Netherhall Learning Campus

Nether Hall Learning Campus
Address
Nether Hall Avenue Rawthorpe Huddersfield , West Yorkshire , HD5 9PG England
Information
Local authority	Kirklees
Age	0 to 16

Nether Hall Learning Campus is an all-through school located in Rawthorpe, Huddersfield, England controlled by Kirklees MBC. The school was formed in 2008 from the merger of Rawthorpe High School, Rawthorpe Junior School and Rawthorpe St James CE Infant and Nursery School.

History

Originally Rawthorpe County Secondary Modern, the school was built circa 1952. The first Head was "Jack" Timewell who remained with the school until 1975.

Mr Timewell indicated unusual difficulties attendant in the school's establishment. One edge of the school's playing fields overlooks the Kilner Bank. In pre-war times the Kilner Bank had been a local beauty spot. Industrial activity in the Huddersfield's Leeds Road area, particularly wartime munitions production, had left the Kilner Bank (and the playing fields) contaminated with high concentrations of soil copper. Only the importing of grass able to tolerate high copper concentrations, from Canada, enabled the school to have large sports fields adjacent.

The contamination had destroyed most of the tree-life on the Kilner Bank and the school participated in an extensive re-planting program starting in the early 1970s.

The school had a sixth form, and entered pupils for the GCE A-level examinations whilst still a secondary modern. This continued until three local grammar schools began a phased-transition into sixth form colleges in 1973. Renamed Rawthorpe High School, it lost its own sixth form and became a comprehensive "feeder school". The school continued to enter pupils for the GCE O-level examinations, replacing the Associated Examination Board exams with the far more demanding northern universities Joint Matriculation Board papers in 1974.

As of 1 September 2008 Rawthorpe High School became Netherhall Learning Campus as it joined with Rawthorpe Junior School and Rawthorpe St James CE Infant and Nursury School to become a 0 to 16 school.

Creative & Media Studio School

In 2010 the Creative & Media Studio School was established at the Netherhall Learning Campus, one of the first two studio schools to be established in England. The school has a range of creative specialisms including Drama, Music, Textiles, Graphics, Fashion, Media and Business. Qualifications can be achieved in GCSEs, BTECs or A Levels.

Notable alumni

• Germaine Lindsay, one of the suicide bomber's involved in the 7 July 2005 London bombings
• Paul Scriven - Liberal Democrat Politician - Leader of Sheffield City Council