Origins
Warwick Academy was founded in 1662. It is said to be the longest continually functioning school (that has remained on the same site) in the Western Hemisphere. The land for the school was donated by the Earl of Warwick. The present School Library occupies the site of the school's original classroom. Unfortunately a great deal of the school’s history was lost at the beginning of the Twentieth Century when the Board’s Secretary, who was also a ship’s Purser, took all its records to be bound in New York. The ship sank in New York harbour!
Board of Governors
There are 15 Board members. New members, when required, are appointed by the existing members. Their powers stem from The Warwick Academy Trust Act 1922 and the Warwick Academy Act 1982. The Board members are trustees of the property. The current Chairman of the Board is Vincent Ingham, J.P., P. Eng., President and Chief Executive Officer, BELCO (Bermuda Electricity Company).
Recent History
Until 1962 Warwick Academy was traditionally a school for white children. The Board then decided to integrate the school and for many years now the School has enjoyed a student population which mirrors the racial composition of Bermuda - 65% black, 35% white. Portuguese and expatriate children, largely from North America and the UK and a few from further afield are to be found also within the school community.
Originally a private school, Warwick Academy operated as an 11-17 selective, co-educational secondary school in the Bermuda public education system between 1965 and 1995. It had status as a selective Grammar School in this period.
In 1990 the Bermuda Government indicated that it intended to reform the public system of education, removing selection and embracing a 3-tier system of primary, middle and secondary schools. It saw Warwick Academy's future as a middle school within these new arrangements.
The Warwick Academy Board of Governors could not accept this and, after prolonged discussion, decided to return the school to its private status. It originally intended to do this in 1992 but, following talks with the Government, delayed the change of status until 1995. Warwick Academy did, however, open a private Primary School in September 1992. A Capital Campaign was then established to raise an Endowment Fund to provide bursaries to help able children from poorer backgrounds to attend the secondary school. About $5 million in cash and pledges was obtained for this purpose.
Present Size and Projected Growth
Initially, the Board aimed for a 1-form entry Primary (Y1 to Y6) School and a 3-form entry Secondary (Y7 -Y13) school but the pressure for places at the Primary level has forced it to accept a 2-form entry in Y1 to Y6. The former P7 is now Y7, the first year of the secondary school. The school has recently resisted a great deal of pressure to expand further. Present numbers are 325 in the Primary and 450 in the Secondary department. A 'Sixth Form' commenced in September, 1999, for students aged 16-18 years. This has now been rationalized, in upgraded facilities. There are currently 100 students in the Sixth Form and further expansion is envisaged.
Grounds and Buildings
Warwick Academy occupies 22 acres of land, including a harbourside plot alongside the Great Sound of Hamilton. The school buildings have been developed around quadrangles. These include a large Assembly Hall, a Science Block, a Library, an extended Design & Technology workshop, an Art Room, four Computer Rooms and computers dispersed throughout the school, a 25 metre, heated Swimming Pool, large playing fields and a Sports Hall (opened January 2005).
In September 1998, the school opened a new building including five classrooms, a new staffroom, a new computer room, bathrooms and changing room facilities. The school is an attractive blend of the old and the new, retaining the ‘old colonial’ style in which it was originally conceived and which is the predominant style on the island. Further building plans include an extensive refurbishment of the older parts of the building, a further extension to the Sixth Form Centre and a new Music teaching centre. The school has a music specialism which includes a full orchestra, senior and junior Concert Bands, similar ‘Strings’ orchestras, a jazz band and further ensembles. Drama and Sport are also vibrant parts of the school life.
Curriculum
With consolidation into a 5 to 18 school, Warwick Academy has adopted the U.K. National Curriculum as the model curriculum to follow. Key Stages, Attainment Targets and Attainment Levels form the basis of a subject-driven curriculum. External examination at ages 15/16 is by International GCSE and GCSE. Students enter for a mix of eight or nine of these. The Sixth Form programme began with assessment by the UK ‘AS/A2’ levels but in September 2004 it changed to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
External Examinations
The school is geared to the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) operated by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate - now CIE (Cambridge International Examinations. At GCSE level the Board used is Edexcel. Between the ages of 16-18, students follow the International Baccalaureate programme.
Faculty
There are currently 66 teachers, two Learning Enrichment teachers, a full-time Librarian, a Computer Network Manager and Assistant, a Craft Technician and two Teaching Assistants (Primary). About half of the staff are Bermudians with the rest coming from the U.K., the U.S.A., South Africa and Canada.
Warwick Academy in Bermuda
The school has a long tradition and an established reputation. It is particularly respected as a well-integrated school. It boasts a fine academic record and a strong extra-curricular programme, including sport, music, drama, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and a host of other activities. As mentioned above, the school has a specialist Music programme with an excellent Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Band and Jazz Band and a dynamic Drama programme.
Staff and Curriculum Development are seen as highly important and significant funding is allocated annually to it. Endowment Funds to further develop Staff Professional Development & Retention, has been established alongside a similar fund to further bolster bursary and scholarship support and a Capital Campaign to improve the condition of the older parts of the school. At the curriculum level the school seeks to embed its current programme successfully into the school, to explore means of improving general knowledge, especially internationalism, to expand the usage of modern technology for teaching purposes and to develop critical thinking and problem solving throughout its syllabuses.
Strong commitment is expected from staff in the pursuit of the schools mission statement.