Bourne Academy is situated on Edinburgh Crescent, to the north of the town next to the Leisure Centre.

Following the Education Act 1944 the secondary school was divided out and moved to temporary premises at a separate site in 1946.

The sixth form started in 1988, and in 1989 extension premises were opened by Kenneth Baker, Secretary of State for Education.

In January 2007 it was announced that, in recognition of its excellence, the school had been invited by the government to apply to take on a second speciality in Vocational Education, and that its application was successful.

Due to the school's new speciality, the Governors decided to change the name once more, to the Robert Manning College.