Richard Rose Central Academy is a

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

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. It is located in Carlisle in the English county of

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. C ...

History

Grammar school

The school traces its roots to Carlisle & County High School for Girls (CCHS), which opened at 19 Castle Street in January 1884 for 36 girls. The site is now a bookshop. The school was a girls'

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 ...

. In 1909 a new site was built at Lismore Place for Carlisle High School. The school had houses of Netherby, Greystoke, Lanercost and Linstock. In 1904 the school was transferred to Cumberland County Council and later became St Aidan's County High School, a co-educational comprehensive school. The school was a girls' grammar school for 86 years until 1970.

Academy

In September 2008, St Aidan's County High School and the North Cumbria Technology College (formerly Harraby School) merged to form Richard Rose Central Academy. The school was subsequently rebuilt on the former St Aidan's site in 2010, costing £31m. The academy was first sponsored by Eddie Stobart owner

Andrew Tinkler William Andrew Tinkler (known as Andrew Tinkler) was the chief executive officer of Stobart Group Limited until 1 July 2017. He lives in Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scot ...

and local businessman Brian Scowcroft.

Protests

In January 2009, there were protests by parents and pupils regarding poor quality education and school facilities. The school was found to be inadequate by Ofsted and was placed in

special measures Special measures is a status applied by regulators of public services in Britain to providers who fall short of acceptable standards. In education (England and Wales) Ofsted, the schools inspection agency for England and some British Overseas Ter ...

, with the headmaster and chief executive being immediately replaced.

Ofsted judgements

The Academy is now rated as Good by Ofsted.

Federation

Since September 2014 Richard Rose Central Academy is sponsored by

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 ...

. The school is in a federation with Richard Rose Morton Academy and the schools share a sixth form. The sixth form offers students the option to study from a range of A-levels, BTECs and vocational courses as programmes of study.

Notable former pupils

* Matthew Pagan, Member of

Britain's Got Talent ''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloqui ...

winners

Collabro Collabro were a UK-based musical theatre group and winners of the eighth series of ''Britain's Got Talent'' in 2014. The group consisted of Michael Auger, Jamie Lambert, Matthew Pagan and Thomas J. Redgrave. Richard Hadfield left the band in J ...

St Aidan's County High School

* Helen Grant (''nee'' Okuboye), Conservative MP since 2010 for

Maidstone and The Weald Maidstone and The Weald is a constituency in Kent represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Helen Grant of the Conservative Party. She succeeded fellow party member Ann Widdecombe, who had held the seat since it was ...

(succeeding

Ann Widdecombe Ann Noreen Widdecombe (born 4 October 1947) is a British politician, author and television personality. She was Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidstone and The Weald, and the former Maidstone constituency, from 1987 to 2010 and Member of the ...

), captain of the school's hockey and tennis teams *

Mike Freer Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and docume ...

, Conservative MP since 2010 for

Finchley and Golders Green Finchley and Golders Green is a constituency created in 1997 represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The current MP is Mike Freer of the Conservative Party, who has held the seat since 2010. Boundaries 1997–2010: The ...

(former seat of

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

until 1992), and the Conservative leader from 2006-09 of

Barnet London Borough Council Barnet London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 within London. Barnet is divided into 21 wards, each electing three councillors. The cou ...

Carlisle & County High School for Girls

Liz Blackman Elizabeth Marion Blackman (born 26 September 1949) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Erewash from 1997 to 2010. She served as a Government Whip from 2007 to 2008. Early life Blackman was born in 1 ...

, Labour MP from 1997-2010 for Erewash *

Beatrix Campbell Mary Lorimer Beatrix Campbell, OBE (''née'' Barnes; born 3 February 1947) is an English writer and activist who has written for a number of publications since the early 1970s. Her books include ''Wigan Pier Revisited'' (1984), ''Goliath: Brit ...

OBE (''nee'' Barnes), feminist writer *

Margaret Forster Margaret Forster (25 May 1938 – 8 February 2016) was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, historian and critic, best known for the 1965 novel ''Georgy Girl'', made into a successful film of the same name, which inspired a hit song by T ...

, author * Patricia Langham CBE (''nee'' Lowrie), Headmistress from 1987-2009 of

Wakefield Girls' High School Wakefield Girls' High School (WGHS) is an independent school in Wakefield, England, established in 1878 in Wentworth House. The initial enrolment of 59 pupils has since increased to 665. Community The school is part of the Wakefield Grammar Sch ...

, and President in 2007 of the

Girls' Schools Association The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is a professional association of the heads of independent girls' schools. It is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council. History The GSA can trace its history back to the Association of Headm ...

* Jancis Robinson OBE (head girl), wine critic

References

External links

Richard Rose Central Academy official website

Richard Rose sixth form
{{authority control Academies in Cumbria Schools in Carlisle, Cumbria Secondary schools in Cumbria United Learning schools