The Thomas Alleyne Academy
The Thomas Alleyne Academy is an Academy in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 2013, but can trace its roots back to 1558, when the original school was set up from the will of Thomas Alleyne.
| The Thomas Alleyne Academy | |
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 Front gates | |
| Address | |
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High Street , , SG1 3BE | |
| Coordinates | 51.914961°N 0.20822°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Academy, |
| Motto | Where success is expected, achieved and celebrated |
| Established | 1558 |
| Founder | Reverend Thomas Alleyne |
| Department for Education URN | 140037 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Chair of Governors | Jonathan Ellam |
| Head teacher | Mark Lewis |
| Staff | 100 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 995 |
| Houses | |
| Colour(s) | Navy Blue |
| Website | www |
It is situated at the northern end of Stevenage High Street, in Stevenage Old Town, adjacent to the roundabout of the A1072 and the A602 (former A1), and more than 200 metres to the east of the East Coast Main Line.
The Academy has 180 in each year group and is a popular school, with Year 7 places usually oversubscribed. The school was inspected by Ofsted in October 2019 and retained a 'Good' rating.
In 2017 the school converted all lighting to LED; a project funded by The Educational Social Enterprise Fund for LED Lighting.[1] In the same year the school moved their heating system from gas to Biomass fuel. The biomass system is fuelled with wood pellets obtained from sustainable forests. In the summer of 2020 the 1950s science block was completely renovated using a Capital Improvement Fund government grant, upgrading the outdated 1950s labs to state of the art new facilities.
History
Thomas Alleyne died in 1558. He was rector of Stevenage and was buried in Stevenage at St Nicholas' Church. In his will, Thomas Alleyne left money which lead to the foundation of three schools, at Uttoxeter and Stone, both in Staffordshire, and at the site in Old Stevenage. It was originally known as Master Allen's School. By 1869 it was known as Alleyne's Grammar School, a boys' grammar school.
Francis Cammaerts (1916–2006), French Resistance leader and witness in the Lady Chatterley's Lover Trial, was headmaster from 1952 to 1961. Francis Cammaerts was the author Michael Morpurgo’s uncle. Morpurgo wrote a fictional story based on his uncle’s experiences in WWII ‘In the Mouth of the Wolf’.
In 1969 the school became a comprehensive, Alleyne's School. In 1989 it merged with Stevenage Girls' School and changed to its current name. During the summer of 2012, Thomas Alleyne's was chosen to choose a torchbearer to run with the torch for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The Vincent motorcycle factory was based in the current Thomas Alleyne Academy reception between 1928 and 1955. There is a plaque on the reception building commemorating the Vincent motorcycle champion George Brown
The current head teacher at the Thomas Alleyne Academy is Mr Mark Lewis. Mark Lewis is also the Managing Director of the Hart Schools Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust incorporating Roebuck Academy in Stevenage.
Academy Status
In March 2013, the School (as it was then known) requested to turn into an Academy.
On Sunday 1 September 2013, Alleynes became an Academy, with links to North Hertfordshire College. Being an Academy means that Alleynes has more control over finances and their curriculum, which they wouldn't have if they had stayed as a 'School'. This means that the Academy is now funded directly by central government and not the Local Authority.
Notable former pupils
Alleyne's Grammar School
- Sir Henry Chauncy, historian
- Geoffrey Howard, grandson of Sir Ebenezer Howard, pioneer of garden cities
- Harry Bates, 1850 to 1899, one of the finest English artists of the nineteenth century
- Ken Hensley 1956-1961, of the rock band Uriah Heep
Alleyne's School
- Graham Poll, referee[2]
Notable former Staff
- Roger Luxton (OBE) principal adviser and finally director of children’s services at Barking and Dagenham, former school governor[3]
- Tony McWalter MP for Hemel Hemstead from 1997 till 2005. Worked at the school from 2005 till 2019
- Francis Cammaerts (Headmaster) Special Operations Executive Agent during World War II
References
- "Renewable Solutions Lighting | The Thomas Alleyne Academy". Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- "Graham Poll" (pdf). Hall of Fame 2010. Sports Stevenage. 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- Luxton, Simon (9 November 2020). "Roger Luxton obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
External links
News items
Stevenage students off to a flying start with Airbus mentoring scheme (Oct 2019)
Student from the Thomas Alleyne School carries Olympic Torch through Stevenage Old Town
MP Praises Thomas Alleyne students on a school charity day to raise money to "Send my friend to school"
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