John F Kennedy Catholic School

John F Kennedy Catholic School
Address
Map
Hollybush Lane

Hemel Hempstead
,
Hertfordshire
,
HP1 2PH

England
Coordinates51°45′34″N 0°30′01″W / 51.75933°N 0.50032°W / 51.75933; -0.50032
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoPacem in terris
("peace on Earth")
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1967
Local authorityHertfordshire
TrustAll Saints Catholic Academy Trust
Department for Education URN149743 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherPaul Neves
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1132[1]
Websitehttp://www.jfk.herts.sch.uk/

John F Kennedy Catholic School is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary school located in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. It opened in 1967 and has a current student population of approximately 1,100, aged 11 to 18.[2] The school's motto is Pacem in terris (peace on Earth).

The school is also part of a local partnership of secondary schools, offering a variety of subject choices for post-16 students, but as of 2020, this partnership is more limited.[3]

In September 2009, the school opened a major £8.4m ($16.2m) new building project which has expanded facilities for several of the school's subject departments.[4] The building project includes:[5]

  • A new teaching block, taking up part of the area where the school's current tennis courts used to be
  • 4 new tennis courts on currently unused field area
  • A new sports hall in the 'spinney' (a wooded area on the school site)
  • A new playground in front of the school's largest teaching block, the 'B Block'
  • A new car park to help deal with local parking issues, which will take up the remainder of the current tennis court area

The school has minimised the impact on the local environment by avoiding significant loss of trees. The project also involved the planting of new trees, and using trees which are required to be cut down as wood-chip paths and for the construction of the gazebo-type structure in the so-called 'spinney'.[6]

Previously a voluntary aided school administered by Hertfordshire County Council,[7] in June 2023 John F Kennedy Catholic School converted to academy status.[8] The school is now sponsored by the All Saints Catholic Academy Trust,[9] but continues to be under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster.

Achievements and recognition

The school gained Technology College status in 1998,[10] has received Ofsted inspection reports describing it as "outstanding",[3] and appeared on Ofsted's "honours list".[11] It has also received the following special recognitions:

  • Schools Curriculum Award 2000[12]
  • Investor in People[12][13]

Alumni

References

  1. ^ John F Kennedy Catholic School, Office for Standards in Education.
  2. ^ The secondary school currently has a student population over 170 in 6th form, which is its largest 6th form on record. "EduBase – John F Kennedy Catholic School". Department for Education. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b "John F Kennedy Roman Catholic School Inspection Report" (PDF). Ofsted. March 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Run proves fun for JFK as fundraising starts". Hemel Today. 20 March 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  5. ^ Transforming JFK into a school for the 21st Century Archived 30 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, John F Kennedy School. Retrieved 11 June 2007
  6. ^ Spinney Management Plan Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, John F Kennedy School. Retrieved 11 June 2007
  7. ^ "John F Kennedy Catholic School - GOV.UK". Get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  8. ^ "John F Kennedy Catholic School - GOV.UK". Get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Home". All Saints Catholic Academy Trust.
  10. ^ "List of all Technology Colleges". Department for Education and Skills. Archived from the original on 13 February 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
  11. ^ "'Best of the best' schools listed". BBC News. 7 January 2005. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
  12. ^ a b "About Us". John F Kennedy School. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Inspection Report John F Kennedy School" (PDF). Ofsted. May 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2007.