Darwen Aldridge Community Academy

The residents of  Darwen, a Lancashire town of over 40,000 in population, saw the opening of the new  Darwen Aldridge Community Academy in September 2008. There are currently over 740 students enrolled at the Academy, recognisable to the community in their smart eye catching new uniforms.  The Academy sixth form brings a new education offer for post 16 pupils – a first for the Darwen community. 

The Principal, Brendan Loughran, and his leadership team invited parents and carers to accompany students in the first week of opening to meet the staff and sign a home school agreement thus creating a partnership between the Academy and the home.  The students held an impressive Founders' Day, addressed by the Sponsor Rod Aldridge, in October showcasing the first few weeks of the Academy.  It was run by the students and attended by families, the Mayor, the local MP, officials from the Local Authority and members of the business and wider local community.

Students in the Academy follow the National Curriculum and experience high standards of teaching and learning but with a notably different curriculum structure.

There is regular emphasis and assessment of the specialisms of entrepreneurship and sport.  We have developed the following six characteristics of entrepreneurship which are embedded across all aspects of Academy life to raise the potential within our students.

• Determination
• Creativity
• Problem Solving
• Risk Taking
• Team Work
• Passion

The site of the new Darwen Aldridge Community Academy building as at 8th April 2009

Temporarily accommodated in the Holden Fold site at the edge of the town, predecessor school buildings and will move to iconic new buildings and which are currently under construction in the heart of the town centre.  Here there will be provision for 1200 11- 16 students and 400 at post 16.  The outstanding new facilities at the Academy will be accessible to the wider Darwen community.