Albany Academy. This is our story.

1960

  • Black and white photo of a modern office building with large windows, brick exterior, and a parking lot in front, surrounded by a small curved sidewalk and a streetlamp.

    1960

    Our school was built and opened in 1960., on the site of the home of the First Officer of SS Titanic.

  • An old newspaper titled 'Chorley & Guardian and Leyland Advertiser' dated Friday, July 1, 1960. The front page features headlines about a school built through self-sacrifice, the death of a former bandsman, and traffic proposals. There's a photograph of officials and community members at the school opening ceremony.

    Chorley Guardian

    The opening ceremony was held on 29th June and was reported in the Chorley Guardian on 1st July 1960.

  • A black and white photograph of a group of boys and girls in formal school uniforms, posing for a class picture indoors with a curtain backdrop. The girls are seated in the front row, wearing skirts, shirts, and ties, while the boys stand behind them, dressed in blazers and ties.

    First students

    The school was opened as a three form entry school, with 430 places offered in 1960 in all years.

Timeline

1937

The school was first planned to be a senior school for Adlington village. Under the 1944 Act, Adlington village was too small to justify a secondary modern school, so it was always planned to include places for children from neighbouring parishes.

1940-1950

The site, which had been identified for the school was used during the war as an army barracks and storage. After the war it became a rubbish site for the council. Despite trying to use other sites, including off Wigan Lane, in Heath Charnock and near to Chorley Golf Club, in the end the current site was agreed as being the best available.

1957

Adlington council decided it could not afford to build a school alone and other local parishes contributed. Coppull, Charnock Richard, Chorley St George’s and Chorley St James, worked with Adlington to ensure the school was built.

1960

The school was opened as a church school, with St Alban being the patron on 1st May 1960. The official opening ceremony was held on 29th June.

1983

In 1983 the school lost its connection with the church, and name was changed from St Albans to Albany High School.

2012

Following the Academies Act of 2010, Albany High School converted to academy status on 1st August 2012. Albany Learning Trust was established in 2013.