Lord Grey Academy

In 1951 the Wilton County Secondary School opened on Rickley Lane.{{Cite book|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C279291|title=Bletchley: Wilton County Secondary School|date=1951–1963}} Five years later the Bletchley Grammar School would open for 151 students in Bletchley Park, with an additional provision of technical education. Bletchley Grammar School's headmaster was Donald Halewood and its senior mistress F. Marrison.{{Cite web|date=2016-02-16|title=Bletchley 'second' Grammar School!|url=https://talkaboutbletchley.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/bletchley-photos-56/|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Talk About Bletchley}} In December 1962 a new tower block was built on the grammar school site in order to accommodate the grown student population of 530. In 1973 Bletchley Grammar School closed for amalgamation with Wilton County Secondary School and its students were transferred.{{Cite web|title=Bletchley Schools Website - Bletchley Grammar Schools|url=http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/archive/bfss/docs/Bgrammar.html|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.mkheritage.org.uk}} Wilton County Secondary School would officially amalgamate with Bletchley Grammar School in January 1973, becoming known as Lord Grey Comprehensive School.{{Cite web|title=Bletchley Schools Website - Timeline - Directories|url=http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/archive/bfss/docs/timeline2.html|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.mkheritage.org.uk}}

Lord Grey Comprehensive School opened in 1973 and was a community school. The previous facilities of Wilton County Secondary School were expanded upon, providing new accommodation. On 1 April 1993 the school became grant-maintained and on 1 September 1999 it became a foundation school. Between 1998 and 2002 the school became a specialist language college and received renovations.{{Cite web|title=History of the School – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/history/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} By the 2000s the school was called Lord Grey School.

In 2000 Headteacher Despina Pavlou was appointed. Pavlou would prove a divisive figure because of her strict zero-tolerance administration and anti-bullying policies. Under her tenure the school had a 97% GCSE pass rate and in 2003 the school was rated as "good" by Ofsted.{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey School 2003 Ofsted Inspection|url=https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/787455 |website=Ofsted}} Despite this she was accused of bullying and harassing staff and pupils and of using "school money to buy champagne, wine, a wooden shed and a business class flight to Australia."{{Cite web|title=Former deputy headteacher banned|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/8346408.former-deputy-headteacher-banned/|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Oxford Mail|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Head teacher used school funds for Australia trip, DIY and pink champagne|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7927095/Head-teacher-used-school-funds-for-Australia-trip-DIY-and-pink-champagne.html|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.telegraph.co.uk}} Pavlou and her school governors were sued by a former pupil who claimed to have been illegally excluded after being accused of arson in a school classroom. Although the pupil initially lost the battle, he won damages after an appeal.{{Cite news |date=2003-06-27 |title=Expelled pupil loses claim against school |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/beds/bucks/herts/3026434.stm |access-date=2022-03-24}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2004-03-29 |title=Pupil wins damages for loss of education |url=http://www.theguardian.com/education/2004/mar/29/schools.uk |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} In March 2006, Pavlou was reported to have punched Deputy Headteacher Linda Lennox in the face during an argument regarding her zero-tolerance policies. This resulted in her being forced to remote work and in her replacement as head by Roger Conibear, however she was not suspended. A police investigation was undertaken{{Cite web |date=2006-03-04 |title=EXCLUSIVE: ANTI-BULLY HEAD PROBED FOR 'PUNCHING A TEACHER |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/exclusive-anti-bully-head-probed-for-punching-581142 |work=Mirror.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Head assault allegation |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/699669.head-assault-allegation/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=Oxford Mail |language=en}} and Pavlou was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct some years later. She was then banned from working as both a head or deputy head. During this period the school motto was "Excellence: Dare to Succeed".{{Cite web |title=Lord Grey School March 2005 Science Booklet |url=http://www.lordgrey.org.uk/~f030/news/vacancies/infobooklets/june05/science_booklet.pdf }}

Roger Conibear would be replaced that same year by Jill Coughlan MBE who would serve as headteacher until 2009. Under her tenure the school became a specialist humanities college in 2006, fell from good to satisfactory in the Ofsted ranks in 2007 and was granted Comenius status.{{Cite web|title=History of the School – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/history/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey 2007 Ofsted Inspection|url=https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/838337 |website=Ofsted}} She would leave in 2009 to be replaced by Weston Favell School Headteacher Tracey Jones. Before becoming headteacher at Weston Favell, Jones was previously the deputy head of Lord Grey. This therefore meant she was returning to the school.{{Cite web|last=Yumpu.com|title=Lord Grey News - Lord Grey School|url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/39782499/lord-grey-news-lord-grey-school|access-date=2021-12-18|website=yumpu.com|language=en}} In 2014 the school was graded as good yet again. In 2016 Jones' school uniform policies experienced mainstream media coverage after she called students who wore above-the-knee skirts and slim-fitting trousers "hefty" and therefore banned these clothing items , resulting in accusations of fat shaming.{{Cite web|date=2016-04-18|title=Headteacher in skirts row calls female pupils 'hefty'|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2016-04-18/head-in-school-mini-skirts-row-labels-some-female-pupils-hefty|access-date=2021-12-18|website=ITV News|language=en}} Jones argued that she thought the banned clothing items would look unflattering on the aforementioned “hefty” students, and that wearing such attire could potentially result in bullying.{{Cite web|last=Lawrence|first=Sarah|date=2016-04-18|title=Head teacher slammed by parents for 'fat-shaming' students|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/head-teacher-who-sent-home-7779981|access-date=2021-12-18|website=mirror|language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Readhead |first=Harry |date=2016-04-18 |title=Headteacher says uniform code 'helps protect larger girls against bullying' |url=https://metro.co.uk/2016/04/18/headteacher-says-school-uniform-code-helps-protect-girls-who-are-not-very-slim-against-bullying-5824907/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |work=Metro }} Jones ultimately resigned from the headteacher position in 2018.

In 2018 the school began its academisation process. The school would be sponsored by the Tove Learning Trust, a member of the SWAN Teaching School Alliance.{{Cite web|title=History of the School – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/history|access-date=2018-04-10|website=www.lordgrey.org.uk|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=Sponne Training School Alliance - Alliance Partners|url=https://www.sponne.org.uk/ts/index.php/about-us/alliance-partners|access-date=2021-12-18|website=www.sponne.org.uk}} The school would become an academy on 1 April, relinquishing its specialisms in language and the humanities. As a result the school's name changed from Lord Grey School to Lord Grey Academy and the position of headteacher was renamed to principal.{{Cite web |title=Mission, Aims & Motto – Lord Grey Academy |url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/mission-aims-motto/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |language=en-GB}}

Principal Tracey Jones left on 31 August 2018, being succeeded by Jim Parker. In 2021 the school motto changed from "Aspire, Learn, Achieve" to "Lord Grey Can".{{Cite web|date=2020-12-02|title=Lord Grey Academy – Aspire {{!}} Learn {{!}} Achieve|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/|access-date=2021-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202144825/https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/|archive-date=2 December 2020}}{{Cite web |date=2021-09-30 |title=Lord Grey Academy – Lord Grey Can |url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/ |access-date=2021-12-18 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930142246/https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/ |archive-date=30 September 2021 |url-status=dead}} Sometime between May and September 2021 Principal Jim Parker became executive principal, with his duties now being fulfilled by Associate Principal Samantha Satyanadhan under his supervision.{{Cite web|title=Governance – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/academy-improvement-board/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2021-05-10|title=Lord Grey Academy – Aspire {{!}} Learn {{!}} Achieve|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/|access-date=2021-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510003709/https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/|archive-date=10 May 2021}} Parker is also executive principal at Stantonbury School, where his associate principal is Ben Wilson.{{Cite web|title=Stantonbury School|url=https://stantonbury-tove.org.uk/index.php/contact|access-date=2021-12-18|website=stantonbury-tove.org.uk}}

Lord Grey has four school houses: Lorenz (red),{{Cite web|title=Lorenz – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/students/tutor-house-groups/lorenz/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} Enigma (blue),{{Cite web|title=Enigma – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/students/tutor-house-groups/enigma/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} Colossus (silver){{Cite web|title=Colossus – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/students/tutor-house-groups/colossus/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} and Turing (gold),{{Cite web|title=Turing – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/students/tutor-house-groups/turing/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} whose names relate to World War II code-breaking work at Bletchley Park. Previously Turing house was called Ultra house. There also used to be a fifth house called Mercury (green).{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey School Prospectus 2016/2017|url=http://www.lordgrey.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/prospectus-inserts-2016-17.pdf |website=Lord Grey School}} The houses compete for the house cup every year, with the best house being awarded. The houses are led by a head of house and their assistant. Each year group appoints a house captain from their numbers and each house appoints multiple representatives to the student council. The houses operate under a points based reward system called Vivio, which is likely used to determine who wins the house cup.{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey News 29 September 2016|url=http://www.lordgrey.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-02-29-Sep-2016.pdf |website=Lord Grey School}}

The Lord Grey Academy is led administratively by Associate Principal Samantha Satyanadhan under the oversight of Executive Principal Jim Parker. Parker and Satyanadhan are both members of the school's local governing body, which governs the school locally. It is made up of Lord Grey staff members, parents and members of the local community. The chair is Jennie Cronin.{{Cite web|title=Governance – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/general-info/academy-improvement-board/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}}

Student voice and participation in the school's administration is provided through the student council. A class meeting is held each week in every tutor group. These meetings are led by a student (with optional help from the teacher) and consist of a variety of topics that are discussed and relayed to the student council for debate. The council's decision is announced and implemented by the school's communications team. The communications team will do this in partnership with the student/students who brought the original class meeting proposition. This is done by creating an action team which consists of five or more students.{{Cite web|title=Student Council – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/students/student-council/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}} The council has multiple representatives per year group from each house and also has a student principal team in the school's sixth form.

The school's curriculum is provided by its nine faculties which are led by head of faculties. These faculties specialise in different school subjects and are as follows:{{Cite web|title=Faculties – Lord Grey Academy|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/faculties/|access-date=2021-12-18|language=en-GB}}

• Communications (enterprise and languages)
• Creative technologies
• English
• Humanities
• Inclusive learning
• Mathematics
• Performing arts
• Science
• Wellbeing

The school itself is divided into a lower school, upper school and sixth form. The lower school consists of years 7 to 9 and the upper school years 10 and 11. The lower school's curriculum follows England's national curriculum, whereas the upper school follows the EBacc and progress 8 benchmark. The upper school's curriculum also follows exam board requirements and is personalised, with students picking their KS4 options in Year 9. In 2021, 95% of pupils successfully had their first-choice options accepted.{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey Curriculum Model 2021-2022|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/LG-Curriculum-2021-2022-Sheet1.pdf |website=Lord Grey Academy}} The school has offered remote education since the closure of British schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The school offers parents loaned Chromebooks should they lack the equipment needed for remote education during these school closures. Students must also participate in remote education when self-isolating.{{Cite web|title=Lord Grey Remote Education Provision|url=https://www.lordgrey.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Remote-Education-Provision-at-Lord-Grey-_-information-for-Parents-.docx.pdf |website=Lord Grey Academy}}

Previously Lord Grey was a specialist language and humanities college, gaining these specialisms in 1998 and 2006.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.lordgrey.co.uk/ Lord Grey Academy website]

{{Schools in Milton Keynes}}

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Category:1973 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Educational institutions established in 1973

Category:Secondary schools in Milton Keynes

Category:Academies in Milton Keynes