Sarsen Technology sponsors St John’s College science room

Sarsen Technology sponsors St John’s College science room

A Marlborough-based company whose technological solutions include sonar equipment to survey the polar ice cap, next-generation mobile phone systems, and controls for wave-energy machines has sponsored one of the two physics laboratories at the new St John’s School, which opens in 6 weeks’ time.

Nigel Norman, Managing Director of Sarsen Technology, says the company wanted to show its support for the school as it needs extra funding to put the finishing touches to its state-of–the-art science department.

“We have children at the school, and I can’t think of a better way of putting something back into our local community at this moment in time” said Mr Norman. “ Moreover, I firmly believe that the UK’s future as a successful economy lies in its ability stay ahead in the global technology race by continuing to turn out highly-skilled and extremely knowledgeable scientists and engineers.”

Sarsen Technology Limited is an industry-leading distributor of embedded hardware and software, supplying some of Europe’s leading players in the telecommunications, security, instrumentation, research and aerospace industries.
“Sarsen is a specialist provider at the cutting edge of technology solutions working with some of the UK’s leading scientists and engineers” explained Mr Norman “so it seems appropriate that the funding should be directed at this area of education”.

The science department in the new St John’s school is based in the northern end of the new building, overlooking the town. The laboratories and classrooms have been carefully designed to make learning an exciting experience for the school’s 1,600 students. St John’s has been raising funds for almost two years to buy furniture & equipment for the new school building, and a number of classrooms have already been sponsored by businesses and by private individuals. The Sarsen Technology room is the second science room to have been sponsored and will have a plaque fitted to recognise the company’s support.

Headteacher Dr Patrick Hazlewood met Nigel Norman to thank him for his support and to explain how important corporate sponsorship is to the new school. “I am delighted that Sarsen Technology has sponsored one of the state-of-the-art science rooms in our new school. It has been a great boost to us to be able to meet and thank so many people who have given donations to help make our new school a reality. We are all looking forward to opening the doors to students on 7th December and being able to give them the benefit of such a marvellous new building.”

St John’s School & Community College in Marlborough has a catchment area of over 250 square miles from a primarily rural area of Wiltshire, and has more than 1,500 students age 11-18. In 2009 73% of students achieved five or more A* to C grade GCSEs placing St John’s as one of the top performing state schools in the county. The ALPS (Advanced Level Performance Systems) data for 2009 ranks St Johns as Outstanding, placed in the top 10% of schools, based on the progress made by students from GCSE to A-level and the quality of teaching& learning.
Currently based on two 1960s sites in the town, 50% of students are being taught in ageing “temporary” classrooms, some of which have been in place for over 30 years. Following a Turf-cutting ceremony performed by England football legend Stuart Pearce in May 08 building work on a new single-site school commenced and the new building will open to students in December 2009.
Uniquely, the school has funded the development itself by selling land for development, preferring this route to waiting another decade for government funding to become available. The new St John’s is a single-site, purpose-built school with excellent facilities that will give students, as well as the wider community, a place to be proud of.