The school converted to academy status in September 2014 and is sponsored by The Mirfield Free Grammar.

Founded in January 1956, Colne valley high school was the first, purpose built comprehensive in the north of England at a cost of £350,000.

Built on a 38-acre, greenfield site overlooking Linthwaite and the Colne Valley, the initial intake of 860 would, at its peak, encompass almost 1900 pupils, including a sixth form.

The raising of the school leaving age in 1972 led to the creation of a ‘C’ Block to cater for the overflow.

The school's first headteacher, 36 year old Ernest Butcher, was handed the task of steering this relatively new system through choppy educational waters, to be followed by Tom Rolf [5] (1966) Allan Newton (1977), Linda Wright (1997), Denise Tonkins (2005), Maggie Dunn (2013), Christian Wilcocks, (2014) James Christian (2017).