Sharnbrook Academy facts for kids

Front entrance to Sharnbrook, leading to the reception and Head of House offices.

An aerial photograph from 2001-2003 of the school site.

Sharnbrook Academy is a large school in the village of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, England. It used to be called Sharnbrook Upper School until 2017. The school was built in 1975. Today, it has more than 1,700 students and about 300 staff members. It also has a large sixth form for older students, which started in 1978 and has about 650 students.

Student Ages and School Years

Most students start at Sharnbrook Academy in Year 7, when they are 11 years old. They study for their GCSE exams, which they take in Year 11 (around ages 15–16). After GCSEs, some students might go to a technical college or a different Sixth Form.

However, most students stay and join the Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13, ages 16–18+). Many students who finished their GCSEs at other schools also join Sharnbrook for their final two years of school.

How Sharnbrook Academy Organizes Students

Sharnbrook Academy uses a special system called a House system. All students belong to one of five houses: Cygnus, Delphinus, Pegasus, Phoenix, or Ursa. Most teachers are also part of a house.

Each house has many tutor groups. A Head of House and an Assistant Head of House lead each house. These leaders help students with their school life and well-being.

Vertical Tutoring System

From 2003 to 2018, Sharnbrook used "vertical tutoring." This meant that each tutor group had students from different year groups mixed together. This system was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June 2022, the school brought back vertical tutoring for students in Years 7-10. This system helps students from different age groups connect and support each other.

School Facilities and Resources

Sharnbrook Academy has many great facilities for students to use:

• Art rooms and a gallery, including a special room for developing photos and a digital art studio.
• An AstroTurf sports pitch for games.
• A climbing wall for adventure and fitness.
• A dance studio for performing arts.
• Interactive whiteboards in classrooms.
• A Main Hall and a Sports Hall for events and activities.
• A music centre with two recording studios and a large music technology room.
• The Paula Radcliffe Community Sports Centre.
• Large playing fields.
• A Sixth Form centre, built in 1999, for older students.
• Tennis courts.
• A Television studio and edit suites for media studies.
• Drama Studios for acting and performances.

The school also had its own farm for many years, which later became an Animal Care Centre. In 2010, a new science centre was completed. In 2011, the school added a new library (called the Learning Hub) and refurbished dining areas.

Broadcast Team

The Media Department at Sharnbrook Academy has a "Broadcast Team." Students can join this team to help run the school's broadcast system. This system is used instead of traditional school assemblies. The broadcast is filmed live in a special television studio at the school.

School Day Structure

Since September 2020, the school day at Sharnbrook Academy starts at 8:30 am and finishes at 3:00 pm. Before this, the school day ended at 3:15 pm.

In the 2022-23 school year, "Movement Time" was added. This is a 5-minute break between some lessons. It helps students move between classrooms and arrive on time for their next lesson.

Special Achievements and Academy Status

Sharnbrook Academy has received several special recognitions:

• It is a Training School, which means it helps train new teachers.
• It was a Partnership Promotion School and a Beacon School.
• It has received the Artsmark Gold and Sportsmark awards from the Arts Council England and Sport England for its excellent arts and sports programs.
• It was also a specialist school for media and an Arts College.

On February 1, 2011, Sharnbrook Upper School officially became an academy. This means it is funded directly by the government and has more freedom in how it operates.

School Trust

Sharnbrook Academy is part of the Meridian Trust. This trust includes 24 other schools. Before 2021, Sharnbrook Academy was part of the Sharnbrook Academy Federation (SAF).

Local Area and Catchment

The school serves students from many nearby villages and parishes. These include Bletsoe, Bolnhurst and Keysoe, Carlton and Chellington, Clapham, Dean and Shelton, Felmersham and Radwell, Harrold, Knotting and Souldrop, Little Staughton, Melchbourne and Yielden, Sharnbrook, Stevington, Milton Ernest, Oakley, Odell, Pavenham, Pertenhall, Podington, Hinwick and Farndish, Thurleigh, Turvey, Riseley, Swineshead and Wymington.

Famous Former Students

Many notable people have attended Sharnbrook Academy:

• Jack Collison, a professional footballer.
• Shaunagh Craig, a netball player for Northern Ireland.
• Jane Elliott, a sociologist and academic.
• Oliver Gavin, a racing car driver.
• Cal Henderson, a software expert who co-founded Flickr and Slack.
• Matt Jackson, a professional footballer.
• Sean Longden, a historian and author.
• Paula Radcliffe, a famous marathon runner and world record holder.
• Nick Tandy, a Porsche racing driver who won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• Giles Scott, an Olympic gold medalist sailor and four-time World Champion.
• Alfie Templeman, a singer, songwriter, and musician.
• Matt Berry, an actor, comedian, writer, and musician.
• Henry Luxemberg, an actor.
• Martyn Burdon, an artist.
• Alistair Strathern, a Labour Member of Parliament.
• Steevan Glover, an actor and writer.