This week we start a new series giving local head teachers the chance to write on educational issues. We begin with the Principal of Dixons CTC John Lewis, OBE, who looks at the first ten years of the college

AS I WRITE this article, we are busy recruiting the 11-year-old children who will join the College in September.

Over 600 families have applied for the 160 places which are available. As always, the resultant intake will display the full range of academic ability and will accurately reflect the multi-cultural nature of the city.

When we first embarked upon this process in the spring of 1990, the situation was very different and far less certain.

We met our first prospective parents in a local church hall because the College didn't exist - it was simply a building site! There were no buildings to show; no teachers to meet and no examination results to refer to!

All that could be offered was a 'vision' and a commitment to provide the best possible education to every child, not matter what their ability. The first group of parents took us completely 'on trust' and I have always been deeply grateful for their optimism and loyalty.

Piloting a new school through its early years represented both a great challenge and a unique opportunity. I wouldn't have missed it for anything and I am delighted at what has been achieved during our first ten years.

I believed we had a 'mission' to be innovative so from the start we set out to approach our central task of maximising the achievement of all students in a sensibly radical manner.

The CTC became one of the first schools in the country to introduce a five-term year - a vast improvement on the existing three-term model - and information technology was used to complement and enhance teaching and learning in all curriculum areas.

Now we have over 400 computers, all networked throughout the College and linked to the Internet. In addition, we have a dozen digital electronic whiteboards which allow teachers to produce exciting multi-media lessons in many subjects and also to share lessons and projects with other schools similarly equipped.

Although access to a sophisticated information communications technology system undoubtedly helps, this alone cannot account for the obvious success of the College. A critical factor has been that the students obviously enjoy their education.

In a city where school attendance and pupil behaviour are acknowledged as major problems, truancy is virtually non-existent and exclusions are virtually unknown.

The result has been remarkably high levels of academic achievement: every year nearly 80 per cent of our 16-year-olds gain at least five top grades at GCSE; over 70 per cent of them choose to enter the College's Sixth Form and most of these become the first generation of their family to go to University - a statistic which underlines how the CTC is helping to broaden horizons.

Neither is the CTC an 'examinations' factory. Successful sports teams operate despite the absence of playing fields on site and the breadth and quality of music is consistently remarkable.

Ever popular are the annual trips abroad to Spain, France, Italy, Germany and, this year, skiing to Canada, together with the Year Eight Camp in the Lake District and the Year Seven IT Action Weekend.

In addition, the College has incorporated business practices associated with successful private sector companies such as our own major sponsor, Dixons Group plc.

Efficient and cost-effective management techniques led to it becoming the first school in the North of England to be awarded the prestigious national quality standards: Investor in People and the CharterMark. Other recognitions include the Bradford Drugswatch Chartermark and the National Schools Curriculum Award 2000.

However, what gives me the greatest satisfaction is that the College is now accepted enthusiastically within the local community and the city as a whole, with excellent working relationships developed with neighbouring Primary schools.

The political controversy which bedevilled the early years has happily disappeared and the CTC is recognised for what it is: a beacon of excellence.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.