Established 2009 Principal Deborah Warwick DfE URN 135876 Tables Total enrollment 1,067 (21 Jun 2012) | Type academy Local authority Phone +44 1923 672964 Colors Black, Orange | |
Location Horseshoe Lane
Garston
Hertfordshire
WD25 7HW
England Address Horseshoe Lane, Watford, Garston WD257HW, UK Motto "Transforming Lives Through Learning" | ||
Francis Combe Academy is an academy in Garston, on the northern outskirts of Watford, Hertfordshire, UK. The academy opened on 1 September 2009, replacing Francis Combe School and Community College. It is co-sponsored by West Herts College and the University of Hertfordshire.
Contents
History
The school opened in 1954 as Francis Combe School, a secondary modern school. It was named after Francis Combe (or Combes), a Hemel Hempstead landowner who founded a charity school in Watford in 1651, with a bequest of £10 per annum. It became the first comprehensive in Watford in 1966. Results and attendance have improved significantly since 2006.
In February 2008, the school was given permission to explore becoming an academy, sponsored by West Herts College and the University of Hertfordshire. The academy opened in September 2009, specialising in English, art and media. In 2011 the four old houses, Esher, Matisse, Kandinsky, and Picasso where replaced by Brunel, Turing, Curie, and Rowling.
Facilities
All of the academy's buildings were rebuilt in 2012 except for the English and Humanities block which was built in 2001(currently the Communications and Maths building).
The £25million rebuild, which connects to the older building, features three stories and houses Science, ICT & Business and Humanities (originally Maths). The Sports Department includes a large sports hall, a dance studio and changing rooms.
Two new outdoor spaces, the MUGA (multi use games area) and the Agora.
A new entrance foyer.
The new Art Department focuses on open plan and collaborative working with no fixed walls between classrooms.
A new Restaurant allows students to eat.