Since 1557
Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College has a long and proud history that dates back more than 465 years.
A local clergyman, Sir John Deane rose through the church ranks and later became a rector at St Bartholomew’s the Great in London.
Never forgetting his roots, and keen to provide the inhabitants of his native area with the means of self-improvement through education, he set up a charitable trust and gifted the land on which the first school was built in 1557.
In 1908, the school, then a boys’ grammar, moved to its current riverside site on the banks of the River Weaver, in Northwich, thanks to the generosity of another local benefactor, Sir John Brunner. Brunner, alongside Ludwig Mond, developed the wealthiest British chemical company of the late nineteenth century, which became the biggest employer in the area for decades after.
Brunner’s kind donation, which marked the 350th anniversary of the school, laid the foundations for the next 100 years, and inspired a new generation of young learners.
The environment has since advanced with a £28 million regeneration of the site, however, the College campus is still firmly rooted in its proud history and heritage, which is evident in our flourishing boat club, distinctive crest and historic buildings.
