Imagine a time long before Overton Grange School stood here. This land was once derelict. It housed a blood transfusion center then a youth theatre workshop. A prison was even planned for this site. But today we’re talking about Overton Grange School.
Overton Grange School opened in 1997. It welcomed its first students then. The official opening happened on March 27 1998. Additional space was added in September 2000. This supported GCSE students. A sixth form was built in September 2002. Overton Grange School became an academy on June 1 2011.
Overton Grange School has a large capacity. It can hold about 1300 students. The school provides education for students aged 11 to 18. That is Years 7 to 13. Year 12 and 13 make up the sixth form. Students need good GCSE results to enter the sixth form. Otherwise they must find another sixth form for further education.
Students at Overton Grange School are divided into two bands. These are Overton and Grange. Grange learns Spanish. Overton learns French. In Years 10 and 11 the bands change. They become X and Y. Overton Grange School also uses house groups. These are Amber Emerald Ruby and Sapphire. Each form has 25 to 30 students. They all belong to one house and one band.
The school issues lanyards based on year groups. Year 7 wears orange. Year 8 wears blue. Year 9 wears purple. Year 10 wears black. Year 11 wears green. Sixth form students have school-branded lanyards. Year 12 is yellow. Year 13 and school prefects are blue.
The school’s history department aims for a diverse curriculum. It wants the curriculum to be inclusive and engaging. Key Stage Three follows a chronological approach. This gives students the big picture of the past. Key Stage Four topics reflect student interest. They also learn about different cultures and historical figures. Key Stage Five broadens students’ historical knowledge. This prepares them for further study.
Overton Grange School has seen many headteachers. Mr. Kieran Osborne was head from 1997 to 2004. Mr. Gerry Bennett served briefly in 2004. Mr. Willis followed from 2004 to 2005. Mr. Jones acted as head in 2005-2006. Mr. Stephen Foxwell was head from 2006 to 2008. Mr. Peter Butterworth led from 2009 to 2016. Mr. Keith Stride served from 2019 to 2022. Mr. Chris McNab is the current principal.
The latest Ofsted report highlights the school’s positives. The school received Requires Improvement for Quality of Education and Sixth form provision. It received good in all other areas. In 2016 the school was rated good in all areas. Overton Grange School continues to serve its students. It provides a comprehensive education. It prepares them for their futures.