Samuel Ryder Academy

Samuel Ryder Academy
The school pictured in 2005
Address
Drakes Drive St Albans , Hertfordshire , AL1 5AR England
Coordinates	51°44′20″N 0°18′40″W
Information
Type	Academy
Department for Education URN	138582 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Gender	Mixed
Age	4 to 19
Website	http://www.samuelryderacademy.co.uk/

Samuel Ryder Academy (also known as SRA and formerly Francis Bacon School) is a mixed all-through school located in St Albans in South Hertfordshire, England.

It is an all-through school with primary and secondary departments for children aged 4 to 19. This includes a sixth form provision which offers students A Levels and BTECs as courses for study.

History

It is named after Samuel Ryder, the English businessman, entrepreneur, golf enthusiast, professional dog breeder and golf promoter who spent many years living and working in St Albans. The school was previously named after Sir Francis Bacon, the Elizabethan polymath (philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, and author) who lived at Old Gorhambury House.

House system

The student body is split into seven houses: Austen (Green), Bronte (Silver), Christie, (Orange), Dahl (Red), Hardy (White), King (Blue) and Wordsworth (Purple), named for Jane Austen, Emily Jane Brontë, Agatha Christie, Roald Dahl, Thomas Hardy, Martin Luther King Jr. and William Wordsworth respectively.

Grounds and facilities

The school has a large field with multiple football and rugby pitches and a cricket pitch, and extensive sports facilities, including a gymnasium, swimming pool and 7 all-weather tennis courts. It also has a full-size 3G astroturf pitch with state of the art changing rooms and a fully kitted sports centre also containing a gym and dance studio. The school has Media and Creative Facilities comprising television and media studios, including kitted studio and location filming and recording equipment. The school also houses well-equipped dance studio drama, DT and art facilities as well as numerous computing suites.

Other

The school is part of the Scholars’ Education Trust which consists of Sir John Lawes School, Samuel Ryder Academy, Robert Barclay Academy, Harpenden Academy and Priory Academy.

External links

• Samuel Ryder Academy website