Hanley Castle High School

Story

Hanley Castle High School, formerly known as Hanley Castle Grammar School, was probably founded in 1326, making it one of the oldest schools in England. Located in the village of Hanley Castle, 1.4 miles (2.2 km) from the small town of Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, for much of the 20th century it was a selective boys grammar school that grew from about 50 to around 200 day-pupils and boarders. In 1972, the school opened its doors to girls. In 1974 it became a mixed gender, voluntary controlled comprehensive school and it started to intake pupils at age 14 on transfer from the Hill School in nearby Upton-upon-Severn. The school reverted to being an 11–18 school in the 1990s and the population of students grew over time to around 900 in 2012. In 2011 the school became an academy.The campus comprises 17th century Grade II listed buildings that are still in use alongside those of the major expansions of the late 20th, and early 21st century. The school serves a large, mainly rural area roughly bounded by Malvern to the west, Worcester to the north, and the county of Gloucestershire to the south.