Wade Deacon High School

Wade Deacon High School traces its origins to a local grammar school tradition in Widnes, with some accounts dating these roots to 1507. A new main school building opened in 1931 as Wade Deacon Grammar School, and the school was named in honor of Sir Henry Wade Deacon (1852–1932), a Widnes industrialist associated with local education governance. Comprehensive It became the Wade Deacon High School in September 1974 for ages 11–16. Current students were merged into Wade Deacon's student body. To deal with the increased number of enrolled students, the school received a £25m refurbishment, with significant expansions made to the original 1931 building. During the renovations, pupils were taught at various sites across Widnes. The remodelling was finished by late 2013, with an opening ceremony on 11 December 2013. Academy The school converted to academy status on 1 March 2013. ==Admissions==

As of February 2026, Wade Deacon has a Public Admissions Number of 350 per year and is oversubscribed. ==Notable former pupils==

• Alan Bleasdale, playwright (1957–1964) • James Durbin, Professor of Statistics from 1961-1988 at the London School of Economics, and President from 1986-7 of the Royal Statistical Society and from 1983-5 of the International Statistical Institute, and who invented the Durbin test (1934–41) • Fred Lawless, writer and producer for Brookside • Gordon Oakes, local Labour MP for Halton from 1983–97 and for Widnes from 1971–83 • Steve Platt, journalist • Sir Ken Robinson, author (1963–1968) • Stephen Myler, professional rugby union player, Northampton Saints and England • Rachel McDowall, film actress • Liam Walsh, footballer, Everton and Luton Town (born 1997) ==References==