The Halley Academy

The buildings were planned in 1949 and subsequently redesigned (by architect Charles Pike) in 1951 to meet spending cuts. It was built on the eastern part of the site of a former RAF glider school, situated on land adjacent to RAF Kidbrooke,{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.kpaa.org.uk/history.htm|website=Kidbrooke Park Allotment Association|accessdate=2 October 2017}} by London County Council for "the children of the heroes of the second world war", with the school colours based on the blue and grey uniform of the Royal Air Force. Originally a girls school, it opened as Kidbrooke School in 1954 (and was officially opened on 15 June 1955 by Countess Mountbatten of Burma) as one of the first purpose-built comprehensive schools in Britain.Smithers, Rebecca (2005), "[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2005/jul/12/schools.secondaryschools Gold Standard]". The Guardian, 12 July 2005. Retrieved: 18 October 2015.

The founding Headteacher for 19 years, Dame Mary Green "was so proud of the fact that the local people called her pupils 'Smarties', thinking it was a reflection on their intelligence. In fact, the youngsters knew the nickname came from the different-coloured berets they had to wear outside school – a different colour for each of the eight houses. She was determined to ensure that all the pupils in her charge fulfilled their potential."

Kidbrooke started admitting boys after 1982 as the school began competing with other comprehensives in the area.{{efn|Another source - the school's website - says the school became coeducational in 1980.}}

From September 2005, the school was re-designated as a single specialist arts college specialising in media, drama and art.

Though the specialist colleges programme ended, and the school converted to academy status in September 2011 and was renamed Corelli College,Corelli College: Inspection report, 2012 – Archived [http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121103024405/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/137473 here]. Retrieved: 18 October 2015. it continued to maintain a specialism in the arts. The school adopted the Co-operative Academies governance model which is supported by the Schools Co-operative Society.{{cite web|title=Co-operative Academies and Multi Academy Trusts – Schools Co-operative Society|url=http://co-operativeschools.coop/about/co-operative_academies/|website=Schools Co-operative Society|accessdate=3 January 2018}}

From the summer of 2016, Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) provided staff and support to Corelli College. On 16 December 2017, it was announced that Corelli College was adopting a new name and school branding including new school uniform,{{cite web|title=RE: Update on sponsorship of Corelli College by Leigh Academies Trust|url=https://4905753ff3cea231a868-376d75cd2890937de6f542499f88a819.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/corelli/uploads/lettershome/Update-on-Sponsorship-of-Corelli-College-by-Leigh-Academies-Trust.pdf?t=1513858559|website=Corelli College|accessdate=20 February 2018}} it became The Halley Academy in March 2018. This was done through the Fresh Start programme.{{Cite web |last=Downs |first=Janet |date=2018-06-02 |title=£1.5m paid on transfer of academy in Greenwich. And it won't appear in DfE accounts. |url=https://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2018/06/15m-paid-on-transfer-of-academy-in-greenwich-and-it-wont-appear-in-dfe-accounts |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=Local Schools Network |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Corelli College – GOV.UK |url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/137473 |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=get-information-schools.service.gov.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Halley Academy – GOV.UK |url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/145315#school-dashboard |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=get-information-schools.service.gov.uk |language=en}} In April 2019, staff at the school went on strike in protest at redundancies among support staff.{{cite news |last1=Twomey |first1=James |title=Support staff at Halley Academy in Greenwich strike over school staff cuts |url=https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/support-staff-at-halley-academy-in-greenwich-strike-over-school-staff-cuts/ |accessdate=25 April 2019 |work=South London Press |date=14 April 2019}}

In September 2024, the school changed its name to Leigh Academy Halley.{{cite web |title=Renaming our Academy (23 April 2024) |url=https://thehalleyacademy.org.uk/renaming-our-academy/ |website=The Halley Academy |date=23 April 2024 |access-date=26 July 2024}}

Designed by Slater, Uren and Pike, Kidbrooke School was LCC's first comprehensive school. The building was limited to three storeys and circulation space between classrooms was restricted to reduce cost. The central assembly hall had a standing capacity of 2,000 so the whole school could gather for morning prayers – a requirement of the Education Act 1944. It had a domed ceiling to optimise the acoustics. The domestic science section was seen as an important section in a 1954 girls school: the department had all of the model appliances the girls would encounter when they ran their own homes. There were fully furnished mock 'flats' where homemaking skills could be practised.{{cite web|first=Catriona|last=Cornelius|title=Photograph of Kidbrooke Comprehensive School, London, 1954|url=https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/photograph-of-kidbrooke-comprehensive-school-london-1954|website=www.architecture.com|publisher=RIBA|accessdate=16 December 2017|year=2015|language=en}}

In 2015, the school opened a new sports facility consisting of a sports hall, changing rooms, toilets, a dance studio, IT room, gym and a lift for wheelchair and buggy users. An arts complex was featured in the concept design of the sports facility, but was not built due to lack of budget.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

In 2017, Corelli College painted all its interior walls white and replaced old windows with double glazing. The school also refurbished five science labs at a cost of £500,000.

{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

In 2005, Kidbrooke School was the focus of TV chef Jamie Oliver's campaign to improve school dinners in Britain as part of his TV series Jamie's School Dinners. Nora Sands, the head cook, had success with her book Nora's Dinners (published in 2006){{cite news|last1=Middleton|first1=Christopher|title=Monsterella pizza the order of the day for TV's unlikeliest superchef|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/3325118/Monsterella-pizza-the-order-of-the-day-for-TVs-unlikeliest-superchef.html|accessdate=16 October 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 April 2006}} and left the school on 24 May 2007.{{cite news|title=Jamie's top dinner lady to quit|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6521213.stm|accessdate=16 October 2017|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=3 April 2007}}

On 24 January 1997 students from nearby Thomas Tallis School attacked one of the school's pupils, Carl "CJ" Rickard, aged 14. Six attackers were jailed for a total of 20 years, while Nathan Brown was convicted of murder, having killed Rickard with a {{convert|17|in|cm|adj=on}} machete.[http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6505361.CJ_S_MURDERER_TO_APPEAL_AGAINST_SENTENCE_/ – CJ's Murderer to Appeal Against Sentence], New Shopper, 20 June 1998. Retrieved: 18 October 2015.

;Kidbrooke School

• Dame Mary (Molly) Green, first headteacher, from 1954 to 1973
• Molly Hattersley, educational policy maker

;Kidbrooke School

• Michael Adebowale – Islamic terrorist convicted of the murder of Lee Rigby[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/lee-rigby-murder-how-killers-michael-adebolajo-and-michael-adebowale-became-ultra-violent-radicals-9015743.html Lee Rigby murder: How killers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale became ultra-violent radicals | The Independent]
• Jude Law – actor

;Corelli College

• Fred Onyedinma – Millwall, Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town footballer

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{{Schools and colleges in Greenwich}}

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Category:Academies in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Category:Educational institutions established in 1954

Category:Secondary schools in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

Category:1954 establishments in England