Workington Academy is a mixed secondary school in Workington, Cumbria that was formed in September 2015 as a result of the merger of Southfield Technology College and Stainburn School and Science College.[1]
| Workington Academy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| , England | |
| Coordinates | 54°38′30″N 3°31′58″W / 54.6417°N 3.5328°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy |
| Motto | Be the best you can be! |
| Established | 2015 |
| Local authority | Cumberland Council |
| Trust | Cumbria Education Trust |
| Department for Education URN | 141499 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Head teacher | M Bedford |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1010 |
| Houses | Bessemer, Curwen, Risman, Thompson |
| Website | |
History
editThe former school, Stainburn School and Science College, was an average sized secondary school with shared sixth form located to the north of Workington in Cumbria. The students come from both the town and several of the surrounding villages. The school had specialist status for science from 2003. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities(LDD) was well above average; though the proportion of students with SEN statements was broadly average. Demographically the majority of students are White British.[2] It was closed requiring improvement in 2015, and the student transferred into the new academy.[3]
The school was helped through the transition period by seconded staff from William Howard Trust, and subsequently they joined that trust.[4] The trust was renamed Cumbria Education Trust.
New building
editThe academy was first situated in the same Stainburn School and Science College building. It relocated to the new building, located at the same site, in March 2017. Workington Academy's new building was officially opened on Tuesday 26 September 2017 by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester.[5] As of 2018, both the Southfield Technology College building and the Stainburn School and Science College building have been demolished. Workington is small isolated community where change happens slowly, 84 miles (135 km) from Lancaster, 90 miles (140 km) from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 136 miles (219 km) from Manchester.[6]
Cumbria Education Trust
editThe academy is part of the Cumbria Education Trust[7] multi-academy trust. The trust's Chief Executive Officer is Mrs Lorrayne Hughes. [8]
Academics
editThe 2018 Ofsted Report identified that the current headteacher is showing leadership, and is supported by the parents and children. It identifies that the school was not meeting government floor standards previously, and the principal problem for most pupils is raising their literacy and numeracy standards to an age appropriate level. It acknowledges that some children level cannot control their behaviour in the corridors and social areas and in some cases the classroom. Ofsted calls them 'a small disruptive minority', some teachers are targeted leading to variable quality of learning. The head has put strategies in place, and year on year the results are improving.[8]
The Cumbria Education Trust has broadly the same curriculum in its three secondary schools, based on the principle that each child is entitled to receive the education described in the UK governments National Curriculum - the trusts plans to exceed it.[9]
2020 Sixth form
editIn September 2020 a new level of co-operation starts with the initiation of the West Coast Sixth Form. Students from Whitehaven Academy and Workington wanting to enter one of the three pathways of sixth-form education (Academic, Vocational and Other), will study in a combined sixthform. There will be a free bus service between the two sites[10]
Workington Academy Radio
editWorkington Academy Radio is the student radio station of Workington Academy.[11]
They were nominated for secondary school station of the year at the Young Audio Awards in 2019[12] and 2020[13] respectively.
In 2020 the students interviewed BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James.[14]
Negative publicity
editIn July 2017, the school received negative publicity after parents and pupils reported, on a local Facebook page, of poor teaching with people claiming that there was a large number of supply teachers and pupils being allowed to play on mobile phones. The interim headteacher, Colette Macklin, promptly hit back at the claims in an interview with local newspaper News and Star.[15]
Headteachers
editNotable former pupils
editWorkington Grammar School
edit- Prof Cliff Addison FRS FRSC FInstP, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry from 1960 to 1978 at the University of Nottingham
- Mike Bewick FRCGP FRCP, deputy director from 2013 to 2015 of NHS England
- Sir Tony Cunningham, Labour MP from 2001 to 2015 for Workington
- Sir Brian Donnelly, Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2001 to 2004, and Ambassador to Yugoslavia from 1994 to 1997
- Sir William Stubbs, Director of Education from 1979 to 1988 of ILEA, Chief Executive from 1988 to 1993 of the Polytechnic and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC) and from 1992 to 1996 of the Further Education Funding Council for England (FEFC)
- Prof Paul Workman FRS, biochemist, Chief Executive since 2014 of the Institute of Cancer Research
Stainburn School
edit- Jamie Blamire, hooker for Newcastle Falcons rugby union team
- Paul Dale, Chief technology officer of ITV
- Ven Catherine Pickford, Archdeacon of Northolt
- Lee Peacock professional footballer. Manchester City, Bristol City, Carlisle United and more
References
edit- ^ "Workington Academy given go ahead". BBC News. 30 July 2015.
- ^ "Ofsted Report Slaidburn 2008". ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright
- ^ "Ofsted Closed school". ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ^ "Ofsted Monitoring Letter 2015". ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ^ "Official opening". Workingtonacademy.org. 26 September 2017.
- ^ "Road to Lancaster and the South". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Workington Academy". cumbriaeducationtrust.org. 29 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Ofsted Report 2018". ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright
- ^ "Curriculum Overview". Workington Academy. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "New sixth form launches for students in West Cumbria". West Coast Sixth Form. Cumbria Education Trust. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Workington Academy Radio". Workington Academy. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Young ARIAS nominations 2019". Young Audio Awards. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Virtual Young Audio Awards to be streamed live". RadioToday. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ Academy, Workington (15 July 2020). "Exclusive Interview With BBC Radio One's Greg James". Workington Academy. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "Cumbrian headteacher hits back after claims children told to "play on phones" because of teacher shortage | News & Star". www.newsandstar.co.uk. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ "New Cumbria academy appoints head". BBC. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "Temporary head to stay at academy until end of school year". Timesandstar.co.uk. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "New headteacher to take over at Workington Academy". Timesandstar.co.uk. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
