Ormiston Denes Academy is a
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
with
academy status located in the northern outskirts of
Lowestoft
Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and sou ...
in the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
. It has around 1000 students aged 11 to 16.
[Suffolk County Counci]
School Profile
Retrieved 13 November 2009.
It is situated on Yarmouth Road, the
A47. It is also home to a sports training centre open to the public.
History
Located in the historic parish of St Margaret's, the academy's history dates back to 1910 when it was founded as a replacement for a secondary fee-paying day school established in 1904. Built by Brown and Kerr its main building is a Grade II Listed Building with a Queen Anne facade. The school was originally designed to accommodate 320 pupils with the site comprising eleven acres of which seven were playing fields. For the first nine years the school was called the Lowestoft Municipal Secondary School and its aim was to provide a ‘sound education for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18’. In 1914, the first school magazine, ''The Lowestoftian'' was published, detailing the events of the school. Although it has seen many changes over time ''The Lowestoftian'' continues to be published to this day.
From 1920 the school was renamed the Lowestoft Secondary School before becoming known as Lowestoft Grammar School from 1945 under the changes of the 1944 Butler Education Act. In June 1940, soon after the start of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and as a result of the danger from air raids on Lowestoft, 327 pupils together with the Head Master and 21 members of staff were evacuated to Worksop. The return to Lowestoft commenced in 1943 with eventually all returning by July 1944.
After the end of the war there was a population boom, which caused a rapid rise in the number of pupils attending the school. This necessitated a utilitarian building programme in order to accommodate the new pupils. This expansion of the school buildings continued intermittently for the next 30 years.
The school became a comprehensive in 1971 and was renamed The Denes High School. In September 2004 it was designated by the
Department for Education and Skills as a
specialist school
Specialist schools, also known as specialised schools or specialized schools, are schools which specialise in a certain area or field of curriculum. In some countries, for example New Zealand, the term is used exclusively for schools specialis ...
as a
Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges (BECs) were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in England. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields. Schools that successfully applied to the Specialist Schoo ...
.
[Specialist Schools Home, Department for Education and Skills. Retrieved 27 September 2007.]
In September 2011 the school became an 11 to 16 school as part of the reorganisation of schools in Lowestoft by Suffolk County Council. Pupils in years 7 and 8 joined the school after the closure of eight middle schools in Lowestoft. The opening of
Lowestoft Sixth Form College
Lowestoft Sixth Form College is a sixth-form college in the town of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. The college opened in September 2011, replacing sixth form provision in the existing high schools in Lowestoft. The college is a membe ...
also meant that the school lost its role in the Lowestoft 6th consortium, which had operated as a shared sixth form between the high schools in the town.
As The Denes High School, it was rated as 'Inadequate' in all four criteria following an
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 ...
inspection in September 2012 and was placed into special measures.
[Carroll A (2012]
Lowestoft high school placed on special measures
''Eastern Daily Press
The ''Eastern Daily Press'' (''EDP'') is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, northern parts of Suffolk and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is published daily in Norwich, UK.
Founded in 1870 as a broadsheet called the ''Eastern Counties Daily ...
'', 30 November 2012. Retrieved 2016-09-05.[Papworth A (2016]
New headteacher at Ormiston Denes Academy after principal quits
''Lowestoft Journal'', 5 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-05. The headteacher, Peter Marshall, who joined the school in October 2012,
led the conversion to
academy status in 2013 as part of the
Ormiston Academies Trust
Ormiston Trust is a charitable trust based in London, England. It is a grant-making trust that chiefly assists schools and organisations supporting children and young people.
The trust was established in the memory of Fiona Ormiston Murray who d ...
and the school was renamed Ormiston Denes Academy.
The school was taken out of special measures in March 2015 but saw little improvement in its examination results in 2016.
On 5 September 2016, Peter Marshall left the school after resigning to "explore other career opportunities closer to home".
[Quoted in Papworth A (2016) ''op. cit.''] He was replaced by Ben Driver as interim principal
until January 2017, when Mr. Driver was appointed principal.
Notable alumni
The Denes High School
*
James Mayhew
James John Mayhew (born 1964 in Stamford, Lincolnshire) is an English illustrator and author of children's books, storyteller, artist and concert presenter/live art performer.
Early life and education
The son of RAF pilot John Byrne Mayhew and ...
, artist; author and illustrator of children's books
*
Sean Harris
Sean Harris (born 1965/1966) is an English actor and writer. He played Ian Curtis in '' 24 Hour Party People'' (2002), Micheletto Corella in '' The Borgias'' (2011–2013), Fifield in ''Prometheus'' (2012), Solomon Lane in '' Mission: Impossib ...
, actor
* Prof Jules Pretty OBE, Professor of Environment and Society since 2000 at the
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a public university, public research university in Essex, England. Established by royal charter in 1965, Essex is one of the original plate glass university, plate glass universities. Essex's shield consists of the an ...
*
Karl Theobald
Karl Julian Theobald (born 5 August 1969) is an English actor and comedian. He has played 'Landlord' in '' Plebs'' and Martin Dear in Channel 4 sitcom ''Green Wing''.
Early life
Theobald was born in Great Yarmouth, to Wendy Theobald. He gr ...
, actor and comedian
*
Zeb Soanes
Zebedee Soanes (born 24 June 1976) is a British radio presenter who presents the weekday evening music show ''Smooth Classics at Seven'' on Classic FM. He was previously a newsreader and continuity announcer on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extr ...
, BBC Radio 4 Newsreader, author and Television Presenter
*
Daniel Cooper, journalist
*
*
Lowestoft Grammar School
* Reginald Allerton CBE, president from 1949–50 and 1960-61 of the
Institute of Housing
*
Rosemary Ashe
Rosemary Ashe (born 28 March 1953) is an English stage actress and singer.
Early life and training
She was born to Philip Stephen Ashe and Dorothy May (née Watts). She attended Lowestoft Grammar School before studying at the Royal Academy of ...
, actress/singer
* Prof
Willy Aspinall CMG
Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to:
People Given name or nickname
* Willie Aames (born 1960), American actor, television director, and scree ...
, Cabot Professor in Natural Hazards and Risk Science since 2009 at the
University of Bristol
, mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'')
, established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter
, type ...
* Sir Brian Bailey OBE, chairman from 1980-93 of
Television South West
Television South West (TSW) was the ITV franchise holder for the South West England region from 1 January 1982 until 31 December 1992, broadcasting from studios at Derry's Cross in Plymouth, Devon.
History
Origins and Launch
On 28 December ...
(TSW) and president from 1987 to 2004 of the
Hospital Caterers Association The Hospital Caterers Association is an industry body in the United Kingdom for people and organisations involved in NHS Healthcare Catering Management established in 1948
It runs an annual award ceremony.
It set up an annual Nutrition and Hydrat ...
* Maurice Baker, managing director from 1967-71 of
Woolworths Ltd
*
Dennis Barker
Dennis Barker (21 June 1929 – 2 March 2015) was a British journalist.
Early life and career
Born at Lowestoft, Suffolk, son of company director George Barker and Gertrude (née Seeley), Barker and his mother escaped the heavy bombing of L ...
, ''Guardian'' journalist
* Keith Beckett FREng, Vice President Engineering from 1982-97 of Pilkington PLC
* Prof John Bleby, vet
[Professor John Bleby, veterinary surgeon - obituary]
''Daily Telegraph
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
'', 14 October 2015. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
* Sir
Tim Brighouse
Sir Timothy Robert Peter Brighouse (born 15 January 1940) is a British educator. He was the Schools Commissioner for London between 2002–2007, where he led the London Challenge.
Biography
He was born in Leicestershire (1940) and was brought u ...
, Chief Adviser from 2003-07 for London Schools at the DfES
*
Terry Butcher
Terry Ian Butcher (born 28 December 1958) is an English football manager and former player. He works as an academy coach for Ipswich Town.
During his playing career as a defender, Butcher captained the England national team, winning 77 caps ...
,
Ipswich
Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...
and
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
footballer
* James Campbell, Professor of Medieval History from 1996-2002 at the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
*
Claud Castleton
Claud Charles Castleton, VC (12 April 1893 – 29 July 1916) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Early life
Cla ...
VC
* John Edmonds CBE, Chief Executive from 1994-97 of
Railtrack plc
* Barry Hartop, Chief Executive from 1994-97 of the
Welsh Development Agency
Welsh Development Agency (WDA; cy, Awdurdod Datblygu Cymru) was an executive agency (or QUANGO) and later designated an Assembly Sponsored Public Body (ASPB). Established in 1976, it was tasked with rescuing the ailing Welsh economy by encour ...
* James Hoseason OBE, built up the
Hoseasons travel company
[Barker.D (2009]
James Hoseason obituary
''The Guardian'', 7 December 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
*
Andrew Marshall, screenwriter, who wrote and created ''
2point4 Children
''2point4 Children'' is a BBC Television sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porters, a seemingly average, working-class London family whose world is frequently turned upside-down by bad luck and ...
'', wrote Radio 4's 1970s ''
The Burkiss Way
''The Burkiss Way'' is a BBC Radio 4 sketch comedy series, originally broadcast between August 1976 and November 1980. It was written by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, with additional material in seasons 1 and 2 by John Mason, Colin Bostock ...
'' (with
David Renwick
David Peter Renwick (; born 4 September 1951) is an English author, television writer, actor, director and executive producer, best known for creation of the sitcom ''One Foot in the Grave'' and the mystery series ''Jonathan Creek''. He was awar ...
), and was Douglas Adams' inspiration for the character
Marvin in ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comic science fiction, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally The Hitchhiker's Guide to th ...
''
*
Maj-Gen
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
John Milne CB,
Colonel Commandant from 2001-07 of the
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
* Prof
Brendan Neiland
Brendan Neiland (born 23 October 1941 in Lichfield, Staffordshire) is an English artist best known for his paintings of reflections in modern city buildings. In 1992 he was elected to the Royal Academy (RA).
Neiland is known for his interpretatio ...
, artist
*
Tony Palmer
Tony Palmer (born 29 August 1941)[IMDb: Tony Palmer](_blank)
Retrieved 24 September 2011 is a British film direc ...
, film and theatre director
*
David Porter, local Conservative MP from 1987-97 for
Waveney Waveney may refer to:
* River Waveney, a river that forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England
* Waveney District, a local government district in Suffolk, England
* Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)
* Waveney class lifeboat, a class ...
*
Eddie Spearritt, Ipswich Town footballer
* Jack Strowger CBE, managing director from 1970-79 of
Thorn Electrical Industries
Thorn Electrical Industries Limited was a British electrical engineering company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange, but merged with EMI Group to form Thorn EMI in 1979. It was de-merged in 1996 and became a constituent of the FTSE 100 In ...
and chairman from 1981 to 1993 of
Hornby Hobbies
Hornby Railways is a British model railways manufacturing company. Its roots date back to 1901 in Liverpool, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, ...
*
Tony Wood, Vice-Chancellor from 1993-98 of the
University of Luton
The University of Bedfordshire is a public research university with campuses in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England. The University has roots from 1882, however, it gained university status in 1993 as the University of Luton. The Universi ...
, and director from 1985-93 of the Luton College of Higher Education
*David Gage MBE DL ACIB Corporate Director NatWest Bank PLC from 1994-2000, Chair Stafford Railway Building Society from 2014-2017, Chair & Pro Chancellor Staffordshire University 2015 to 2019
References
External links
Website of Ormiston Denes Academy*
EduBase
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ormiston Denes Academy
Secondary schools in Suffolk
Grade II listed buildings in Suffolk
Academies in Suffolk
Grade II listed educational buildings
Ormiston Academies