DC and Philadelphia.
"This school is very friendly, All pupils and all staff, Some pupils are very funny, And make the teachers laugh. We have large and spacious playing fields, Which we play on every break, Most boys play football, While eating their victoria spongecake.
We have gardens to die for, With their walkways and flowers, There are also many benches, To while away the hours. We have a large sports hall, With goals and basketball nets, We also have a gym, And netball posts- four sets. We're having a new theatre built, Which has taken a long time, For music, computers and drama, My personal favourite is mime."
School History
Saighton
Grange was the principal country house of the Abbots of Chester. Before the
Conquest the manor of Saighton was held by the secular canons of St Werburgh,
Chester. but in 1092 Hugh Lupus. Earl of Chester. transformed their church into
the Benedictine Abbey of St Werburgh. and Saighton became part of the abbey
holdings. Licences to crenellate were granted in 1272 and 1399. but the only
part of the medieval building which remains today was built later. This is the
gatehouse erected by Abbot Simon Ripley about 1490. Ripley was an energetic
builder who brought new impetus to the works at the abbey church, completing the
reconstruction of the south transept and the central tower. At Saighton his
badge, a wolfs head, is carved at the base of the oriel window.
Upon
the Dissolution the abbey became Chester Cathedral and the abbey lands were
divided. The manor of Saighton passed through many hands before it was purchased
in the 1840s by the Grosvenors, owners of the huge neighbouring
The
great feature of Saighton Grange is the gatehouse. a rare example in Cheshire of
medieval secular stone architecture. By the end of the 15th century a heavy
crenellated tower was no longer a defensive necessity, and the outline of the
gatehouse is as much a picturesque as a practical device. High in a merlon of
the battlements is a canopied figure of the Virgin. and below is a small
decorative oriel window.
An
appearance of strength comes from the way the walls are jettied out over massive
angle corbels resting on Ranking buttresses. The tail arched gateway now leads
to the front door of the Victorian house. What this door reveals comes as
sornething of a shock. Instead of a Tudor-style hall with heavy oak panelling
and stone fireplace. the visitor enters an airy galleried room in the Regency
style. To the left are two big Ionic doorcases with fluted half-columns, and
directly ahead is an elegant semi-circular staircase illuminated by a shallow
domed lantern. Closer examination of the staircase reveals that it is
constructed of reinforced concrete, and indeed this whole classical interior
dates only from 1957. The doorcase and the mahogany doors to the library,
brought from Dauntsey Park near Chippenham. are the only genuine Neoclassical
features. This transformation was carried out for the 4th Duke of
Westminster who used Saighton Grange as his seat after Eaton Hall was abandoned.
The architect was John Dennys, the 5th Duke’s brother-in-law, who
was later to design the present Eaton Hall. Though the creation of a grand
entrance hall was an ambitious concept. the shallowness of its classical detail
does not bear close scrutiny. This weakness was less apparent when the house was
richly furnished with the Grosvenor treasures, but in its present sparse
condition the eve focuses too much on the architecture. The most appealing rooms
are those within the medieval gatehouse. The first contains the little oriel
window, and above is a tower room with a painted beam bearing the motto Tu ne
cede ma/is sed contra audentior Ito. This Victorian sentiment. 'Do not give way
to difficulties but rather strive on boldly’, forms the motto of the school
which now uses the house.
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We
hope that you will enjoy reading this prospectus and that
you will visit Abbey Gate College to see us in action.
All pupils are encouraged to join the Old Saightonians
Association.
