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Poltair School
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Poltair School is a coeducational secondary school located on the site of the former St Austell Grammar School in St Austell, Cornwall, England. It is run by the Cornwall Education Learning Trust.[1]
Key Information
Admissions
[edit]It has educational links with schools in Dithmarchen, Germany, notably the Gymnasium Heide-Ost. It has also had links with Collège des Quatre Vents in Lanmeur, Brittany, France.
History
[edit]Grammar school
[edit]It was founded in 1907.
Comprehensive
[edit]It became comprehensive in 1971, at the same time that it lost its sixth form. St Austell Sixth Form College was built at the same time next to the Mid-Cornwall College of Further Education on Palace Road. These merged in 1993[2] to form St Austell College, opposite the school.
In 2007, Poltair School held its centenary, which included guided tours of the school, a service at St John's Methodist Church, and celebrations at St Austell's Eden Project.
Academy
[edit]In September 2019 Poltair School converted to academy status and is now sponsored by the Cornwall Education & Learning Trust.
Buildings
[edit]The school has recently undergone a £5 million redevelopment programme, which included a new main hall, dining hall, radio studio, and dance/drama facilities, amongst other additions.
The school launched a full student radio station, Inferno Radio, in 2004. This is no longer running.
Academic performance
[edit]The school's GCSE pass rate increased 16% in the 2 years up until July 2007. However its GCSE pass rate is well below the England average, and the second lowest in Cornwall (above Redruth School).
Notable former pupils
[edit]- Steve Double, former Conservative MP (2015-2024) for St Austell and Newquay
- Steve Baker, former Conservative MP (2010-2024) for Wycombe
St Austell County Grammar School
[edit]- Robert Duncan, actor
- Felicity Goodey CBE DL, former presenter on Radio 4 and BBC North West Tonight[3]
- Sir Laurence Martin,[4] Vice-Chancellor from 1978 to 1990 of Newcastle University, and gave the BBC's Reith Lecture in 1981.
- John Nettles, actor[5]
- A. L. Rowse, academic and author.[6]
- Robin Skynner, psychiatrist, known for 1983 book Families and How to Survive Them
- L. H. C. Tippett, statistician[7]
- David Tremlett, artist[8]
- Fred Trethewey, former Archdeacon of Dudley
- Edward Rowe (actor), Cornish comedian and theatre actor (AKA:Kernow King)
References
[edit]- ^ "CELT schools". Cornwall Education Learning Trust. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "The Education (St Austell Sixth Form College and Mid-Cornwall College) (Dissolution) Order 1993". Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2010. Sixth form merger
- ^ "Ms. Felicity Goodey". Debretts. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013.
- ^ Stevenson, Jane. "Features". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011.
- ^ "John Nettles". TV.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ "EUL MS 286 - A L Rowse: papers compiled by Eric Glasgow". Archives hub. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ Stanton, R.G. (1987). "The Work of L. H. C. Tippett" (PDF). Ars Textrina. 7: 179–185. [dead link]
- ^ "David Tremlett on beatniks, the Royal College and early British Conceptual art". artCornwall.org. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
Sources
[edit]- The Times Monday 30 October 1972, page 12
