Darrick Wood School

Darrick Wood School is a mixed secondary school in Orpington, London Borough of Bromley, United Kingdom with a current roll of 1785 pupils. It was first opened in 1975.[1]

Darrick Wood School
Address
Lovibonds Avenue Orpington , Greater London , BR6 8ER England
Coordinates	51.366084°N 0.063230°E / 51.366084; 0.063230
Information
Type	Academy[1]
Motto	Revereor vitam
Established	1975 (1975)
Department for Education URN	136355 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Head Teacher	Martin Airey
Gender	Coeducational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	1786
Colour(s)	Brown and Gold
Website	http://www.darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk
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Facilities

Darrick Wood consists of five separate buildings, each of which have a general academic specialty. This includes the sixth from building located on the west of the compound, 2 general teaching buildings located at the central and east side of the compound which focus on social sciences, maths, physical education and arts/crafts, a sciences faculty building on the south and an assembly hall on the north side of the compound.

Sports facilities are made of 2 sports halls, 2 fields, a small gym and a football pitch.

History

The school opened in 1975. For the first two terms the students were accommodated at Charles Darwin School, Biggin Hill.[2] It converted to being an academy in 2012.[3]

Structure

Each year group comprises ten forms. The main school is effectively split into two halves, the 'X' half and the 'Y' half. Until completion of Key Stage 3, pupils only share classes with other pupils from the same half.

In Key Stage 4, most classes contain pupils from both halves.

Form groups are named after historical figures from the local area. The 'X' half comprises 'Boswell', 'Fry', 'Lubbock', 'Saunders' and 'Willett'. The 'Y' half comprises 'Crompton', 'Darwin', 'Hill', 'March' and 'Pitt'.

This system does not apply to the Sixth Form, where instead form groups are identified more conventionally by the initials of their tutors.

Head teachers

• Mr Turner (1975-1985)
• Mr Barker (1985-2000)
• Mrs Rhymaun (2000-2015)
• Dr Airey (2015- current)[2]

Controversy

Sexual harassment allegations

In October 2007, a Darrick Wood member of staff was made redundant due to claims of stalking and sexual harassment of another teacher. The victim was forced to seek police assistance after being subject to a number of sexual advances by the stalker.[4]

In April 2009, an employment tribunal confirmed these allegations.[5]

Negative reviews

Since 2014, Darrick Wood has been subject to a significant number of anonymised negative reviews. These reviews, allegedly from parents and former students, have complained of unprofessionalism, underfunding, and grade manipulation by the selective expelling of students.[6]

Notes

1. "Governors report and audited accounts 2016" (PDF). www.darrickwood.bromley. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
2. "Darrick Wood School History". www.darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
3. "Find an inspection report". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. 5 November 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
4. "Obsessed teacher sacked for stalking gay male colleague'". Bromley Times. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
5. "Tribunal confirms 'stalker' harassed gay male teacher". Bromley Times. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
6. "Orpington Gossip". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-04-17.

External links

• School Homepage