Established 1931 Principal Michael del Río DfE number 306/4003 Motto Learning Changes Lives Founded 1931 | Local authority Phone +44 20 8689 1255 Number of students 1,052 (2009) | |
Location Mitcham RoadCroydonSurreyCR9 3ASEngland Similar Harris Academy South No, Harris Academy Purley, Harris City Academy Crystal P, Norbury Manor Business, Archbishop Tenison's CE High | ||
The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy is a coeducational secondary school located in the Thornton Heath area of Croydon, South London, named after Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1070 to 1089.
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History
The school was founded in 1931 as a boys' school in Thornton Road, Thornton Heath, near the junction with Mitcham Road and is close to Mitcham Common. In 1953 work began on a new school nearby in Mitcham Road, being opened in 1956 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher.
Previously a foundation school administered by Croydon London Borough Council, The Archbishop Lanfranc School converted to academy status in September 2014 and was renamed The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy. However the school contunies to coordinate with Croydon London Borough Council for admissions.
The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy featured in the 2014 fly on the wall documentary Tough Young Teachers.
Description
The last OFSTED report of June 2009 states that the school: is a specialist sports college serving a part of Croydon of considerable ethnic and cultural diversity. The school is average in size and has a significantly higher proportion of boys than girls. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational need, is above average. The school holds several national and local awards including the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE) Award and the Investors in People standard. There is a Nursery overseen by the governing body, and judgements about its effectiveness were included in this report. The privately run Lanfranc Pre-school was inspected and reported on separately. The report stated that the quality of education provided by the school was at least satisfactory in all respects with some key aspects as good and others outstanding.
Football Beyond Borders
In 2014, the school began to work with the charity Football Beyond Borders, whose aim is to change the lives of young people through sport. Pupils were selected by assessing their behaviour and academic progress, and deemed to benefit from extra football training and matches after school in order to progress in school. A tour to Scotland was organised, and the teacher responsible, Tom Bateman (History) recognised the scheme was working due to the significant improvement in the pupils' behaviour, and carried on the scheme for the next academic year. In August 2015, the pupils toured to Spain, and further plans for other year groups are being discussed. One of the FBB TV youth presenters, Hashim Otban, even had a chance to go on Arise TV. Football Beyond Borders is unique in that the method is simple: behave well in school, behave on the pitch - and you will go on tour. Pupils not adhering to the method therefore miss out on the privileges that the scheme provides.
Notable former pupils
Dale Jasper, footballer