The Folkestone Academy

The Folkestone Academy is a all-through coeducational secondary school in Folkestone, Kent. The school opened in September 2007 and currently has an intake of about 1,949 pupils (4-19). Sir Roger De Haan, former Chairman of Saga, is the principal sponsor and Chair of governors, with The King's School, Canterbury as the other sponsor. The main academy buildings were designed by world-renowned architects Foster and Partners.The Headteacher is Mr Warren Smith. There are eight houses in the academy, named after living British people who have made a significant contribution in their respective fields. Dancer Darcy Bussell, actress Joanna Lumley, architect Lord Foster, inventor and engineer James Dyson, astronaut Michael Foale, athlete Kelly Holmes, explorer Rannulph Fiennes and author Anthony Horowitz are the house patrons. Each student belongs to one of these houses.The school day runs between 08:30 and 17:00, as all pupils participate in compulsory extra-curricular programmes for the final two hours of each day. The Academy remains one of the most over-subscribed schools in the county.The academy specialises in art, media and European culture, and has been identified by Kent County Council as its Centre of Excellence in Media and the Creative Arts.UniformThe Folkestone Academy has a strict uniform code. Boys wear a grey blazer, white shirt, house tie, black trousers and dark shoes. The girls' uniform is the same, except for a skirt in place of trousers and a blouse replacing the shirt. All uniform items, including outdoor coats, PE kits and scarves, are branded with the Academy's logo.HistoryThe £40m purpose-built academy opened in 2007 and replaced the town's Channel School. Specialising in art, media and European culture, the co-ed state secondary school has now grown substantially beyond its original number. Due to rapid and sustained growth, a new sixth form centre was created at The Glassworks, in Folkestone's Creative Quarter close to the town centre. The centre was formally opened in October 2013 by Schools' Minister Elizabeth Truss, who opened the adjacent new Folkestone Primary Academy building, designed by Guy Hollaway Architects, on the same day.