Aldridge School is a mixed 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

Aldridge Aldridge is an industrial town in the Walsall borough, West Midlands, England. It is historically a village that was part of Staffordshire until 1974. The town is from Brownhills, from Walsall, from Sutton Coldfield and from Lichfield. ...

, in the

Metropolitan Borough of Walsall The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, ...

in the

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

, England. The school is recognised as a

Science College Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics Mathemati ...

. The current head is Mr. Worth.

History

The school was formed in 1975 by merging Aldridge

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 ...

with Tynings County

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 usuall ...

, which were based in adjacent buildings on the same campus. Aldridge Grammar School opened in September 1959 and was an 11-18 selective school. The original

Headmaster A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...

was Eric Ioan Emlyn Whitman,

BSc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

(1909-1990) who had previously played first class cricket for Glamorgan. He served for 15 years until his retirement in July 1974 In September 2003, Aldridge School became a Science College. Since then, it has invested in science equipment for each subject, as well as a biology block. The school has 15 laboratories with prep rooms and technical support.http://www.aldridge.walsall.sch.uk/pdf/prospectus/Prospectus.pdf (page 8) The school's most recent Ofsted inspection was in 2017 and it was rated Good.

House system

When a

pupil The pupil is a black hole located in the center of the Iris (anatomy), iris of the Human eye, eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing ...

joins the school, they are placed in a tutor group which is assigned to one of the four houses - Barr, Daniels, Linley and Scott - each of which houses around 360 pupils.http://www.aldridge.walsall.sch.uk/pdf/prospectus/Prospectus.pdf (page 5)

Music Scholarship

Prospective students can apply for admission through a music scholarship. The school has a large music department with over 50 pupils studying music at A-level.

Notable former pupils

Aldridge Grammar School

* Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach, Chief of the Defence Staff (2016–2018)

Aldridge School

* Ellie Simmonds, swimmer *

Jorja Smith Jorja Alice Smith (born 11 June 1997) is an English singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Walsall, West Midlands, she has been writing songs since the age of 11. In 2012, Smith's friend uploaded her cover of Labrinth's "Earthquake" to YouTube, ...

, singer-songwriter * Tom Davies, YouTuber, adventurer *

Lee Sinnott Lee Sinnott (born 12 July 1965) is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently manager of Gainsborough Trinity. As a player, he was a defender for Walsall, Watford, Bradford City, Crystal Palace, Hudder ...

, footballer *

Richard Sinnott Richard Sinnott (born 5 June 1963) is a professional actor, writer and director based in Manchester. He has played over forty credited roles in British television series such as '' Coronation Street'', ''Life on Mars'' and ''The Street'', and ...

, actor *

Richard Taundry Richard Daniel Taundry (born 15 February 1989) is a professional footballer who last played for National League North side Leamington, where he played as both a defender and a midfielder. He is perhaps best known for making 192 appearances fo ...

, footballer *

Rachel Unitt Rachel Elizabeth Unitt (born 5 June 1982) is a former English footballer who last played for FA Women's Championship club London Bees. After beginning her club career with Wolves, Unitt began a long association with Everton in 2000. This was int ...

, footballer *

Martyn Bennett Martyn Bennett (17 February 1971 – 30 January 2005) was a Canadian-Scottish musician who was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music. He was a piper, violinist, composer and prod ...

, footballer

References

External links

Former grammar school
{{Authority control Aldridge Academies in Walsall Secondary schools in Walsall