Capital City Academy
Encyclopedia
Capital City Academy is a specialist Sports and Arts Academy in Willesden
, North West London
, in the borough of Brent
, UK
.
, and is sponsored by Sir Frank Lowe
. Capital City Academy was built to replace its predecessor Willesden High School, with its construction on the old school's playing fields opening in 2003. It was officially opened on 12 June 2003.
.
landed nearby in 1944 at the junction of Doyle Gardens and All Souls Avenue. For one year in 1966 it became Willesden Grammar-Technical School when it amalgamated with Leopold Road Secondary Modern School on Leopold Road This became Willesden High School when it went comprehensive in September 1967 when it joined with Pound Lane School on Pound Lane. It became an academy in 2003.
Year 7 students wear a turquoise shirt or polo shirt
Year 8 students wear a white shirt or polo shirt
Year 9 students wear a sky blue shirt or polo shirt
Year 10 students wear a royal blue shirt or polo shirt
Year 11 students wear a navy blue shirt or polo shirt
basketball team, one of the leading clubs based in the capital city. Having recently featured in the British Basketball League
for three years, the Caps currently compete in Division 1 of the English Basketball League
.
was a TV Mini Series aired on ITV
in September 2008. The main character was a headteacher played by Morse
actor, Kevin Whately
. The scenes set at his school were filmed in the academy, with students acting as extras.
a number of times most notably in its first two years. where it goes into depth about the school on the original site of the Academy, Willesden High School.
drama, were also filmed in the school. The series, starring actor Robbie Coltrane
, on his return to ITV Dramas, received over a quarter of the audience share in Britain
for the first episode in the three-part series.
Willesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
, North West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in the borough of Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Design
The School was designed by renowned architect, Sir Norman Foster and engineers Buro HappoldBuro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
, and is sponsored by Sir Frank Lowe
Frank Lowe (advertiser)
Sir Frank Budge Lowe is a pioneer of the advertising agency. He first rose to fame running Collett Dickenson Pearce, which he built into one of the best known agencies in the United Kingdom. In 1981, he started Lowe Howard-Spink, which eventually became Lowe & Partners Worldwide...
. Capital City Academy was built to replace its predecessor Willesden High School, with its construction on the old school's playing fields opening in 2003. It was officially opened on 12 June 2003.
Location
It is situated near Willesden Sports Stadium and King Edward VII Sports Ground. Although near Willesden Green, the school is in the parish of All Souls, HarlesdenHarlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
.
History
The school began as Willesden County Grammar School on Uffington Road (off Doyle Gardens) in 1924, and was extended in 1932. There were five grammar schools run by the Willesden Education Committee from 1947. In September 1940, a bomb destroyed four classrooms, and a V-1 flying bombV-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
landed nearby in 1944 at the junction of Doyle Gardens and All Souls Avenue. For one year in 1966 it became Willesden Grammar-Technical School when it amalgamated with Leopold Road Secondary Modern School on Leopold Road This became Willesden High School when it went comprehensive in September 1967 when it joined with Pound Lane School on Pound Lane. It became an academy in 2003.
Uniform
Each year group has a different colour shirt. The jumper is royal blue, or less popular navy jackets can be worn. Trousers must be navy-not black, students get detention for wearing black trousers.Year 7 students wear a turquoise shirt or polo shirt
Year 8 students wear a white shirt or polo shirt
Year 9 students wear a sky blue shirt or polo shirt
Year 10 students wear a royal blue shirt or polo shirt
Year 11 students wear a navy blue shirt or polo shirt
Sports Hall
The Academy's main sports hall is home to the London CapitalLondon Capital
London Capital, officially called PAWS London Capital in reference to their partnership with PAWS Foundation, is a basketball team based in London, England...
basketball team, one of the leading clubs based in the capital city. Having recently featured in the British Basketball League
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
for three years, the Caps currently compete in Division 1 of the English Basketball League
English Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
.
Notable visits
- Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
- opened the Academy, and at the time of the visit, was Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
for Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
- Frank McCourtFrank McCourtFrancis "Frank" McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela’s Ashes, an award-winning, tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood....
the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's AshesAngela's AshesAngela's Ashes is a 1996 memoir by the Irish-American author Frank McCourt. The memoir consists of various anecdotes and stories of Frank McCourt's impoverished childhood and early adulthood in Brooklyn, New York and Limerick, Ireland, as well as McCourt's struggles with poverty, his father's...
visited and signed copies of his books for the Gifted educationGifted educationGifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented...
CILIP group of students, reviewing the Carnegie MedalCarnegie MedalThe Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
and Kate Greenaway MedalKate Greenaway MedalThe Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
nominations of the year.
The children
The ChildrenThe Children (2008 miniseries)
The Children is a three part 2008 drama miniseries written by Lucy Gannon and produced for ITV. It stars Lesley Sharp, Geraldine Somerville and Kevin Whately, and premiered on ITV at 9pm on Monday 1 September, 2008....
was a TV Mini Series aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in September 2008. The main character was a headteacher played by Morse
Morse
Morse can refer to:* Morse code, a method of coding messages into long and short beeps-Places:Canada* Morse , Saskatchewan* Morse, Saskatchewan, a hamlet* Morse No...
actor, Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately is an English actor.Whately is known for his starring role as Neville Hope in the British television comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, his role as Dr Jack Kerruish in the drama series Peak Practice, and as Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the crime dramas Inspector Morse and...
. The scenes set at his school were filmed in the academy, with students acting as extras.
Teachers TV
The Academy has been filmed for Teachers TVTeachers TV
Teachers TV was a website and former free-to-air Distance education television channel which provided video and support materials for those who work in education in the UK, including teachers, school leaders, governors, teacher trainers, student teachers and support staff.Its aims included raising...
a number of times most notably in its first two years. where it goes into depth about the school on the original site of the Academy, Willesden High School.
Murderland
Scenes from an episode of Murderland, an ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
drama, were also filmed in the school. The series, starring actor Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
, on his return to ITV Dramas, received over a quarter of the audience share in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the first episode in the three-part series.
Pot Noodle
A high school pot noodle advert was filmed in the canteen and sports hall of CCA in 2009.Willesden County Grammar School
- Gerry AndersonGerry AndersonGerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
, renowned animator and creator of Thunderbirds (TV series)Thunderbirds (TV series)Thunderbirds is a British mid-1960s science fiction television show devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by AP Films using a form of marionette puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation"... - Carl Cushnie, first black entrepreneur to enter Britain's richest 500 people (number 312) in 1998, becoming Britain's richest black businessman, sentenced for six years for Fraud in 2004
- Ron GoodwinRon GoodwinRonald Alfred Goodwin was a British composer and conductor known for his film music. He scored over 70 films in a career lasting over fifty years....
(briefly), renowned composer of soundtracks such as Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying MachinesThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying MachinesThose Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes is a 1965 British comedy film starring Stuart Whitman and directed and co-written by Ken Annakin...
and 633 Squadron633 Squadron633 Squadron is a 1964 British film which depicts the exploits of a fictional Second World War British fighter-bomber squadron. It was based on a novel of the same name by Frederick E. Smith, published in 1956, which itself drew on several real Royal Air Force missions. The film was directed by... - Eric Lomas, Managing Director from 1994-7 of London Gatwick AirportLondon Gatwick AirportGatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
, and from 1989-94 of London Stansted AirportLondon Stansted Airport-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures... - John Neville CM OBE, actor who starred in Terry GilliamTerry GilliamTerrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
's The Adventures of Baron MunchausenThe Adventures of Baron MunchausenThe Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 1988 British adventure comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Jonathan Pryce, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurman, and Robin Williams.-Plot:... - Prof Graham Warren, Professor of Cell Biology from 1999-2007 at Yale School of MedicineYale School of MedicineThe Yale School of Medicine at Yale University is a private medical school located in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. It was founded in 1810 as The Medical Institution of Yale College, and formally opened its doors in 1813....
Former teachers
- Max Morris, headteacher from 1966-78 of Willesden High School and President of the NUTNational Union of TeachersThe National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
from 1973-4