the academy was established in 2008, when two local secondary schools merged; woolston school language college in porchester road, woolston, and grove park business and enterprise college in the grove, weston. due to the number of combined students, the academy initially operated as a split site with the key stage 3 students (years 7, 8 & 9) being taught at the grove and key stage 4 students (years 10 & 11) being taught at porchester road.