Exceptional, every day.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to our website for The Morley Academy. Our school website is a place where students, parents/carers and prospective parents/carers can access a whole host of information about the school, as well as providing you with a sense of what life is like in one of the highest achieving schools in the country.

As the Principal at The Morley Academy I feel privileged to lead what is not only an Outstanding and World Class school but one which is also the founding academy of The GORSE Academies Trust, led by Sir John Townsley and Leanne Griffiths, both former Principals of The Morley Academy.  GORSE is a Trust which prides itself on providing the highest standard of education to all students, regardless of their background. We achieve this through providing all students with a rigorous and academic education which challenges them, not only intellectually, but also in terms of their place in society. We believe that this will prepare them for life not only in Britain, but across the world. This is why we place such an emphasis on the personal development of all of our students through, for example, our well-established Be S.M.A.R.T and our enrichment offer.

In September 2024 the school was once again judged to be ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in all aspects of our provision. Furthermore, in December 2016 we were officially designated a World Class School. All of our work is about providing an outstanding experience for all of our students both inside and outside the classroom. As a consequence of the rich learning environment provided at the The Morley Academy, student performance is extremely impressive. The results from the last number of years of GCSE examinations have seen us placed consistently as one of the highest achieving schools both locally and nationally, with outcomes well above regional and national figures.

As part of The GORSE Academies Trust, The Morley Academy is in the vanguard of educational developments in Leeds, Yorkshire and on a national level. As a result of our work, students who attend The Morley Academy benefit significantly by attending a school which provides:

  • A safe and happy environment in which to learn;
  • Exceptional standards of behaviour, self-discipline and personal organisation;
  • Brilliant and innovative teaching, every day;
  • An exciting and engaging array of learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom;
  • Opportunities for students to develop leadership and independent learning skills;
  • A track record of performance at the highest level.

As you would expect, our curriculum provides students with a personalised learning experience. Our Key Stage 4 programme of study commences in Year 10 and whilst the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) will be the qualification of choice for most of our students, our curriculum remains comprehensive and inclusive; we are driven by doing the right thing for our young people.

On a personal note, I am truly honoured to have been appointed as Principal of The Morley Academy from September 2025. This is an academy where staff do their utmost to prepare students for future success and pride themselves on working to develop the whole child as, together, we strive for students to secure the Gift of Choice. My philosophy for education is simple; well planned lessons delivered by exceptional practitioners to motivated and engaged learners will deliver excellent outcomes and an enriched wider school experience. Our staff body is a dedicated team of professionals, all of whom play their part to ensure students are happy, safe and successful. Our approach to discipline is based upon traditional values of hard work, self-discipline and respect. Alongside this we provide an excellent standard of pastoral care to ensure that students are well looked after and cared for.

Naturally, as we strive for an all-round exceptional experience for our young people, it will be imperative that, as a school, we maintain strong relationships with our students, parents and carers. As such, if you would like to find out more about our academy or would like to arrange an appointment to visit us so that you can see for yourself the exceptional work that is taking place, then please do get into contact with us. We look forward to meeting you.

Matthew Turton
Principal