Accrington Academy is a mixed 11-16 Academy in Accrington, Lancashire. It has designated specialisms in Sports and Mathematics. It is situated in the centre of Accrington. Accrington St Christopher's C of E High is nearby to the west.

Accrington Academy
Address
Map
Queens Road West

, ,
BB5 4FF

England
Coordinates53°45′41″N 2°22′21″W / 53.761419°N 2.372472°W / 53.761419; -2.372472
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoThe Best in Everyone
Established2008
FounderUnited Learning
Sister schoolThe Hyndburn Academy and Marsden Heights Community College
Local authorityLancashire County Council
TrustUnited Learning Trust
SpecialistSports and Mathematics
Department for Education URN135649 Tables
OfstedReports
ChairPeter Mulholland
PrincipalJamie Peel
Staff160
Gendercoeducational
Enrolment1032
LanguageEnglish
HousesAquila, Delphinus, Draco & Pegasus
Colour(s)blue   white   black  
SloganBuild character, create learners and transform lives.
Former nameMoorhead High School & Moorhead Sports College
Websitehttp://www.accrington-academy.org

History

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The school, run by United Learning, opened on 1 September 2008 on the site of the former Accrington Moorhead Sports College, itself the successor Moorhead High School which was the successor of the one-time Accrington High School for Girls. All pupils previously at Moorhead automatically transferred to the new school, which has had a sixth form provision from September 2009 up until July 2024.[1]

Former schools

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Accrington Grammar School had around 500 boys and 100 in the sixth form in the 1970s. Accrington High School for Girls had around 600 girls. Accrington Moorhead High School was on Cromwell Avenue off Queens Road West.[2] The school was founded in 1895 on Blackburn Rd, Accrington as a 'Technical School' In 1968, it moved to the Moorhead site. In 1975, following the Labour government's educational reforms, it ceased to exist.

In 2008, Nosheen Iqbal wrote in The Guardian that Moorhead High School had been "failing".[3] Her article described a "startling transformation" from 17% of children achieving 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C, to 78% of children doing so in the new school.[3] The school's headteacher believed that the change had been brought about through the Creative Partnerships approach, an Arts Council England programme.[3]

Notable former pupils

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Accrington Moorhead Sports College

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Dominic Brunt, actor, known for his part in Emmerdale as Paddy Kirk.

Accrington Grammar School

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Marathon runner Ron Hill in 1975
 
John Wallwork (left), heart surgeon, in June 1997

Accrington High School for Girls

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References

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  1. ^ Accrington Academy Update vol.1 (Spring 2008)[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Queen's Road West". geograph.org.uk. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Iqbal, Nosheen (14 September 2010). "Creative projects in schools are threatened by funding cuts". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  4. ^ Flanagan, Chris (13 October 2008). "Ron Hill life story". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  5. ^ Obituaries. Leslie Howarth[dead link]
  6. ^ "University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of John Lamb".
  7. ^ Tomlinson, John (20 May 2022). "'How that music was created remains to me a complete mystery': John Tomlinson on fellow Lancastrian Harrison Birtwistle". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Oswaldtwistle pioneering transplant surgeon to retire". Lancashire Telegraph. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
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