Houlton Stories

  • Houlton School awarded 'Good' in all areas by Ofsted!
    5 Apr 2024

    In February 2024 our school was visited by the schools’ inspectorate, Ofsted. This was a two-day inspection to assess our school and included observations of lessons as well as discussions with leaders, staff, pupils and parents. This really was a community effort, and we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the inspection process. We are delighted to tell you that the inspectors were incredibly complimentary about Houlton School and have judged our school to be ‘Good’ across all inspection categories!
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  • Mr Hill wins 'Outstanding New Teacher of the Year' at the National Teaching Awards!
    1 Jan 2024

    Russell Hill has used his previous experience as an award-winning, professional artist and sculptor to capture the imagination of all pupils at this new Warwickshire Free School since launching the provision for Art, Food and Design Technology. He has already inspired and facilitated his pupils’ entry and ultimate win the at the national V&A Innovate Awards – and so impressed with his passion, vitality and talent were the team that they invited him to be on their advisory board. His mantra of ‘process over product’ has earned him a strong following in the Twittersphere as an emerging system leader. Described by his Principal as “a rare unicorn of a find in launching a brand new school”, Russell lives up to his school’s values of Innovation, Aspiration and Excellence every day.
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  • Houlton achieves 'World Class School' status
    1 Dec 2022

    Pupils and staff at Houlton School are celebrating following the news that they have been awarded the World Class Schools Quality Mark (WCSQM) - joining an exclusive network of 120 of the best non-selective state schools across the UK for the quality of educational experience on offer. In order to gain the coveted accreditation, the school took part in an entirely pupil-lead assessment process, where pupils were tasked with completing a series of challenges to showcase what makes their school World Class. Pupils used the World Class App to demonstrate a plethora of leadership skills and attributes as well as taking on project management lead roles in last year’s Assessment Centre Day. All of the work leading to the successful accreditation was completed by pupils in Key Stage 3, something normally supported largely by Key Stage 4 and 5 pupils.
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  • Brand new pupil-led video for our September 2023 families
    8 Aug 2022


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  • Houlton invites 30 schools from all over the country to #BeWorldClass
    17 Mar 2022

    175 students head to Houlton School in Rugby in a bid to achieve WCSQM reaccreditation for their school. On 17th March 2022 Houlton School, a brand new free school in Rugby, hosted the World Class Schools Quality Mark (WCSQM) Assessment Centre, welcoming 175 students from 30 primary and secondary schools applying for WCSQM re-accreditation. The assessment centre event marked a return to in-person assessment events for the education charity that works to accredit non-selective schools from around the UK as World Class. In order to achieve World Class Quality Mark accreditation the school’s students must demonstrate World Class characteristics, using the WCSQM framework of characteristics as a benchmark of the skills and competencies young people need to thrive in an ever changing global economy.
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  • Festive Extravaganza Highlights Reel 2021
    15 Dec 2021


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  • Principal's Address to Parents (Open Evening Sept 2022) now live!
    28 Sep 2021

    In order to avoid overcrowding in the auditorium at Thursday's Open Evening, we have, instead, made a short film with the information Mr McCulley would have given you during his talk. It can be viewed on our Open Evening page here .
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  • Rugby’s newest school set to feature on BBC One TV programme
    13 May 2021

    Rugby’s newest secondary school – Houlton School – is set to feature on BBC One TV programme ‘Dom Digs In.’ The programme, which is hosted by Dom Littlewood, will explore the construction of the brand-new Houlton School ahead of opening....
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  • All systems go: Houlton School gets the green light for opening
    13 Jan 2021

    After years of planning and preparation, Houlton School has been given the all clear to open by the Secretary of State for Education. Located in the Grade II listed former Rugby Radio Station, the 11-18 academy is positioned in the heart of Urban&Civic’s new residential development at Houlton. Despite COVID challenges, work on the site has been proceeding at pace over the last 12 months, and plans for the exciting curriculum that will be on offer have also been developed. The school’s recent Section 10 consultation, which captures the community’s view on all the plans, was also recently submitted to the Department for Education.
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  • Work begins to transform iconic Rugby radio building into Houlton School
    15 Jan 2020

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This school provides a wonderful educational opportunity; the Principal and his team's vision is impressive.
The Right Honourable Nick Gibb MP, Minister for School Standards