Great Sankey High School
Great Sankey High School is a high school located in Warrington, Cheshire. The school is a public school and was built in the 1970's. Extensions have included a mathematics block. The school also has a linking leisure centre and arts theatre. GSHS has been awarded, and retained, an Artsmark Gold award, the highest award for the Arts. The school also has a sixth-form college, Barrow Hall College. This has recently had extensions and the common room has been up-graded. GSHS is twinned with South Peninsula High School in South Africa.
Houses
In September 2007 the school will adopt a new "house system", replacing the old year system. There will be the house system is named after famous people who have excelled in their areas, or have been an inspiration.
- Austen (after Jane Austen)
- Newton (after Sir Issac Newton)
- Parks (after Rosa Parks)
- Bannister (after Sir Roger Bannister)
- Stephenson (after George Stephenson)
- Thompson (after Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson)
Engineering
In 2004, the school was awarded specialist schools status in the field of Engineering and has since increased the provision of Engineering within the curriculum. GSHS are now one of the many schools in the United Kingdom with this status.
Sport
The school has many teams participating in sports such as football, rugby league, hockey, basketball, cricket, badminton and athletics to name but a few.
2006/2007 Sporting Honours
Football
Year 7 Boys: Warrington League and Cup Runners-Up
Year 8 Boys: Warrington League and Cup Winners
Year 10 Boys: Warrington League and Cup Winner, Cheshire County Cup Winners
Year 11 Boys: Warrington League 3rd place and Cup Semi-Finallists
Rugby
The Year 10 (Under 15) rugby team has reached the final of the National Champion Schools Tournament and will be contesting the final in August 2007 in London.
Music
The school has a number of different musical groups currently in existence. These range from the concert band through to a number of rock bands. The main band, Great Sankey High School Concert Band has competed in many competitions ranging from regionals, to international. The concert band has achieved two silver medals at international level. The other major band in the school that is partnered with the concert band is the Great Sankey High School Swing Band. They play old and modern jazz and have competed in many many competitions at regional, national and international level. At international level they have received 2 silvers and 1 gold medal. Each year there is an annual European tour that both the Concert Band and Swing band plan and play in. Recent tours have included France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
They have also played for HRH The Prince of Wales.