The Elms Academy is a mixed secondary academy in the London borough of Lambeth. Its sponsor is

United Learning United Learning is a group of state-funded schools and fee-paying independent schools operating in England. United Learning is the trading name for United Church Schools Trust (UCST) and United Learning Trust (ULT). It is one of the largest 10 c ...

Admissions

Lambeth Academy is owned and run by

, a subsidiary of the

United Church Schools Trust The United Church Schools Trust (UCST) is a large education charity in the United Kingdom which owns and operates a group of 12 independent schools. The charity is operating under the name United Learning as of 2012. History UCST was founded in ...

. In Summer 2011 the first group of students who had arrived in 2004 completed their A-levels and achieved excellent results. They have established an alumni society called Lambeth Academicals, to maintain contact through sporting social and other activities. 2011 saw results rising to 58% of GCSE students obtaining 5A*-C grades, including English and Maths. This represented a 22% increase, making the Academy one of the most improved schools in London and placing it above the national average in this respect. Lambeth Academy specialises in English with Business &

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...

. There are around 180 in sixth form. It is situated on Elms Road just east of

Clapham Common Clapham Common is a large triangular urban park in Clapham, south London, England. Originally common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, it was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878. It is of g ...

, off the

A24 A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. It is based in New York City. A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. Pr ...

, north of the junction with the ''South Circular Road'' ( A205). Next door is the sixth-form centre of Lambeth College. It lies in the parish of Holy Spirit, Clapham.

History

Lambeth Academy was founded after a four-year campaign by local parents, including the author John O'Farrell, who became the school's first Chair of Governors, a post he held for eight years. He recalls the campaign and his involvement in the school in his memoir 'Things Can Only Get Worse'. The academy was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004. The first principal was Ms Pat Millichamp, who retired after two years. The second principal was Mr Stephen Potter who retired during the Christmas break of 2011 who was then replaced by Ms Jan Shadick, who served in this position until Summer 2017. She was succeeded by Ms Carol Shepherd until her resignation in the Christmas of 2017. Subsequently, she was succeeded by Mr Peter Mathershaw who stood down as headteacher in the summer of 2018, he was replaced by Mr Leon Wilson who is the current Executive Headteacher of this school and the nearby Hurlingham Academy. The chair of governors is Chioma Oganya.

Henry Thornton School

The Academy is built on the site of the Henry Thornton School (HTS). This school opened in 1929 as a boys'

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 had around 450 boys. It was well known in national

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensiv ...

competitions. It became a comprehensive in 1968 with around 1,500 boys, then merged with the Hydeburn School to become the Chestnut Grove School in Balham in 1986, and the site became the Henry Thornton Centre of Clapham and Balham Adult Education Institute. In 2003 the former grammar school was demolished to make way for the Academy.

Notable former pupils

Lambeth Academy

* Diogo Costa, Lambeth Councillor for Oval ward and Software Engineer

Henry Thornton School

* Prof Kenneth Andrews, Professor of History from 1979 to 1988 at the

University of Hull , mottoeng = Bearing the Torch f learning, established = 1927 – University College Hull1954 – university status , type = Public , endowment = £18.8 million (2016) , budget = £190 million ...

* Prof L. Bruce Archer CBE, Professor from 1971 to 1988 at the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It o ...

, and President from 1994 to 2005 of the Design Research Society * Chris Batt OBE, Chief Executive from 2003 to 2007 of the

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) was until May 2012 a non-departmental public body and registered charity in England with a remit to promote improvement and innovation in the area of museums, libraries and archives. Its function ...

Hywel Bennett Hywel Thomas Bennett (8 April 1944 – 24 July 2017) was a Welsh film and television actor. He had a lead role in ''The Family Way'' (1966) and played the titular "thinking man's layabout" James Shelley in the television sitcom '' Shelley'' (1 ...

, actor *

Michael Caplan Michael G Caplan KC (born 1953 in Wandsworth, London) is an English solicitor. Biography Caplan read law at King's College London (LLB, AKC), before undertaking study at The College of Law in London. Articled at Lickfolds Wiley & Powles, h ...

, barrister * Prof Percy Crowe, Professor in Geography from 1953 to 1971 at the

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univ ...

* John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, scriptwriters who wrote '' The Good Life'' * Prof

Michael Farthing Michael J. G. Farthing (born 1948) is British emeritus professor at the University of Sussex, where he was previously its vice-chancellor (2007–2016). His early academic career was in medicine, specialising in gastroenterology. Following an ...

, Vice-Chancellor since 2007 of the

University of Sussex , mottoeng = Be Still and Know , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £14.4 million (2020) , budget = £319.6 million (2019–20) , chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar , vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil , ...

, and President from 2007 to 2008 of the British Society of Gastroenterology * Eric Gilder, composer *

Jimmy Hill James William Thomas Hill, OBE (22 July 1928 – 19 December 2015) was an English footballer and later a television personality. His career included almost every role in the sport, including player, trade union leader, coach, manager, director ...

, ex-footballer and former television sports presenter * Peter Waterman, boxer *

Peter Katin Peter Roy Katin ( ) (14 November 193019 March 2015) was a British classical pianist and teacher. Biography Katin was born in London; his father was sign-painter Jerrold Katin (who was born in Lithuania) and mother Gertrude. Katin was educated ...

, concert pianist * Alun Lewis, actor * Prof Donald Pashley, Professor of Materials from 1979 to 1982 at

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

* Tom Phillips, artist * Sir Norman Prichard, Chairman 1955-56 of

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...

* Peter Robert Rawson, Group Company Secretary 1992-1997 of Prudential plc * Prof

Herbert Arthur Frederick Turner Herbert Arthur Frederick Turner (1919–1998) was a British economist, statistician, and academic. His great strength was a thorough understanding of economics and statistics, particularly the operation of labour markets and the limitations o ...

Montague Burton Professor of Industrial Relations The Montague Burton Professorships of Industrial Relations are three professorships in industrial relations at the University of Cambridge, Cardiff University and the University of Leeds. The professorships were established between 1929–30 and ...

from 1963 to 1983 at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

Michael Thomas (footballer, born 1967) Michael Lauriston Thomas (born 24 August 1967) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1986 to 2001. During his time at Arsenal, he scored a last-minute goal in injury time during the final match of the 1 ...

, Professional from 1984 until 2001. Played football for Arsenal, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Sport Lisboa e Benfica, and Wimbledon, as well as the England Under-21s, England B and the England National Team.

References

External links

Lambeth Academy website

Former school

Lambeth League Table 09

Lambeth Academy Profile BBC
{{authority control United Learning schools Academies in the London Borough of Lambeth Educational institutions established in 2004 Secondary schools in the London Borough of Lambeth 2004 establishments in England