William Farr C.E. Comprehensive School
Vision
‘William Farr (CE) Comprehensive School aims to provide the highest possible quality of education for its pupils so they achieve their maximum potential,
and help to further the school, the wider community and themselves.’
AIMS The aims of the school are:
- To offer every pupil the opportunity to achieve their full potential,
and develop their knowledge and understanding through a broad,
balanced curriculum designed to encourage:
- Moral and spiritual development
- Skills of numeracy, technology, science, communication and linguistics
- Personal and social development
- Vocational and recreational activity
- Environmental and economic awareness
- Artistic, creative, aesthetic, practical, physical, social, spiritual, academic and intellectual skills
- To develop individual confidence and the basic Christian principles on which the school was founded; self-discipline, self-respect, tolerance, compassion, humanity, honesty and a sense of responsibility and community.
- To be confident that:
- Every pupil is recognised and valued as an individual
- Every child knows that it is recognised and valued as an individual
- Every child knows the individual contribution that they must make for the greater benefit and development of the school and wider community
History
William Farr Comprehensive School is a Church of England school for 11 - 18 year
olds, located in the village of Welton, near Lincoln. It was opened in 1952 on the site of the RAF Dunholme Lodge, a WW2 bomber station, which had been bought for £600 in 1946 by William Farr, the vicar of Welton. The school was named after him when he died in 1955. It acquired comprehensive status in 1972, and Grant Maintained status in 1992 – a scheme that was later abolished by the Labour government – and in 2000 William Farr signed up for the latest education initiative and attained Technology College status. It is also an associate school of the University of Lincoln. In 2001 William Farr achieved the distinction of having the best comprehensive school A-level results in England.
In 2006 William Farr received an outstanding award in every category in an OFSTED inspection, the best in the country. In 2007 the school changed it Specialist Schools ad Academies Trust status to a Science College and added the additional distinctions of being a Leading Edge School and A Raising Achievement and Transforming Learning school.
RAF Dunholme Lodge
RAF Dunholme Lodge started military life as a grass field used by aircraft from RAF Scampton during 1941 and 1942. It was then given official recognition as a station in Sep 1942 and built up to a full station by May 1943 under 5 Gp, Bomber Command. 49 Sqn operated out of RAF Dunholme Lodge for a month from 22 Sep - 23 Oct 1943 during runway repairs at RAF Fiskerton. On 22 Oct 1944 Dunholme Lodge transferred to 6 Gp. By war's end over 120 Lancaster had been lost on operations from the airfield. Flight operations ceased after 30 Nov 1944 as the airfield was too close to other stations to permit night flying. It was instead used to store Hamilcar gliders until the end of the war. After closing in post-war draw-down the site was reactivated in 1959 as a Bloodhound SAM site for 141 Sqn. A photo of the Bloodhound launcher at RAF Sandtoft is on this site The William Farr School is built on one of Dunholme Lodge's domestic sites.
The school library has a range of material relating to RAF Dunholme Lodge, including photographs of Polish Air Force and Polish Resettlement Corps.
The Lawres Room
The Lawres room is built for activities that cater for about 60 persons in comfort. The room houses the Helen Alwyn Memorial Window and the Memorial and Roll of Honour to RAF Dunholme Lodge. The room was paid for thanks to many generous donations from a large number of donors to whom we offer our sincere gratitude.
One of the main aims of the Lawres Room is to give a focal point for remembrance within the school. The memorial to RAF Dunholme Lodge is a permanent memorial to the 669 young airmen who lost their lives in defence of freedom whilst serving at RAF Dunholme Lodge. The memorial to these brave young men consists of a large wooden board made of birch on which is inscribed the History of the WW2 air base above the three-squadron crest. This is flanked by a stone carving of the 44 and 619 Sqs badges carved by Frank Walshaw, who was a wireless operator with the 619 Sq. On either side of the carvings are two artworks by Christine Strong and Vanessa Kelly that were inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields.
