The Winsford Academy (simply referred to as Winsford Academy and formerly The Winsford E-ACT Academy) is an 11–16 mixed secondary school with academy status in Winsford, Cheshire, England. It was established in September 2010 following the amalgamation of the two predecessor schools; Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge High School. It is located on the campus of the former Verdin High School on Grange Lane that was established in 1970 and was initially one component of a two-campus school, with history spanning from its original founding as Verdin Technical School in 1895.
In September 2013, the academy moved into a new, £20 million purpose-built school which includes 60 classrooms with flexible learning spaces; a 400-seat theatre in the Performing Arts Centre; Learning Resource Centre; sports facilities; science labs; drama and dance studios; music rehearsal rooms; media suites; art studios; technology workshops; and a Sixth Form Centre (formally). In addition to this, the academy has spent £1.7 million on ICT.
History
The Winsford Academy was established in September 2010 following the amalgamation of the two predecessor schools; Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge High School. Its history dates back to 1895, overseeing a series of name changes as well as changes to its education and buildings.
Verdin Era: 1895–2008
The Verdin Era spans from 1895 to 2008 and partially to 2010 – all name changes to the school retained the term 'Verdin' from its original founders; The Verdin Family. The school was initially known to residents of Winsford as the 'Tec', but later, the term 'Verdin' had been used to refer to the school, rather than the family which founded it.
Origins
During the 1890s, there was a growing demand for technical education and an attempt was made by William Henry Verdin, of Darnhall Hall in Darnhall, to convert Darnhall School into a science and technical school, but was rejected in 1893.
Sir Joseph Verdin, 1st Baronet and his brothers, Robert and William ran a family salt business known as Joseph Verdin & Sons (formerly Joseph and Richard Verdin), co-founded by their father, Joseph and his brother, Richard. They owned six salt plants in various locations throughout Cheshire, employed over 1,000 people and produced approximately 353,000 tons of salt annually; it was the largest salt manufacturer in the United Kingdom by 1881. Having few descendants, they used their wealth to benefit the local community.
In 1889, The Verdin Trust was established by Sir Joseph Verdin to compensate people for subsidence caused by brine pumping. However, in 1891 the Brine Pumping (Compensation for Subsidence) Act was introduced to provide compensation for owners of property, thereby rendering the Trust redundant. As a result, Sir Joseph Verdin decided to use the money in other ways which includes the construction and development of the Verdin Technical Schools in Winsford and Northwich – the one in Winsford, known as Verdin Technical School, was a prototype for a second and larger one in Northwich, that eventually opened in 1897 as Verdin Technical Schools & Gymnasium (latterly in use as Cheshire School of Art and Design, which closed in 2012).
The location for the Verdin Technical School in Winsford was determined when a site was bought adjacent to the Over Board School near the junction of High Street and Grange Lane. The design of the building was identified via a 'best design' competition that was won by Messrs Woodhouse and Willoughby, Architects, of Manchester. The construction was left to Messrs James Fowles and Sons, of Winsford and the building began with the foundation stone being laid down on 4 August 1894 by William Henry Verdin, Joseph's brother. On 8 August 1895, the building was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. The foundation stone and an inscription marking the opening ceremony can still be seen at the front of the building.
Verdin Technical School: 1895–1906
The Verdin Technical School opened on 9 September 1895 enrolling 43 students on the first day. It housed four separate, but overlapping institutions, consisting of a day school, evening classes, gymnasium and a laundry. It "grew slowly at first before gaining a reputation throughout the years as one of the most enterprising in Cheshire".
Woodford Lodge: 1971–2008
Woodford Lodge High School (initially Woodford Lodge County Comprehensive School and Woodford Lodge County High School) was established in 1971 on a 30-acre site in the outskirts of Winsford, when it was a developing town with an increasing population. Its name remained until 2008 and partially to 2010.