| Samworth Church Academy | |
| Established: | Technical School 1945 Secondary School 1957 Academy from 2008 |
| Type: | Academy |
| Religious Affiliation: | Church of England |
| Head Label: | Principal |
| Head: | Lisa McVeigh[1] |
| Address: | Sherwood Hall Road |
| City: | Mansfield |
| County: | Nottinghamshire |
| Country: | England |
| Postcode: | NG18 2DY |
| Coordinates: | 53.1476°N -1.1711°W |
| Urn: | 135583 |
| Ofsted: | yes |
| Gender: | Unisex |
| Lower Age: | 11 |
| Upper Age: | 19 |
| Colours: | Red and Black |
| Website: | http://www.samworthchurchacademy.co.uk |
The Samworth Church Academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Mansfield in the English county of Nottinghamshire.[2]
The school was established as "The Mansfield Secondary Technical School", which opened in 1945. It was housed in Nissen huts left over by a U.S. Army Hospital after the end of World War II on the outskirts of Mansfield, occupying the same site used by the current King's Mill Hospital.[3]
The school moved to new premises on the opposite side of Mansfield in 1957, becoming known as "Sherwood Hall Secondary School".[4]
In 1958 "The Sherwood Hall School for Girls" was opened, later known as Sherwood Hall Technical School for Girls.[5] Sherwood Hall Technical Grammar School For Boys moved to the site in 1961.
The two technical-grammar schools merged in 1976 to become Sherwood Hall Upper School, a coeducational comprehensive school. In 2001 it became Sherwood Hall School and Sixth Form College.
Previously a community school administered by Nottinghamshire County Council, Sherwood Hall School converted to academy status on 1 September 2008 and was renamed The Samworth Church Academy. The academy's first year results were promising, showing a 25% increase in 'A' level and GCSE achievements.[6]
The school is now sponsored by the Church of England Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and businessman Sir David Samworth,[7] but continues to coordinate with Nottinghamshire County Council for admissions.
Shortly after converting from a school to academy, in December 2008 planning consent was obtained to erect a new, high, large building upon open space on the opposite side of the site close to the boundary and overlooking rear gardens of nearby residential streets which angered the owners.[8] [9] [10] The new construction was funded by central government.[11]
A Founders Day was held in April 2011.[12] Also in early April 2011, the older school buildings, which were empty, were consumed by fire, the second at the site following arson by teenagers in March.[13]
The new school was officially opened on 18 April 2011 by the Princess Royal.
In 2023, the school grounds were chosen by Severn Trent Water to host a rainwater-intervention basin, part of a district-wide scheme involving re-routing of surface water drainage to mitigate future flood risk.[14]
Samworth Church Academy offers GCSEs, BTECs and OCR Nationals as programmes of study for pupils,[15] while students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A Levels and further BTECs.[16]