Swindon Academy

Swindon Academy is a non-selective co-educational school within the English Academy programme, in Swindon. It caters for children aged 3 to 19 and has 1,509 pupils on roll as of January 2011

History

The history of the school can be traced back to the 19th century but the present site was established in 1952 with the creation of The Headlands Grammar School which later became The Headlands Comprehensive School. This school closed on August 31st 2004 and on September 1st 2004 Headlands School was born. Swindon Academy opened in September 2007 replacing Headlands School, Pinehurst Junior School and Pinehurst Infant School.

Grammar school

The former grammar school buildings were demolished in December 2009. In 1943 The College and Euclid Street Secondary School amalgamated to become Headlands Grammar School. The grammar school had 800 boys and girls and moved to new buildings in 1952.

Comprehensive

It became a comprehensive for ages 14-19 in 1964, known as The Headlands School, then becoming an 11-16 school.

Academy

The Academy opened in September 2007 and replaced Headlands School, Pinehurst Junior School and Pinehurst Infant School. The Headlands School was a community school.

Admissions

It is run by the United Learning Trust (ULT),^[1] a subsidiary of the United Church Schools Trust.^[2] It operates on a non-denominational basis, but follows the Christian, specifically Church of England, ethos of its parent organisation.^[3]

It is situated (just) in the civil parish of Stratton St Margaret, near Upper Stratton and Pinehurst at the junction of Cricklade Road (A4311) and Beechcroft Road (B4006). It is in the parish of St Philip, Swindon in the north of Swindon.

Academic performance

From the formation of the Swindon LEA in 1997 until the school's closure in 2006, Headlands was consistently 2nd from bottom (1998 and 1999) or bottom (2000 onwards) of the Swindon schools league table when based on Level 2 results (5+ GCSE at A*-C).^[4] On at least one occasion, it was also bottom of the National league table. Since being replaced by the Swindon Academy, results have improved and despite being the lowest ranking in Swindon for the years 2008 and 2009, the Academy is currently fourth from bottom if measured on Level 2 results. The Academy achieved a score 72% for five A*-C grades at GCSE,^[5] although the number achieving five A*-C grade GCSE's (or equivalent) including maths and English is 37%, or 31% if GCSE equivalents are excluded. When measured on this criteria, the Swindon Academy is bottom of the Swindon league table, and has been since its creation in 2007. It is also well below the Swindon and national averages when based on this measurement.

Alumni

Headlands School

• Prof Raman Bedi, Professor of Transcultural Oral Health since 2002 at King's College London, and former Chief Dental Officer for England from 2002-5
• Mark Harper, Conservative MP since 2005 for the Forest of Dean

Headlands Grammar School

• Sir Peter Allen, former Judge in Uganda
• Air Vice-Marshal Andy Collier CB CBE
• John Eatwell, Baron Eatwell, Professor of Financial Policy and Director since 2002 at the University of Cambridge
• Prof Arthur Forty CBE, Vice-Chancellor from 1986-94 of the University of Stirling

References

External links

• Swindon Academy website
• Headlands School alumni website
• History of Swindon schools