Banbury Academy

Banbury Academy is a coeducational academy school situated on Ruskin Road, in the Easington ward of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. The school is a specialist Humanities College and has a sixth form. Formerly Banbury School, it has been an academy since 2012.

History

Banbury Academy used to be three separate schools. These were:

• Stanbridge Hall (the former grammar school)
• Wykham Hall
• Broughton Hall

Although these are all now part of the same school, the constituent buildings are still referred to by their old names.

Before the school's name was changed to Banbury Grammar School in 1946, it was called Banbury County School and was a mixed school for boys and girls from the ages of 11 to 18/19. It was founded in 1893. Wykham Hall was built in about 1953 and was called Easington Modern Boys' School. When the schools merged they became Banbury School. The school became an academy on 1 August 2012,^[1] and is also a specialist humanities college. Banbury Academy has approximately 1,650 students aged between 11 and 18.

Banbury and Drayton merger proposal

In April 2003, there was a proposal which suggested that Banbury School and Drayton School should be merged as one school, while Blessed George Napier Roman Catholic School, which is situated next to Banbury School, would move to the site of Drayton School.^[2] The idea met with opposition from many in the local community because it would have meant an increase in journey time for those students who attend Drayton School. Many argued that it would mean a loss of parental choice and would mean that Banbury School would lose its identity. As a result, the proposed merger was rejected.^[3]

New building programme

Oxfordshire County Council spent £6 million on a new two-storey, V-shaped building to replace the old Stanbridge building. The New Stanbridge building was officially opened on 13 March 2009 by Michael Gove MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families,^[4] and includes the English, Humanities, Languages, RE and Business departments, with 28 classrooms.

Banbury Area Sixth Form

The sixth form serves students from the town of Banbury and surrounding villages. It offers 26 A-Level courses as well as the option to resit Maths and English at GCSE. The sixth from recently underwent extensive development, and it now contains a common room, study area and computer suite for use by all sixth formers, all built into one new wing. The students play an active role in the way that the sixth form is run in the form of a student council, led by two principal students with two representatives from each tutor group. They organise social events such as the end of year prom and charity events, most recently the Children in Need appeal.

References

External links

• Map sources for Banbury Academy
• Banbury Academy website