Yarborough School

The Conservatives took control of council in 1967, by a majority of ten, which increased to 21 in early May 1968; in February 1968, Lincoln Education Committee had shelved plans for the school, to replace two overcrowded schools; the education committee chairman was Conservative councillor Gilbert Blades.^[1] There were plans for a £450,000 swimming pool in Lincoln, which were cancelled in July 1970; instead, a 33m £250,000 pool would be built at the school, and one at Boultham Moor Secondary School.^[2]

The new assistant headmaster would be Kenneth Hunter, head of English of the City Grammar School for Boys, in Lincoln, who attended Coalville Grammar School and the University of Birmingham in 1953.^[3] Although the first Headteacher, Eric Wilson, was recruited in September 1970, students began attending from 7 January 1971.

Yarborough School officially opened on the Riseholme Road site on 27 March 1971.

It was a mixed comprehensive education school for students aged 11 and over, replacing the previous Rosemary Secondary Modern for Boys and Spring Hill Secondary Modern for Girls schools. The majority of the original staff also transferred from those schools.

In January 1972 it was decided to build a £350,000 sports centre, with 25m six-lane swimming pool.^[4] A Phase II building programme, which included the Gymnasium and a Craft block for wood and metal work, opened in September 1973.

A devastating fire was started on the night of 5 September 1975 at the end of the first week of term, which destroyed the original ‘East Block’ building. Within a fortnight the first of 11 temporary classrooms had arrived, with lessons also taking place at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln's Drill Hall and Riseholme College of Agriculture.

Staff organised a morale-boosting party on 20 September but the fire-ravaged scene was devastating, with over £600,000 worth of damage. What books were salvaged from the library were moved to a temporary home in the school's main reception.

A local man was convicted of arson on 3 December 1975 and sentenced to six years' imprisonment.

Yarborough School developed a reputation for its sporting prowess during the 1970s, assisted by it having access to the adjoining Yarborough Leisure Centre during academic hours. Yarborough Leisure Centre was first used by the public on 26 April 1976 but the official opening, by then Lincoln City FC manager, Graham Taylor, was on 18 June 1976.

With its facilities, playing fields and running track, Yarborough School was frequently the host of county-wide sporting competitions.

A new Sixth Form centre, now Lincoln Castle Academy's Resource Centre, opened on 7 January 1977 and by 7 September a new Art, Needlework and Home Economics block had opened near the existing Technology and Craft buildings.

On 17 January 1978, after a longer than normal Christmas break to save money due to the expense of heating oil, the current 'East Block' was opened, with a new Music building completing the construction programme.

In September 1989 a number of students joined Yarborough School from South Park High School, Lincoln and Sturton by Stow Secondary Modern School, both of which officially closed in August 1989. South Park's languages laboratory also moved to Yarborough after the closure.

January 1991 marked Yarborough's 20th anniversary; remarkably eight members of the original teaching staff were still there.

A year later, on 1 January 1992, the school, like many others across the country, gained Grant Maintained Status.

Two new Science laboratories were opened on 14 July 1993 at the far end of 'West Block', an area of the school still known as the 'Science Bungalow'.

On the event of Yarborough School's 25th anniversary the RAF's Red Arrows, which are based in Lincolnshire, gave a special aerobatic display.

Yarborough School became a Business and Enterprise Specialist School in 2003, the legacy of which continues today, with students studying business from Year 9 onwards, as well as being a lead centre for delivering Enterprise education and piloting new entrepreneurial initiatives.

By September 2004, funding from the specialist status allowed a number of refurbishments which included three new Business classrooms replacing the old library in 'East Block', the library becoming the Resource Centre, and relocating where the Sixth Form area was with Year 12 and 13 students moving to the stand-alone building previously occupied by Music.

Lincoln Castle Academy

In April 2011 Yarborough School officially became Lincoln Castle Academy, adopting a new identity immediately with a turreted castle tower and a Fleur de Lys from the City of Lincoln's own coat of arms featuring on the new design.

From September 2011 the new uniform was introduced, featuring a navy blazer with royal blue trim and a blue tie with a diagonal stripe pattern.

Coinciding with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 was Headteacher Rob Boothroyd's 60th birthday. Students and staff organised a summer gala at the Academy for the Double Diamond Jubilee, with traditional stalls, games and entertainment acts for the public to see. Lincoln's Member of Parliament, Karl McCartney and Hollywood actor Colin McFarlane were invited as special guests.

Summer 2012 marked a further special occasion for Lincoln Castle Academy when the school site played host to the Lincoln stopover on Day 40 of the Olympic Torch Relay. Student Bo Haywood ran one of the legs with the torch, whilst at the London Games a group of students from Lincoln Castle Academy formed a guard of honour for Guam as that nation's athletes entered the Olympic Stadium.