The history of Carisbrooke College dates from 1907, when its forerunner, Newport County Secondary Grammar School, was opened on Upper St James Street, Newport. The new school was situated on the site of the pre-existing Newport Technical Institute and Seely Library, both having been built with the support of Sir Charles Seely. The original school houses were named after famous men with Island connections: Tennyson, Swinburn, Arnold and Faraday. The school's motto was 'Turris Tutissima Virtus'. In 1957-58, the school moved from its premises on St James Street, Newport, to a new purpose-built site in nearby Carisbrooke. The school changed its name to Carisbrooke Grammar School. It also absorbed many of the students from the East Cowes Technical School, which closed down that year. On the same site a separate school was built, called Priory Boys Secondary Modern School. The schools shared extensive sports fields for football, rugby, cricket, hockey and athletics plus a kitchen and dining room block. The latter was adjacent to the bus area. The Carisbrooke Grammar School complex included a main block with classrooms, a staff room, senior master's/mistress's offices, senior common room and a tuck shop. Connected to this block were an acoustically designed music room and assembly hall/auditorium and a fully equipped gymnasium with changing rooms. There was a separate science block in which physics, chemistry, biology, technical drawing, cookery and domestic science were taught. A single-storey craft block was included for woodwork and metalwork classes. A few years after opening, an outdoor swimming pool was added to enhance the existing sports facilities. There were separate playgrounds for boys and girls, each with tennis courts for use in the summer. The first headmaster of Carisbrooke Grammar School was Stanley G. Ward B.A., presiding over an initial staff complement of 41. The four school houses were Farringford, Mottistone, Osborne, and Wolverton. Each of Forms 1 through 5 initially had four classes designated 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A and so on. This was changed in 1960 when Forms 3 through 5 classes C and D were relabeled L and G, for Latin and German. Each year had approximately 120 students. By 1965 the Lower and Upper Sixth Forms had about 60 students. Change occurred again in 1971, when the Isle of Wight moved to a comprehensive education system. This resulted in Carisbrooke Grammar School merging with its neighbour, Priory Boys Secondary Modern School, to become Carisbrooke High School. The Isle of Wight reorganised its education system again in 2010-11. As a result, Island Innovation Trust, took over responsibility for the school. In September 2011, the school reopened as Carisbrooke College, with the age range extended to Year 7 to Year 13. It is now one of eight secondary providers on the Isle of Wight, with the school in a hard federation with Medina College. In July 2015 Isle of Wight Council put forward proposals to close Carisbrooke College from 2016, and merge it with Medina College. However the plan was subsequently rejected by councillors.
Facilities
The main school site is situated on the outskirts of Carisbrooke village and occupies an area of 24 acres. The school shares a 6th form campus with Medina College on Upper St James Street, Newport, on the former Nodehill Middle School site. The school has extensive sports facilities, including several rugby pitches, football and hockey pitches, a flood-lit astroturf pitch, basketball courts, squash courts, tennis courts, netball courts, two fitness suites, an indoor sports hall, and a gymnasium. Other facilities at the school include two halls, a large drama studio, ten science laboratories, extensive facilities for art and design technology, and a cafeteria.
Results
The school's recent exam results are listed below:
