Robert Smyth Academy

The Robert Smyth Academy is a secondary school in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England, for 11- to 19-year-olds. It is situated in the north of the town, on Burnmill Road, close to St Luke's Hospital. History Around 1570, Robert Smyth, from the town, walked to London. By 1598, he had become comptroller of the City of London. In 1607 he founded Market Harborough Grammar School. The building still exists in the Market Place. For the first 150 years, it was only open to boys who were of the Anglican faith. In 1909, Leicestershire County Council built a new school, called the County Grammar School of Edward VII, on the present location on Burnmill Road. In 1944, the school fees were stopped and it became known as Market Harborough Grammar School. In 1978, it became Robert Smyth School, and in 2011, it became Robert Smyth Academy It used to be known as Market Harborough Upper School, being one of the few remaining upper schools in England. With around 117 staff and 1109 pupils, it provides a comprehensive education for pupils from Year 7 and then into Key Stage 4 (KS4), for GCSE and Post-16 (A-levels). It has been awarded both an Investors in People award and an Artsmark Gold award. In 2006 a successful application was put forward for the school to become a dual status technology/arts college. The catchment area of the school covers Market Harborough and the surrounding villages including Kibworth, Fleckney, Great Glen, King's Norton, Foxton, the Langtons, Gumley, Laughton, Clipston and Lubenham.