The school used to be a grammar school and was then known as West Bridgford County Secondary School. It moved to the present buildings in 1938 and became The West Bridgford Grammar School in 1944. The school's original site was on Musters Road, which was occupied by the old Musters Medical Practice. In September 1938 the school moved to a newly constructed building adjoining Loughborough Road, which is now its main building.
Comprehensive school
It became West Bridgford Comprehensive in September 1969. It kept some of its old grammar school ethos long after it became a comprehensive: Latin and Classics were taught and rugby was given priority over football until the 1970s. Its catchment area was the east side of the old LNER railway line in West Bridgford and included Ruddington. The building was next to the old Central College Nottingham building, but it has been knocked down to make space for a new housing est
Academy
The school applied to be an Academy under the Academies Act 2010 and officially became an Academy at midnight on 31 March 2011. It allocates up to 10% of its places based on technological aptitude. Its admissions policy, however, is still as a Comprehensive and these places are allocated after offers have been made to those that live within the catchment area. In September 2014The Ripley Academy in Ripley, Derbyshire joined West Bridgford School as part of the East Midlands Education Trust. In March 2016 The West Bridgford School was recognised as being one of the top 100 non-selective state-funded schools in England.
An 'Eco-School'
The school's council and "Environmental Committee" have worked, with assistance from teachers and the support of the student body, to reduce the school's impact on the environment. The school has raised awareness by holding cake sales, fundraising events and holding a "Green Week", which involved students paying a donation and dressing in green. The money raised has gone towards green projects, such as double glazing, insulation and, most notably, a wind turbine, which feeds energy into the National Grid, who then subsidise the school's energy bill. Currently, the school holds the three Eco Schools awards, bronze, silver and has earned green in recognition of its efforts.
Notable former pupils
Angus Barnett, British actor
Marcus Clarke, British actor and puppeteer
Joseph Dempsie, British actor, as seen in Skins and Game of Thrones.
Douglas Murray, author, journalist and political commentator
Mick Newell, former professional cricketer
Helen Richardson-Walsh, an English field hockey international, who was a member of the GB squad that won Bronze at the London 2012 and Gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Carl Smith, a British rower who won a gold medal in the lightweight men's fours during the 1991 world championships.
Owen Thomas, British Television journalist, presenter, CNN and BBC World News
Sir Percy Edward Kent, Chief Geologist from 1966 to 1971 for BP, Chairman from 1973–7 of the National Environment Research Council, and President from 1974–6 of the Geological Society of London
