It’s been a tumultuous 18 months for the families of Almondbury.

September 2013 saw the beginning of a public consultation and a battle between parents and Kirklees Council over plans to amalgamate three village schools into a ‘super school’ - or through school, as we now call them.

Tempers frayed as parents challenged councillors’ plans. They claimed they were not being properly consulted and that the scheme was already decided.

Perhaps they were right, as Almondbury Community School (ACS) officially opened on June 1, 2014, when the 700 pupils of Almondbury High, Almondbury Juniors and Greenside Infants became schoolmates.

Whether or not the plan was a done deal is a moot point, as what has happened since then is little short of a miracle.

The campus has a different feel, student numbers are up, the students themselves look smarter and happier, and parents’ complaints on social media have disappeared. Some the school’s former fiercest critics are on the new Parents’ Forum and helping to shape the future.

Almondbury has a highly-trained and hard-working staff right across the board, and over the last couple of years they have pulled together to push the school onwards and upwards.

But a school is only as good as its leader and one man who must take his share of credit for the most recent transformation is Trevor Bowen, who started as headteacher on January 1.

Despite not being the most qualified man for the job on paper, Trevor’s track record spoke for itself - 15 years as popular deputy head and chemistry teacher and, importantly, he was the people’s choice. Parents and students alike pushed him to apply.

He is a fervent believer in Almondbury. He lives there. His son Elliott, 19, is a former pupil - now studying politics at Huddersfield University - and Edward, 11, is a current pupil.

“If the school is good enough for my sons, you can have every confidence that I will do everything to make it as good as I can for the people of Almondbury,” he says.

At his student interview for the job, instead of being grilled by the youngsters on his attitude to discipline and transgression, he was asked such taxing questions as “What is your favourite colour?” and “What is your favourite animal?”

Since taking the helm he has paid tribute to the teaching staff, while continuing to take some chemistry lessons himself: “It keeps you grounded, and teaching is important to me. It reminds me what we are here to do, which is to transform children’s lives.

“It also gives you credibility with parents and if you introduce a new policy, you can see the benefits and pitfalls first hand.”

He is fiercely proud of having always been graded as an Outstanding teacher by Ofsted. However, he admits his teaching hours will reduce as the multi-faceted role as head of a school catering for three to 16-year-olds consumes his time.

“It’s a great challenge and a big role,” he said: “And I have been amazed at the goodwill of parents and staff since I took over.

“Another thing which has made an amazing difference is the smart new school uniform. The children’s behaviour was good before, and it’s even better now. They are proud to wear the uniform and they look fantastic.”

Trevor’s vision for the school is not only as a centre of excellence for all Almondbury children throughout their school life, but also as a hub of the village.

Some £30,000 has just been spend on the gym, the swimming pool, sports hall and dance studio are already well-used outside school hours and there are plans to reintroduce adult education classes. He wants the centre to live up to its new name: Almondbury Community School.

He admits that some parents of small children will have reservations about them going to a large school with teenagers, but sees the through school - like his counterpart at Royds Hall, Melanie Williams - as “a fantastic opportunity.”

At best the though school involves three separate communities of children - secondary, junior and infant/nursery - with their own school within a school.

They all benefit from a level of facilities and services normally only available to secondary pupils, and come together for special events and occasional supervised sessions; there are also plans to introduce a mixed age house system.

Older pupils are already enjoying the chance to become role models, for example, older sports leaders run some playground activities for younger children.

Trevor also believes the though school will combat the dip in achievement which occurs (nationally) when children leave infants for junior school; familiar surroundings and teachers will ease the transition, and the school can take quicker action with youngsters who need extra help,

On June 19th, 280 junior pupils will leave their old Farfield Road building and move into a state-of-the-art classrooms currently being created within the main campus building, complete with separate entrance, walkways and playground.

Trevor said: “Almondbury has always felt like a family school; families matter, and at Almondbury Community School we will provide the best education we can give or the families of Almondbury.”

The Parents’ Forum has helped to organise an Open Evening which will be held from 3.30pm to 7.30pm on Thursday, April 30.