The numbers on the roll fell, and in the 1980s the school was threatened with closure.

In January 1990, following a campaign by the local community, Bankfield became a grant-maintained school.

[1] In September 2004, Bankfield School was awarded the specialist status Science College and in doing so partnered with the Catalyst Museum and Science Discovery Centre along with 16 industrial sponsors.

In January 2013, following an October Ofsted report, the school was placed into special measures.

On 1 September 2014, the school re-opened as Ormiston Chadwick Academy.