Tarleton Academy

The school was established in 1961 as Tarleton County Secondary Modern, under the headship of Mr George Kitchen.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/170571402/ |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |title=School plans a special send-off |page=1 |date=11 June 1981}} Built over 12 months at a cost of over £140,000 and designed to accommodate 300 pupils, it was officially opened in May 1962 by Sir Douglas Glover, who remarked it was "the most lovely and attractive country school" he had seen. Building construction used a reinforced concrete frame with external black panels and grey brick. It was the first school in the county to utilise this form of construction.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/170574133/ |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |title=Attractive country school officially opened |page=7 |date=31 May 1962}}

Headteacher George Kitchen was taking on his first headship role, having previously served as deputy headteacher at Wickersley Secondary Modern School in Rotherham. Upon first opening, the school roll was 261 students with 12 staff. Construction had not been fully completed by the start of the first term, with unfinished classrooms, while the stage was repurposed as a canteen space. By the early 1970s, the school's intake had grown to the point of requiring additional teaching space, with a four-storey teaching block replacing the former front lawn and new practical classrooms at the rear.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/170571502/ |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |title=Retiring with happy school memories |page=28 |date=23 July 1981}}

It became fully comprehensive in 1972, along with the opening of new classroom buildings, a swimming pool and an increase in teaching staff.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/170570956/ |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |title=High school head hits back at critics |page=13 |date=2 November 1972}} By 1975, it was reported that there were concerns around the pupil to staff ratio at the school. The school's total cohort was then 827 students, which was expected to rise to around 1,000 several years later. Budget cuts to the education sector were at that time anticipated, while there was a pause on the recruitment of replacing departing support staff. Around this time, the first "Friends of Tarleton High School Association" group was formed from governors, parents and staff.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/170570803/ |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |title=Tarleton H.S. concerned over 'ratios' |page=3 |date=30 October 1975}}

In summer 1981, the school's original headteacher and deputy headteacher of 20 years, Mr George Kitchen and Mrs Jean Dunn respectively, each retired. The new headteacher for the start of the 1981 academic year was Mr David Winthrop.

The school has its own swimming pool for internal and community use,{{cite web|url=http://www.tarletonacademy.org|title=Tarleton Academy}} which originally opened on the school's site in October 1971. Plans to build a sports hall were reported in 1991, when a proposed £350,000 scheme was to be part funded by £180,000 from the council and £75,000 from the Sports Council, however Lancashire County Council failed to commit funds to the scheme and it was shelved.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ormskirk-advertiser-etc/122577360/ |title=[Sports Centre in] Jeopardy |newspaper=Ormskirk Advertiser |page=7 |date=11 April 1991}} In 2003, the school secured a £850,000 bid to build a new sports hall to accommodate four badminton courts, and was completed in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2708905.stm|title=BBC NEWS - UK - England - School gets sport hall after 30 years|date=30 January 2003|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk}}

The school's facilities were noted by the Southport Visiter in 1999, who reported on the facilities available, the school's partnership with Runshaw College in running evening classes and its position close to the top of local league tables.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-southport-visiter/170570591/ |newspaper=Southport Visiter |title=Facilities simply second to none |page=8 |date=8 January 1999}}

In late November 2011, as part of the school's conversion to Academy status, the Governing Body announced that the school would be renamed as Tarleton Academy from January 2012.

• Gavin Blyth, television producer and journalist{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/dec/01/gavin-blyth-obituary|work=The Guardian|first=Anthony|last=Hayward|publisher= Guardian News & Media Limited|title=Gavin Blyth obituary|date=1 December 2010|accessdate=20 February 2024}}

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• {{official|http://www.tarletonacademy.org }}

{{Schools in Lancashire}}

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Category:Schools in the Borough of West Lancashire

Category:Educational institutions established in 1973

Category:Secondary schools in Lancashire

Category:1973 establishments in England

Category:Academies in Lancashire