The Haberdashers' Adams' Federation

Abraham Darby Academy opened as a new academy in September 2008, federated with Adams' Grammar School, and became the 10th school in the Haberdasher family of schools. As the main sponsor, the Company's aim will be to build on the strengths and experience of both Adams' Grammar School and Abraham Darby School so that the students become independent learners fully equipped for the opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of adult life in the 21st Century, and well-prepared to be leaders, professionals and parents of tomorrow.

William Adams, a merchant Haberdasher with family connections in Shropshire, established his school in Newport, Shropshire in 1656 during the Interregnum, with permission from Oliver Cromwell. He appointed the Company as Trustee and left money and estates to ensure the school’s survival. As a grammar school for boys it has seen the least organisational change of all the Company’s schools. It became a voluntary aided school in 1950 with Shropshire County Council as the Local Education Authority, took Grant-Maintained(GM) status in 1990 and, following the abolition of GM schools, reverted to Voluntary Aided status in 1999.

The school has an excellent reputation, both locally and nationally, for its academic standards and has recently been awarded the International Schools Award following an evaluation of its achievements in an international context. The school pays close attention to the development, welfare and happiness of each pupil to prepare them to play an important and leading role in society.

In 1993 girls joined the boys in the VIth Form. The co-educational sixth form has flourished ever since. Technology College status was awarded in 1996 and the school continues to thrive as a traditional grammar school utilizing modern information technology, with 775 pupils in 2001. At Adams’, one of the few State boarding schools in the country, there are some 90 pupils who board on a full, weekly or nightly basis.