The Story of Bacon's College is a hardbacked book which can be purchased from Ann Nuckley
Josiah Bacon, a leather merchant, born in the Parish of St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, made provision in his will for a school: he died in 1703 and the school that was founded catered for poor children whose parents were unable to provide for their education. It taught students free of charge to read English, and do arithmetic such that they were fit for a trade or to keep merchants’ books.
This legacy has continued to the present day and the City Technology College that opened in 1991 owed much to the spirit of its founder. Lord Harris of Peckham, like Josiah Bacon before him saw education as the key to social change ‘It gives bright kids who lack opportunities a chance in life’. He, along with the LDDC became the sponsors of the CTC; it offered a new form of education with joint management by the Church of England and the business sponsors, ensuring high educational aims and an emphasis on science and technology in the curriculum.
The philosophy of the College was high expectations, a strong ethos based on Christian principles and a belief that social deprivation never equalled under-achievement. Bacon’s approach is still inclusive, now that it is an Academy (September 2007) it welcomes students of all faiths and of none, but it stresses that the College is a Church of England foundation. As an Academy, the College still adheres to its Christian values and traditions and is welcoming of all, valuing diversity and difference, whilst celebrating the achievement of each individual.
Bacon's College was opened in 1991 as an all-ability 11-19 school built in the heart of the London Docklands on a 'Brown Field' site.The College is committed to providing the best possible education for its students and to serving its community as a centre for learning and leisure.The College itself was built through a partnership between the government, church and commercial sponsors. These sponsors were:
The sponsors representatives formed a Board of Trustees who had ultimate responsibility for the College.
In September 2007 Bacon`s College changed its status to become an Academy. The Government`s Academy programme provided an opportunity to further develop the important work that Bacons CTC had started, and with the promise of additional funding to enhance our buildings and facilities, Trustees and Governors, after a full consultation with stakeholders, agreed to Bacon`s adopting Academy status.
Appropriately the Academy model for Secondary Schools was based largely on the CTC model, so there were few changes required.
Our specialism as an Academy is Digital Media which we integrate into the whole curriculum, giving our students skills and opportunities for progression which are most suited to the society we now live in.