The Iceni Academy (formerly Hockwold and Methwold Community School) is a mixed,

all-through school All-through schools educate young people throughout multiple stages of their education, generally throughout childhood and adolescence. Definition The term "all-through" can be legitimately applied to establishments in many different circumstan ...

located over two sites in

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, England.

History

The school was first formed as Hockwold and Methwold Community School in September 2011 from the merger of Hockwold Primary School and Methwold High School. Methwold High School was built in 1957 and officially opened on 28 April 1958 by Col. Sir Bartle Edwards. Records suggest that in 1939 children who did not pass the exam to go to Downham Market Grammar School stayed at the Primary School (as it was then) until they were 14 years old. Hockwold and Methwold Community School was awarded academy status and renamed Iceni Academy in January 2013. Today the school, which celebrated its 60th birthday in 2018, continues to operate over the original

Hockwold Hockwold cum Wilton (''"Hock/mallow wood and willow-tree farm/settlement"'') is 10 miles west of Thetford, Norfolk, England and is in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. It is located near several USAF airbases, notably RAF Lakenheath a ...

and

Methwold Methwold ("Middle forest") is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, on the edge of the Norfolk Fens and Breckland. With an area of it is the second largest parish in Norfolk. It had a population of 1,476 in 591 household ...

sites accommodating the primary and secondary departments respectively. The Academy received its first-ever "Good" rating in July 2016. In 2018 the Academy was recognised for its work to bring the world into the classroom with an award from the British Council.

Location

The

and

sites are six miles apart and accommodate the primary and secondary departments respectively. In all, the school serves the largest rural catchment in Norfolk, and each department is smaller than average for that category of school.

Partnerships

Thetford Grammar School

The Academy has a connection with the privately funded,

Thetford Grammar School Thetford Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Thetford, Norfolk, England. The school might date back to the 7th century, which would make it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. History The school website conject ...

whereby at least one student per academic year is offered a funded scholarship to study for A-levels for two years. This is funded, in part, via the Banham Scholarship. In September 2019 three students joined Thetford Grammar School on scholarships from Iceni Academy. In September 2020 two additional students joined Thetford Grammar School on scholarships from Iceni Academy.

Extra-curricular activities

As part of the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP500) Iceni Academy was approved to set up a

Combined Cadet Force The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections. Its aim is to "provide a ...

which is affiliated with the British Army. They started parading in September 2019 with an initial group of 30 cadets.

Principals

*Prior to 2010 - Ken Earl *September 2010 – August 2013 - Denise Walker *September 2013 – December 2017 - Gee Cook Hockwold (Primary site) *January 2018 – present - Emma Owner Methwold (Secondary site) *January 2018 – August 2020 - Stephen Plume *September 2020 – present - Lesley Hogg

Senior leadership team

As of March 2021: *Duncan Carmichael - Vice Principal *Amy Staniforth - Vice Principal *Sarah Turner - Assistant Principal *Adam Carter - Assistant Principal

Notable alumni

* Chloe Smith, Member of Parliament for Norwich North

References

External links

* {{authority control Primary schools in Norfolk Secondary schools in Norfolk Academies in Norfolk Educational institutions established in 1957 1957 establishments in England