Furness Academy
Encyclopedia
Furness Academy is an independent
secondary school in Barrow-in-Furness
, England
. It is the fourth and last academy to have been formed in the county of Cumbria
after the closure of Alfred Barrow School, Parkview Community College of Technology and Thorncliffe School in 2009.
following concerns over the falling number of pupils, educational standards and performance and out-of-date school facilities in the town. The decision was then made to establish an Academy to replace Alfred Barrow School, Parkview Community College of Technology and Thorncliffe School. The academy's three sponsors are Barrow Sixth Form College, Furness College
and the University of Cumbria
.
Despite numerous protests by students and concerned parents alike and a 6,000 signature petition presented to Cumbria County Council, the academy was given the go-ahead in 2009 and hundreds of Alfred Barrow students were uprooted and moved to the Furness Academy North Site (Formerly Thorncliffe) or South Site (Formerly Parkview) Controversy continued even after Furness Academy opened in September 2009 when it was revealed that during its first year over 380 pupils had been excluded (around one in five of the academy's total student population). Over the same time period only 33% of year 11 pupils managed to pass five GCSE
's, considerably fewer than the national average of 46% and lower still than the troubled Alfred Barrow and Thorncliffe Schools that Furness Academy replaced.
Furness Academy's eight departments include: English and Literacy, Maths and Numeracy, Physical Education and Sport Science, Technology, Personal and Social Development, Modern Foreign Languages, Humanities and Religious and Moral Education.
Barrow Higher Grade School and both the segregated and coeducational Alfred Barrow Schools were located within a Grade II listed building on Duke Street
, a large wing of which became St.George's Church of England Primary School in September 2011. The building which Barrow-in-Furness Technical School formerly occupied was renamed the Nan Tait Centre
in the early 2000's and now serves as a media and arts centre aswell as general office complex. One predecessor of Parkview Community College of Technology; Risedale School has been completely demolished and a Netto
supermarket now stands on the site.
Furness Academy North Site (54.1299°N 3.2219°W) is located on Thorncliffe Road on the border of the Hawcoat
and Ormsgill
wards and occupies the buildings that were formerly Thorncliffe School. The school was built in 1970 and upon closure had some 765 students.
Furness Academy South Site (54.1207°N 3.2133°W) is located at the bottom of West Avenue in the Parkside
ward and occupies the buildings that were formerly Parkview School. The two main buildings of Furness Academy South Site were built in the 1930's as Barrow Boys Grammar School and Barrow Girls Grammar School The twin grammar schools were closed in the late seventies and were replaced by a new comprehensive school called Parkview Community College of Technology operating from the old Grammar school buildings which was created with the additional closure of the adjacent Risedale Secondary Modern school. There are two commemorative plaques in Auld Hall in memory of the 186 Barrow Boys Grammar School pupils who died in combat during World Wars I
and II
. In 1979 Up to 2009, Parkview was the town's largest school in terms of pupil numbers and land area which accounted for over 25% of Barrow's 11-16 yr olds (not including Chetwynde
), with 946 pupils attending the school. The last acting headteacher of Parkview School was Mr Robert Swales after replacing Mrs Enid Fraser.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
secondary school in Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the fourth and last academy to have been formed in the county of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
after the closure of Alfred Barrow School, Parkview Community College of Technology and Thorncliffe School in 2009.
Academy history
Furness Academy was formed after a public consultation by Cumbria County CouncilCumbria County Council
Cumbria County Council is the county council of Cumbria, a county in the North West of England. Established in 1974, following its first elections held a year before that, it is an elected local government body responsible for the most significant local services in the county, including county...
following concerns over the falling number of pupils, educational standards and performance and out-of-date school facilities in the town. The decision was then made to establish an Academy to replace Alfred Barrow School, Parkview Community College of Technology and Thorncliffe School. The academy's three sponsors are Barrow Sixth Form College, Furness College
Furness College, Barrow-in-Furness
Furness College is a college of further education in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. It provides a wide range of vocational education and training to over 16s, notably working with BAE Systems to train apprentices for their shipyard in Barrow. The college also offers evening classes for the local...
and the University of Cumbria
University of Cumbria
The University of Cumbria is a university in Cumbria, England. Its headquarters are in Carlisle. and other major campuses are at Lancaster, Ambleside and Penrith. It was established in 2007, with roots extending back to the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts established in 1822 and...
.
Despite numerous protests by students and concerned parents alike and a 6,000 signature petition presented to Cumbria County Council, the academy was given the go-ahead in 2009 and hundreds of Alfred Barrow students were uprooted and moved to the Furness Academy North Site (Formerly Thorncliffe) or South Site (Formerly Parkview) Controversy continued even after Furness Academy opened in September 2009 when it was revealed that during its first year over 380 pupils had been excluded (around one in five of the academy's total student population). Over the same time period only 33% of year 11 pupils managed to pass five GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
's, considerably fewer than the national average of 46% and lower still than the troubled Alfred Barrow and Thorncliffe Schools that Furness Academy replaced.
Furness Academy's eight departments include: English and Literacy, Maths and Numeracy, Physical Education and Sport Science, Technology, Personal and Social Development, Modern Foreign Languages, Humanities and Religious and Moral Education.
Evolution of Furness Academy
| Barrow Higher Grade School (1880-1930) | Alfred Barrow Boys School (1930-1979) | Alfred Barrow School (1979-2009) | Furness Academy (2009-Present) | |||||||||
| Alfred Barrow Girls School (1930-1979) | ||||||||||||
| Barrow Boys Grammar School (1930-1979) | Parkview Community College of Techonology (1979-2009) | |||||||||||
| Barrow Girls Grammar School (1932-1979) | ||||||||||||
| Risedale School | ||||||||||||
| Barrow Technical School (1903-1970) | Thorncliffe School (1970-2009) | |||||||||||
Barrow Higher Grade School and both the segregated and coeducational Alfred Barrow Schools were located within a Grade II listed building on Duke Street
Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness
Duke Street is a road running through the town centre and Hindpool area of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Stretching almost one mile from east to west it connects two major A roads as well as intersecting Abbey Road roughly midway...
, a large wing of which became St.George's Church of England Primary School in September 2011. The building which Barrow-in-Furness Technical School formerly occupied was renamed the Nan Tait Centre
Nan Tait Centre
The Nan Tait Centre is a Grade II listed building located on Abbey Road in the Hindpool area of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Designed by architects Woodhouse and Willoughby it was built for the Barrow Corporation as the town's new Technical School. The foundation stone was laid on 26 May...
in the early 2000's and now serves as a media and arts centre aswell as general office complex. One predecessor of Parkview Community College of Technology; Risedale School has been completely demolished and a Netto
Netto (store)
Netto is a Danish discount supermarket operating in several European countries. Netto is owned by Dansk Supermarked Group, which in turn is partly owned by A.P. Møller-Mærsk Group.Netto also operates an express version of the store, known as Døgn Netto...
supermarket now stands on the site.
2009-2013: North and South Sites
Since 2009 Furness Academy has occupied the former buildings of Thorncliffe and Parkview Schools which have been named the North and South Site respectively. A new multi-million pound academy building on one site is expected to be completed by 2013, the fate of the current North and South Site buildings thereafter are unknown.Furness Academy North Site (54.1299°N 3.2219°W) is located on Thorncliffe Road on the border of the Hawcoat
Hawcoat
Hawcoat is a ward of the UK town Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, North West England.The ward is one of the few places in Barrow that has been permanently inhabited since the middle ages; Hawcoat was named and identified as Hietun in the Domesday Book. It is the most northerly ward in Barrow and in 2001...
and Ormsgill
Ormsgill
Ormsgill is a ward of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is bordered by Hindpool, Parkside, Hawcoat, Roanhead and the Walney Channel. The population of the ward in 2001 stood at 5,961...
wards and occupies the buildings that were formerly Thorncliffe School. The school was built in 1970 and upon closure had some 765 students.
Furness Academy South Site (54.1207°N 3.2133°W) is located at the bottom of West Avenue in the Parkside
Parkside, Barrow-in-Furness
Parkside is an area and electoral ward of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It is bordered by Hindpool, Ormsgill, Hawcoat, Newbarns and Risedale and had a population of 5,742 in 2001. It is one of the town's most centralised wards and contains Barrow's main park , as well as the newly...
ward and occupies the buildings that were formerly Parkview School. The two main buildings of Furness Academy South Site were built in the 1930's as Barrow Boys Grammar School and Barrow Girls Grammar School The twin grammar schools were closed in the late seventies and were replaced by a new comprehensive school called Parkview Community College of Technology operating from the old Grammar school buildings which was created with the additional closure of the adjacent Risedale Secondary Modern school. There are two commemorative plaques in Auld Hall in memory of the 186 Barrow Boys Grammar School pupils who died in combat during World Wars I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1979 Up to 2009, Parkview was the town's largest school in terms of pupil numbers and land area which accounted for over 25% of Barrow's 11-16 yr olds (not including Chetwynde
Chetwynde School
Chetwynde School is a non-selective, independent, private school, which takes boys and girls from ages 3 to 18. It includes a nursery, primary school, secondary school and sixth form. The school is situated on a site on Rating Lane in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England.- History :Chetwynde was...
), with 946 pupils attending the school. The last acting headteacher of Parkview School was Mr Robert Swales after replacing Mrs Enid Fraser.