What if I told you that this site was once part of King Henry VIII’s hunting grounds? Today, we stand before Leigh Stationers’ Academy. It is a coeducational secondary school with academy status. The academy is located in the Eltham area of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Originally known as Crown Woods School, Leigh Stationers’ Academy was established in 1958. In 2011, a transformation occurred. The school reopened in new buildings. Nicholas Hare Architects designed these buildings. The cost was a significant £48 million. At this time, it was renamed Crown Woods College.
The school gained academy status in 2014. It joined the Leigh Academies Trust. Consequently, its name changed to Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy. The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers sponsors the academy. In September 2024, it adopted its current name. It became Leigh Stationers’ Academy.
Once upon a time, Crown Woods held the distinction of being London’s largest comprehensive school. It had a student body of 2600 pupils. From 1964 to 1985, the school also offered a boarding section. This was called The Lodge. It accommodated 120 children. These children were mainly from serving Forces personnel.
In 2000, Ofsted identified Crown Woods as a “failing school”. The school challenged this judgement. It considered the inspections cursory. An out-of-court settlement was reached. Ofsted was ordered to pay the school’s costs. The chief inspector, Chris Woodhead, retired.
Greenwich Council invested £100m in the school. This was part of the government’s “Building Schools for the Future” initiative. The new buildings included a sports centre. It met regional competition standards. It had seating for 450 spectators. In 2012, the scheme received a RIBA London Award. It was commended at the Civic Trust Awards.
The BBC series “Tough Young Teachers” featured the school. Two trainee teachers learned on the job here. The academy is structured into four “home schools”. Each is in a separate building. Three schools cater to pupils aged 11 to 16. Allocation is based on ability, skills, and interests. The fourth school is a dedicated sixth form centre. It serves 16 to 18-year-old students.
Leigh Stationers’ Academy offers GCSEs, BTECs, and vocational courses. Sixth form students can study A Levels. They can also pursue further BTECs, GNVQs, and other vocational courses. The academy is one of the first in the UK to specialise in digital media. It aims to integrate the latest digital technology into the curriculum. The Digital Media Centre supports this.
Leigh Stationers’ Academy stands as a testament to evolution and progress. It embraces its history. It looks forward to shaping future generations.