Queen Elizabeth's Community Technology College, specialising in the future

<body> <h2><font face="Arial">The College</font></h2> <p><font face="Arial">Queen Elizabeth's Community Technology College stands at the heart of a thriving learning community that includes thirteen primary schools spread across hundreds of square miles of rolling Devon countryside.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">Having started 450 years ago as a Grammar school for ten students, the College moved to new buildings in 1861, and then in the 1960s became a mixed community comprehensive which now has over 1500 school students, as well as hundreds of adults who extend their education with us, or just use our facilities.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">The College benefits from having two sites. The Barnfield site has beautiful grounds and views right across the hills to Dartmoor. This houses Years 7 and 8 in isolation from the rest of the school and allows the younger students to find their feet in the very different world of secondary education in a calm and friendly atmosphere tailored to their needs.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">The Western Road site covers a large area at the western end of Crediton and includes the ancient and familiar façade of College House, the old boys' grammar school. This is now our Community Learning Centre with a brand new Library and extra computer facilities. On this site, older students can concentrate on their studies away from the exuberance of Year 7 and 8. Specialist facilities are tailored to the needs of students studying for GCSE and Advanced level qualifications.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">The long traditions of this ancient school combine with a strong ambition to meet the future head on through our status as a Technology College. This gives us additional funding to make learning more interesting and exciting in Science, Maths, Technology and Information and Communications Technology, not only for our students, but also for those in our partner schools. Through this funding and other sources, we have been able to add over 130 new computers since January, 15 of which are laptops for Bryan Smith, our primary ICT expert, to use around our family of primary schools.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">As well as this emphasis on Technology, we of course offer the full range of subjects and are particularly strong in the Arts and Humanities areas. We are planning an Arts Festival in Crediton next summer and have invested in new computer facilities for Art and Music as well as adding GCSE Dance to our curriculum.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">We are also a very inclusive College. We have a very successful Specific Learning Difficulties Centre here which deals with students with dyslexia from all over the county. We pull out all the stops to help all our students, whatever their ability, physical or intellectual. We are particularly proud of the achievements of our students who have had to struggle against the odds.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">There is a temptation amongst schools to just focus on the headline results. As it happens, our headline results are very good – last year 59% of our students achieved five or more A*-C at GCSE for example.. We are, however, much more interested in the quality of the learning experience we offer our students. We believe that learning should be an inspiring and enjoyable experience for both students and teachers. We want to educate students to have real skills and understanding which will stay with them for life, not just train them to pass tests. We believe that investing in quality always pays off in the long run.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">Since becoming Principal in January 2001, I have discovered just what a friendly, vibrant and successful learning community this is.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">This site uses frames technology which your browser does not appear to support.  Please click the following links to view individual pages:</font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.qecc.literate.co.uk"> www.qecc.literate.co.uk</a> (main site)<br> <a href="http://www.qecc.literate.co.uk/zone_school/prospectus.htm"> www.qecc.literate.co.uk/zone_school/prospectus.htm</a> (College Prospectus)</font></p> </body>