The Morley Academy is a mixed secondary school located in Morley, West Yorkshire, England.[1]

The Morley Academy
Address
Map
Fountain Street

, ,
LS27 0PD

England
Coordinates53°44′33″N 1°36′27″W / 53.74252°N 1.60757°W / 53.74252; -1.60757
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoExceptional, every day
Religious affiliation(s)Mixed
Established1906
TrustThe GORSE Academies Trust
Department for Education URN136392 Tables
OfstedReports
Chair of GovernorsKaren Lawson
CEOSir John Townsley
PrincipalAdam Ryder
Executive PrincipalLeanne Griffiths
GenderMixed
Age11 to 16
Enrolment1,581 as of January 2015
HousesMoline, Pomme, Clechée, Potent
Colour(s)       
Red, Green, Yellow and Purple
Websitehttp://www.morley.leeds.sch.uk/

The school forms part of the Gorse Academies Trust which also includes The Farnley Academy, The Ruth Gorse Academy and the Elliott Hudson College.[2]

History

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1906–1930: Morley Secondary School

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The school was established as Morley Secondary School on 17 September 1906. The school was temporarily situated within the Sunday school premises of St Mary in the Wood Church, before moving to a permanent location on Fountain Street in 1909.[3][4] The school's foundation stone was laid by Alderman Samuel Rhodes, the Mayor of Morley, in 1907.[4] The first head teacher was John Robinson Airey (1868–1937), a nationally renowned mathematician.[5]

During the First World War pupils at Morley Secondary School raised £5,000 to pay for school uniforms for struggling families in the school.[citation needed] In total, 17 school pupils died during the war. After the war, the school raised over £1,200 to pay for a memorial organ commemorating those who had died.[6]

1930–1975: Morley Grammar School

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Morley Secondary School became Morley Grammar School in 1930.[7]

In 1963, the school was extended to include a kitchen, main hall, dining room, and sports changing rooms.[8]

1975–2011: Morley High School

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Morley Grammar School became a mixed comprehensive in 1975,[8] under headmaster J. R. (Ralph) Carr.[9]

In 1996, the school's Assembly Hall was destroyed by fire.[10][11] Two Second World War plaques were saved from the fire, and re-dedicated in 1999.[12]

2011–present: The Morley Academy

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In early 2011, Morley High School became The Morley Academy, under the Academies Act 2010.[13][14]

On 25 June 2012, The Morley Academy hosted the Olympic Torch during its tour of the United Kingdom.[15]

Between 2014 and 2016, The Ruth Gorse Academy operated from temporary facilities within the grounds of The Morley Academy.[16]

In early 2015, the school caused controversy when head teacher Leanne Griffiths announced by letter that the school would withdraw all privileges, such as trips, from pupils where "personal or insulting comments" had been made by their parents on social media, or where there had been any "breakdown in rapport" with the school and that the school was working with police to stop this.[17][18]

The Morley Academy stopped taking students into its sixth form provision in September 2015 due to the opening of Elliott Hudson College, a dedicated sixth form centre.[2]

Ofsted

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An Ofsted inspection in 2006 found the school Grade 3 (Satisfactory) for overall effectiveness,[19] and in 2009, Grade 1 (Outstanding).[20] Ofsted re-evaluated the school with the same Grade 1 rating in 2013.[21]

Awards and recognition

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In July 2001, the Arts Council awarded the Morley High School the Silver Level Artsmark. The school was one of three in Leeds and of only thirteen in Yorkshire to be so recognised.[22] The Morley Academy is a Specialist Technology College.

The school is one of only 200 schools in the country that have been awarded Teaching School Status.[23]

The Morley Academy was awarded the British Council's International School Award in 2014,[24] after forming a partnership with Buffelsdale Secondary School in Durban, South Africa.[24][25]

Notable former pupils

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Morley Grammar School

Morley High School

Notable former teachers

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References

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  1. ^ "The Morley Academy". Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b "New Leeds free school head predicts fewer smaller sixth forms". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Morley Secondary School". Leeds Mercury. 27 August 1906. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Aerial View of Morley Grammar School". Leodis. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  5. ^ Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 98 (1938), 243–244 Obituary: John Robinson Airey
  6. ^ McManus, Clive (November 2015). "Morley Secondary School and the Great War" (PDF). Morley Local History Society. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Morley Secondary School, the library, Fountain Street". Leodis. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Fountain Street, Morley Grammar School, extension". Leodis. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  9. ^ Carr, Stephen (10 March 2011). "Ralph Carr obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Morley High School – WW1 Organ". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ^ Hutchinson, Andrew. "25 photo memories of Morley in 1996". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Morley Grammar School – Plaques WW2". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  13. ^ Chambers, Peter (10 January 2013). "The pros and cons of academy conversion". SecEd. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  14. ^ Norris, Frank (16 February 2012). "Academy conversion and predecessor schools". Letter to. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Morley torchbearers are honoured by their role". Morley Observer & Advertiser. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  16. ^ Broad, Stephanie. "Academy invests in offsite building in order to open early". Academy Today. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Morley pupils 'punished' over parents' social media posts". BBC News Online. 18 September 2015.
  18. ^ "Police role in Leeds school's social media row". Yorkshire Evening Post. 18 September 2015.
  19. ^ Ofsted Communications Team (15 December 2019). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  20. ^ "Morley High School" Archived 13 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Ofsted reports 1999–2009. Retrieved 13 November 2013. PDF download required
  21. ^ "The Morley Academy", Ofsted report 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2013. PDF download required
  22. ^ "Round 1 Artsmark Awards". Arts Council (web archive). Retrieved 13 November 2013
  23. ^ "Morley Academy gains teaching status", Morley Observer and Advertiser, 4 April 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2013
  24. ^ a b "International award for academy". Morley Observer & Advertiser. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  25. ^ "South African links strengthened at The Morley Academy". Morley Observer & Advertiser. 6 July 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  26. ^ Barker, Neil (30 June 2005). "Fan Karl cools off". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  27. ^ Ritchie, Meabh. "My best teacher – Brian Turner". Tes Magazine. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  28. ^ O'Connor, J.; Robertson, E. F. (September 2021). "John Ronald Womersley". MacTutor. University of St Andrews, Scotland. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Dan Cammish outlines driving ambition to succeed in British Touring Cars". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  30. ^ Spereall, David (1 August 2023). "Leeds South West and Morley: Labour Party selects Mark Sewards to fight new city seat in next general election". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  31. ^ Rose, Gary. "Non-league's 'Mr Gibraltar' aiming to outshine Robert Lewandowski". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
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