Castleford Academy


Castleford Academy (previously Castleford High School Technology and Sports College, more commonly known as just Castleford High School or Cas High, is a secondary school in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England for children aged 11-16.

History

It opened in 1906 as Castleford Secondary School, a grammar school for both sexes. It aimed to teach girls with male staff and boys with female staff, which was not common for that time. It joined with a secondary modern school in 1970 to become a comprehensive school. School uniform was abolished at the same time. From 1989, a partnership was developed with Hickson & Welch, a local chemical company and school uniform was re-introduced and the school became a Technology College. From 1995, a new drama theatre was built.
As of September 2007 it officially became known as Castleford High School Technology and Sports College due to success of the rugby, football and netball teams netting them a Sports College classification.
The school's boys and girls rugby league teams have been a dominant force in the Champion Schools competition; in 2009 the school fielded 6 teams in the national finals for the third year in succession.
On 1 April 2011, the school became Castleford Academy, a registered charity under the Academies Act 2010, a move that allows the school to set its own curriculum.

Admissions

It is for ages 11 to 16. It is just off the on Ferrybridge Road and just east of the town centre next to Queen's Park.
It also has a sixth form for 16 to 18 year olds.

Academic performance

The school gets reasonable results at GCSE for West Yorkshire, well above the England average. There is the sixth form college on site, also NEW College is located nearby, and Castleford Academy now offer a Sports A level. In the sixth form college they offer 3 BTEC Extended Diplomas in:
Performance and Excellence, Health and Social Care and Public Services.

Arson

The school has suffered from one incident of arson, with a fire on 4 January 2007 started by three teenagers. It was put out by ten fire engines. It completely gutted the sports hall.

Alumni

Colson Smith

Castleford Grammar School