Welcome Message.
Welcome to Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College . This is an exciting time for the school and below I describe something about us and where we are heading.
Slough and Eton is an 11-19 co-educational academy that has grown in size and popularity over the last few years, a reflection of its high standing in the community. Currently we have about 900 students and over 150 teaching and ancillary staff. This means that, whilst we are small enough to retain a friendly atmosphere and know everyone’s face, the school is large enough to enable a full range of GCSE and Advanced level courses to be taught by specialist teachers. The school also runs a range of Level 2 & 3 courses in our successful and quickly expanding Sixth Form, now with over 160 students.
Not only are we a growing and highly successful school but we are a Business and Enterprise Specialist College with a dedicated Business Centre. Additionally we have recently spent £10 million on a major build project completed in October 2008. This includes a twenty four classroom teaching block, new Sports facilities, new school hall, new sixth form centre, new science labs, new students support centre, new administration offices, new restaurant and performing arts areas. These developments have helped to make us a flagship school for the 21st century.
Slough and Eton builds on the tradition of our foundation as a Church of England School which, over the years, has welcomed all faiths and cultures. We have developed into a school that celebrates unity in diversity by educating a multi-faith community. Students from a multitude of countries, nations, cultures and religions, work, play, learn and flourish together. In this way they develop respect and understanding for each other and are well prepared for life in the multi-cultural society in which they will live their adult lives.
Academically we aim to establish good working habits in an environment that is wholly conducive to learning and study. Our results have been outstanding, and our value added data has made us one of the top performing schools in the country. This demonstrates that we are bringing about effective learning, whilst maintaining concern for the individual. We believe that co-education benefits all and, although we take great pride in our high achievers, we are particularly proud that ALL of our students leave with sound qualifications on which to build their future.
In May 2011 Ofsted judged the school to be outstanding and in June 2011 the SIAS inspection judged the school to be an outstanding example of a Church of England School. Converting to academy status in August 2011 means that we are self governing and this allows us to make decisions that best fit the needs of the pupils and the community that we serve.
If you would like to know more about us please see the Prospectus (located on the right-hand side of the homepage). If you would like to visit the school, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01753 520824 or reception@slougheton.com, to arrange an appointment.
School History.
A brief history of Slough and Eton Church of England Business and Enterprise College.
The school was first opened in October 1940 and historical documents show differing names such as St Mary’s and St John’s Church of England School, St Mary’s and St John’s Slough & Eton Church of England School or Eton & Slough C of E Mixed Senior School. After a few years the board of Governors agreed the school would be named Slough & Eton Church of England School. The original buildings were of wooden construction favoured at this time during the 2nd World War. The original site featured air raid shelters as well for the staff and children which were put to good use during the early war years. Indeed there is a record of a bomb falling on an area known as the quadrangle on site during one particular school day in 1941. There is no record of what damage it caused but apparently the children at the time thought it was very exciting!
Within 14 years the governing body were urging the Ministry to include the school in rebuilding and redevelopment plans as the school enrolments were outgrowing the capacity. The Governors had an architect draw up sketch plans but by 1959 the Ministry still had not made any commitment to rebuild. In the late sixties rebuilding work eventually took place and the school footprint was extended from 12,000 sq ft to 22,000 sq feet to accommodate 450 pupils. In those days the long term forecast was for a pupil count in excess of 800!
Provision was made for a Library, Proper Laboratories, metalwork room, 2nd permanent Housecraft room, conversion to oil fired boilers (previously coal), demolition of old shelters, new Gymnasium and remodelling of existing gym for Kitchen and dining facilities for 400 in 2 sittings and real classrooms to replace existing huts. It was also decided to make provision for a full size swimming pool to be provided later.
The buildings were constructed in timber (Canadian Cedar) and the walls and roofs were clad mainly out of wood shingles or tiles. Only one building remains on site of the original cladding and this is the Art block which had previously been built as the new gymnasium and sports hall.
On the late evening of 19th February 1973 a fire broke out at the school and despite the efforts of over 100 firefighters the bulk of the building stock was lost. The only building saved was the Gymnasium which stands today. It was some years before temporary buildings erected on site were replaced with more solid structures.
The rebuilding started in 1976 and progressed only as much as the County budget could afford each year. In 1999 an agreement was reached between the Oxford Diocese, Board of Governors and Powerleague Limited to lease a portion of the school land for the development of a Powerleague 5 a side football franchise. During this phase of development the swimming pool was filled in (becoming a giant soakaway), a new sports hall was built and 10 x 5-a-side pitches were commissioned along with a Pavilion social and wet/dry changing facility. The school enjoys a facilities sharing agreement with Powerleague nd the pitches are used extensively by Powerleague customers in the evenings and at weekends. Further temporary buildings have been added to the site in the last 10-15 years and these include a Maths faculty of 4 rooms and 3 offices in a building which was the final replacement building following the fire of 1973. Two additional temporary units were donated by Eton College providing a Maths classroom, 6th form common room and the school funded its own new main common room.
The front reception area was added in 1998 providing more effective administration facilities and to form a focussed entrance heart for the school. The Humanities faculty was enlarged with the provision of 2 temporary classrooms close to the sports hall and in 2006 a further 2 additional temporary buildings were purchased to provide additional classrooms for the History department.
In 2005 the school also drew up plans for a Business & Enterprise faculty building to support the school’s newly achieved Specialist College status. The self contained building comprising 2 state of the art classrooms, a faculty office and an “Enterprise office” complete with spacious reception facilities was ready for the start of the 2006-07 academic year on 1st September. It was formally opened by former Mayor of Slough, Latif Khan on 12th December 2006.
In August 2011 the school converted from being a voluntary controlled school to become an academy.
