EDUCATION MATTERS Carol Hannaford, principal of Stoke Damerel Community College, sponsor school of Scott College, with Martyn Cox, headteacher of Scott Medical and Healthcare College
Countdown to busy year for head of Plymouth’s newest school Martyn Cox is doing his best to make the very most of the summer holidays before the start of what is likely to be one of the busiest years of his life In little more than 12 months’ time Martyn will welcome the first students to Plymouth’s newest studio school Scott Medical and Healthcare College. He was recently appointed as headteacher of the school, which opens in September 2017, and one of his first duties was to travel to Buckingham Palace to attend a reception hosted by the Duke of York, who is the royal patron of the Studio Schools Trust. “I had a wonderful day at the Palace and it was very illuminating to hear the Duke’s views on studio schools and why he believes small schools like ours are the best place for some students to learn,” said Martyn, who was vice principal at Stoke Damerel Community College - the studio school’s sponsor - and has been part of the team setting up Scott College from the beginning. “It’s a unique experience and a privilege to be able to be the head of a school which I will have taken from the very first seed of an idea to the day, in just over a year’s time, when we have our first intake of Year 9 and Year 12 learners,” he said. “It seems incredible to think that we have our first open evening this month and I can’t wait to meet future students and their families and share my vision for the College with them.” Plans for the 375-student school - which will be purposebuilt in Stoke - were announced by the Department for Education in March last year and there will be an Open Evening on 28 September and an Open Day on 8 October, both at Stoke Damerel. Scott College will offer places to young people in Years 9
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to 13 to develop highly-valued vocational skills for the wider healthcare sector. Studio schools are more like workplaces with a longer school day and classroom teaching combined with work placements. At first students will carry out work experience from half a day to a full day each week. “There is a consistent demand for well-trained healthcare professionals and our school will offer the best of both worlds,” said Martyn, who has worked at Stoke Damerel since 2003. “It’s a small school, offering high-quality teaching and state-of-the-art facilities as well as the opportunity for work placements with our outstanding healthcare partners. “Studio Schools also have greater freedom from the national curriculum and will not have to fit into the confines of teaching the EBacc at KS4.” Admitting pupils aged between 13 and 19, the studio school will be separate and distinct from Stoke Damerel whilst taking advantage of the economies of scale of being a part of a multi-academy trust. Applications can be made for places in Year 9 and Year 12 from 1 September 2016. Carol Hannaford, principal of Stoke Damerel Community College, said: “I am delighted to appoint such a well-qualified and experienced leader as the first headteacher of Scott College. “Martyn has a long history of success as Key Stage 5 vice principal at Stoke Damerel and I am so pleased that, against a nationally-advertised field, he was such a stunningly successful leader. “I know that students and parents will be excited at the prospect of a future career in the medical and healthcare sector – it is just what we need for our city.” Key to the vision for the school - which will offer a range