| Established | 1965 (1985 as de Ferrers) |
|---|---|
| Type | Comprehensive school |
| Headteacher | Mr M A York BA (Hons) BEd MBA |
| Specialism | Technology |
| Location | St Mary's Drive Burton on Trent Staffordshire DE13 0LL England |
| Local authority | Staffordshire |
| DfE URN | 124442 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 2000+ |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Colours | Green |
| Former name | Dovecliff Grammar School |
| Website | de Ferrers |
The de Ferrers Academy is a comprehensive school located in Burton upon Trent.
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The school is split into two sites. Dove campus for years 7-9 on Harehedge Lane, and Trent campus, for years 10,11 and the sixth form students, on St Mary's Drive. The school has offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme since 2008.[1]
The main campus is in the west of Burton on Trent, north of Horninglow, west of the A38 in the parish of Horninglow and Eton; and the other campus is in Outwoods, directly to the west.
The school has been awarded various awards for ICT, and won numerous sports competitions. The Trent campus sports hall was opened by Jonathon Edwards, the Triple jump world record holder.
It opened in 1965 as Dovecliff Grammar School on St Mary's Drive. Nearby was Horninglow Secondary Modern School on Harehedge Lane which opened in 1958.[2]
In 1975 it became the Wulfric Comprehensive School when the grammar and secondary modern schools merged, with two separate sites.
It became known as the De Ferrers High School in 1985 when it merged with the Forest of Needwood High School in Rolleston on Dove. Forest of Needwood Secondary School had opened in 1963 as a secondary modern school and was named after Needwood Forest.
Like many schools, De Ferrers is in close partnership with its feeder primary schools. Other schools partnered include the Catholic Collège Sacré Coeur in Ploermel.[3]
In 2008, a national newspaper reported the history of one of the schools teachers, who had appeared in an adult movie. Movies were allegedly circulating the school through mobile phones.[4][5]
It gets above average results at GCSE, and at A-level, better on both counts than the Abbot Beyne School. It gets slightly better A-level results than the nearby John Taylor High School in Barton-under-Needwood, but lower GCSE results.
In late 2010 de Ferrers was offered the chance to fast-track into becoming an academy, due to its outstanding report from Ofsted. Although in short term this will have little effect, it will be an important development in the college's future. As well as de Ferrers, John Taylor High School were also offered the chance to become an academy and have accepted.
James Underwood, a former pupil of "De Ferrers high school" is now an Olympic discus thrower.