Type Academy DfE number 889/6905 Phone +44 1254 819500 Founded 2 September 2008 | Principal Brendan Loughran DfE URN 135580 Tables Number of students 1,380 Capacity 1,600 | |
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Established 2 September 2008 (2008-09-02) Location Sudell Road
Darwen
Lancashire
BB3 3HD
England Address Sudell Rd, Darwen BB3 3HD, UK Profiles | ||
Kate middleton and prince william walking into the darwen aldridge community academy
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy (DACA) is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status in the Blackburn with Darwen borough of Lancashire, England. It specialises in entrepreneurship and is sponsored by the Aldridge Foundation, an educational charity chaired by Sir Rod Aldridge.
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Labour s visit to darwen aldridge community academy
History
Darwen Aldridge Communuity Academy replaced Darwen Moorland High School in September 2008, opening on the site of the former school at Holden Fold (53.70423°N 2.45873°W / 53.70423; -2.45873). The Academy is sponsored by the Aldridge Foundation, and was officially opened by the Foundation Chairman Sir Rod Aldridge on 16 October 2008. Brendan Loughran was appointed the school's first principal.
The Academy moved to a new purpose built site in September 2010, located in the Redearth area at the centre of Darwen. The new site features a five-storey main building, a sports hall, dance studio, cafe, and office spaces for young entrepreneurs. It was designed by architecture firm Aedas.
The new school cost an estimated £49 million, with the controversial clearance of houses in the Redearth area involving the council in a long legal dispute including a High Court hearing and two public inquiries.
Prince William and Kate Middleton visited the new school to formally open it on 11 April 2011, as part of their final public engagement before their wedding.
GCSE Results
In 2015 they saw 57% of students achieve five or more GCSEs at A* to C grade, up from 52% the previous year.
Ofsted ratings
In January 2013, in its Ofsted inspection, the school was rated as "good" overall. In January 2011, the previous inspection had rated the school "satisfactory".