Longdean School is a secondary school and

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

with academy status, located in the southeast of

Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...

, Hertfordshire. The academy specialises in Maths and Computing.

History

Grammar school

Originally called Apsley Grammar School, it began as a

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

. It was founded in 1955 as part of the development of the town after its designation as a

new town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

and the need for expanded secondary school provision. Although named for the nearby village of Apsley the school is actually situated about one mile away, in the

Bennetts End Bennetts End is a neighbourhood within Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the southeast of the town and consists almost entirely of public housing built as part of the new town in the 1950s. It was the second neighbourh ...

district of the town. Its first Head Teacher was Valentine (V.J.) Wrigley.

Comprehensive

The name of the school changed to Longdean School in 1970 on the amalgamation with the adjacent Bennett's End

Secondary Modern School A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1944 until the 1970s under the Tripartite System. Schools of this type continue in Northern Ireland, where they are usually ...

to form what was the third-largest

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...

in Hertfordshire at the time. The school motto of ''Rejoice in Thy Youth'' was retained after the amalgamation. Since September 2012 the headmaster has been Mr Graham Cunningham, replacing the previous headmaster, Mr Rhodri Bryant. The last

Ofsted The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a Non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial department of Government of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament of the U ...

report classed the school as a 'GOOD'. The school operates community facilities in the form of a sports centre, small Astro pitch, grass pitches and Multi Use Games Area.

Academy

During the summer term of 2011, Longdean School attained academy status. The school works in

consortium A consortium (plural: consortia) is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for ...

with two neighbouring schools to enhance post-16 provision. The group consists of

Adeyfield Academy The Adeyfield Academy (formerly Adeyfield School) is an 11–18 mixed, secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Adeyfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. It is part of the Atlas Multi Academy Trust. The school was fou ...

, Astley Cooper School and Longdean School. Staff development and well-being are also coordinated at consortium level. In May 2012, Longdean was included in the Government's £2 billion

Priority School Building Programme Priority School Building Programme is a United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental ...

. Longdean's inclusion was based upon the condition of its existing buildings that have exceeded their 25-year life expectancy. As a result, a completely new school building was constructed by Interserve/Kajima on former playing fields and both the existing premises were demolished. The new school opened at the end of 2016.

Admissions

Longdean is a non-selective coeducational school within the state education system, accepting pupils from its catchment area of

Nash Mills Nash Mills is a civil parish within Hemel Hempstead and Dacorum Borough Council on the northern side of the Grand Union Canal, formerly the River Gade, and in the southernmost corner of Hemel Hempstead. There is evidence of a mill in this locati ...

Leverstock Green Leverstock Green is a suburb in Hemel Hempstead, in the English county of Hertfordshire. It is located on the eastern edge of the town. Leverstock Green has a school, Leverstock Green Church of England Primary School, cricket club, tennis clu ...

and adjacent areas. Longdean School sign

Notable former pupils

Apsley Grammar School

Paul Boateng Paul Yaw Boateng, Baron Boateng (born 14 June 1951) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first Black Cabinet Minister in May 2002, when he was appo ...

, (now Baron Boateng) – the UK's first black

Cabinet minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, � ...

, and British High Commissioner to South Africa from March 2005 to April 2009. * Prof

Hugh Loxdale Hugh David Loxdale is an entomologist. He was professor of ecology at the Institute of Ecology, University of Jena from 2009 to 2010, president of the Royal Entomological Society from 2004 to 2006, and honorary visiting professor at the School ...

MBE, entomologist, Professor of Ecology from 2009 to 2010 at the Institute of Ecology,

University of Jena The University of Jena, officially the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (german: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, abbreviated FSU, shortened form ''Uni Jena''), is a public research university located in Jena, Thuringia, Germany. The un ...

, and President from 2004–6 of the

Royal Entomological Society of London The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the study of insects. Its aims are to disseminate information about insects and improving communication between entomologists. The society was founded in 1833 as the Entomological Society of London ...

Andy Powell Andrew Powell (born 19 February 1950) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is a founding member of the British band Wishbone Ash, whose use of twin lead guitars was influential. Early life and career Powell was born in the East E ...

– guitarist in the rock group

Wishbone Ash Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular albums included ''Wishbone Ash'' (1970), ''Pilgrimage'' (1971), '' Argus'' (1972), ''Wishbone Four'' (1973), ''There's the Rub'' (1974), and '' ...

* Sue Hayes - London Film Commissioner, award-winning documentary producer and director of

Edinburgh International Television Festival The Edinburgh International Television Festival is an annual media event held in the United Kingdom each August which brings together delegates from the television and digital world to debate the major issues facing the industry. The Festival ...

Longdean School

Chris Eagles Christopher Mark Eagles (born 19 November 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. After coming through the youth system at Watford, he began his professional career with Manchester United, but was unable to b ...

– Professional football player, enrolled in Manchester United youth academy before turning pro, now playing for Ross County F.C. *

Jake Howells Jake Thomas Howells (born 18 April 1991) is a former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football), defender or a midfielder for Luton Town F.C., Luton Town. He was Cap (sport), capped by the Engla ...

– Professional football player, currently playing for

Dagenham & Redbridge Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club is a professional association football club based in Dagenham, Greater London, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. Often known simply as Dag ...

. *

Max Whitlock Max Antony Whitlock (born 13 January 1993) is a British artistic gymnast. With fourteen medals and six titles in Olympic and world championships, Whitlock is the most successful gymnast in his nation's history, and the most successful pommel h ...

- a member of Britain's

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...

team and bronze medalist at the London

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

and double gold medallist on floor exercise and

pommel horse The pommel horse is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. Traditionally, it is used by only male gymnasts. Originally made of a metal frame with a wooden body and a leather cover, the modern pommel horse has a metal body covered with foam rubber and ...

at both the Rio de Janeiro

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

and Tokyo

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

. *

Jessica Stretton Jessica Stretton, (born 23 March 2000) is a British Paralympic archer with cerebral palsy. In the 2016 Summer Paralympics, her debut Paralympics, Stretton won her first Paralympic medal, which was gold, at the age of 16. She became Great Brita ...

- a member of Britain's

Paralympic The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

team and gold medalist at the Rio de Janeiro

. *Fehinte Balogun - Actor

Notable former staff

Apsley Grammar School

Iris du Pré Iris Maud du Pré (3 June 1914 – 27 September 1985) was an English pianist, composer, conductor and educator. She was the mother of cellist Jacqueline du Pré, flautist Hilary du Pré, and Piers du Pré. Life and career Du Pré was born Iris Mau ...

– music department * Prof David Daniell, Professor of English from 1992 to 1994 at

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

(sixth form master from 1958 to 1969)

References

External links

* {{authority control Academies in Hertfordshire Schools in Hemel Hempstead Educational institutions established in 1970 Secondary schools in Hertfordshire 1970 establishments in England