Sports academy in Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Copleston High School is a secondary school for ages 11–18 in Ipswich, England. It is an academy, and caters for around 1,800 students,[1] as well as between 340-370 students in the sixth form which was shared with Holywells High School until 2011. A 2009 Ofsted inspection rated its overall performance as good with outstanding features.[2] A following Ofsted inspection in 2018 awarded them with a 'good' rating.[3]
History
The school first opened in 1939 as two separate boys' and girls' secondary modern schools.[4]
However soon afterwards, World War II was declared and the site was used as a hospital for the duration of the War.
2006 arson attack
A severe fire on 27 August 2006 damaged the school's gym, classrooms and staff room, which prevented many students from returning after the summer break while repairs were being carried out.[5] In January 2007, former pupil Ashley Norman pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to starting the fire, whilst a second boy denied the charges.[6] They were both found guilty of arson and charged with 3 and 4 years respectively in a young offenders institution.
Two separate fires were started on site, the first in the staff block of the main building and the second in the girls' gym where a trampoline was set alight.[7] For a time the school used an old air raid siren to signify the end of classes after the fire destroyed the old bell system.[8]
Allegations about suspended teacher
In May 2013, Stephen Benson, a former science and PE teacher at Copleston was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of 21 offences, including nine rapes, six indecent assaults, two sex assaults and two counts of sexual activity with a child.
[9] Another former teacher, Stephen Brenchley, was also convicted of sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.[10]
Other past incidents
In late 1998 Alistair McColl, a 37 year old craft and design teacher at Copleston led fellow teacher Colin Breeze to a wood near Bury St Edmunds before unsuccessfully trying to beat him to death with an iron pipe as Breeze was having an affair with McColl's wife, Sheridan. Alistair had been love rivals with Breeze since their trainee days but was not fully aware of Mrs McColl's infidelity until two weeks before. Breeze, while severely injured, escaped the encounter and McColl left a message for his wife on the answering machine saying "Hi Sheri, its me. It is 6:15 on Sunday morning. I have just attacked Colin with an iron bar. Pre-planned. Something I had been arranging for a few days. Pretty stupid thing to do. He is going to be okay. He will be back with you today. He is probably going to be in hospital. Honey, I am so sorry things have gone like this." After the incident, Alistair and Sheridan divorced, with full custody of their children (aged 4 and 5) going to Sheridan. Mrs McColl and Mr Breeze later married and Mr McColl supposedly formed a new relationship with another woman.[11]
Copleston High School is a part of the Gippeswyk Community Educational Trust - also known as GCET (A multi-academy trust.) The trust comprises Copleston High School, Britannia Primary School and Rosehill Primary School - all in the locality of East Ipswich. Previous Principal, Shaun Common, has now assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of the trust.
Enterprise
In 2007 a scheme by students to run a "juice bar" selling smoothies in cooperation with a local firm earned one of the students the title of East of England Student of the Year and attracted interest from other schools in the county.[12] The juice bar subsequently closed due to the closure of the company behind the idea. A coffee bar stands in its place today.
