John Port School

John Port School is a very large academy in the village of Etwall, Derbyshire, England.AdmissionsWith the current number of students around the 2100 mark it puts John Port as the largest secondary school in Derbyshire, and one of the largest nationally. The current head-teacher is Chris Sainsbury, following the resignation of Wendy Sharp in September 2013.John Port is a mixed school, with the student age range between 11 and 18, and with the 6th Form taking students from the ages of 16 to 18. However, even with the large size of the school a very sense of community is maintained through each year being split into 12 forms and the whole School being divided into eight houses named after various gods. A child on entry to the school joins a form into which they stay until they leave in Year 11. Each form generally has the same personal tutor that follows their form through their years at John Port. Each house also has a Head of House, to whom authority of the house is given.There are approximately 141 full-time and temporary members of the teaching staff.HistoryThe school is on the site of a demolished country manor, Etwall Hall, Etwall, situated just outside Derby, traditionally of the Port family who were the wealthy landowners/farmers of the parish. In 1952, the Derbyshire County Council bought Etwall Hall from Reg Parnell, the famous racing car driver. The hall had been used during the Second World War by the Army, first as a petrol depot and later as an equipment supply centre and been left in a somewhat dilapidated state. After its demolition a secondary modern, Etwall Secondary School, and a secondary grammar school, John Port Grammar School, were built on the site. In 1965, they were amalgamated to form the John Port School that occupies the site today.