SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DUDLEY ACADEMIES TRUST ARE POWERING AHEAD

Last year, the four secondary academies that are members of Dudley Academies Trust celebrated their best ever GCSE results.

This came at the end of a year during which one of them was judged ‘Good’ by Ofsted and all four improved the progress made by their learners.

Five years of progress and success

Jo Higgins, Chief Executive of Dudley Academies Trust, expressed her delight at the advances the Trust has made. She said: “I am extremely proud of the immense progress our secondary academies have made in the five years that we have been operational.”

“All four of our secondary academies have significantly boosted their results and are better than in 2019.”

“Two of our academies celebrated results that were significantly higher than those awarded in 2021, and both of these schools would easily be in the top half of the school league tables for Dudley if they were published today.”

Gold Standard

“All four have improved on the gold standard GCSE measure of Grade 5 plus in both English and Mathematics and in one case by a massive 21 per cent.

“There has also been a clear improvement in the number of learners achieving the higher grades, seven to nine. In two academies, almost 20 per cent of learners achieved this in English.”

“This is an incredible achievement for our young people and the staff who have supported them through two years of disruption and uncertainty.”

“It is absolutely tremendous to see Dudley Academies Trust learners gaining up to nine Grade 9s or equivalent.”

Looking ahead

“Both of the Trust’s primary schools have achieved SATS results at or above the national benchmark for expected progress and Blowers Green is one of the top performing schools in the borough.”

“As we welcome additional primary schools in years to come, we will be able to greatly increase our contribution to the educational outcomes and life chances of children in Dudley and the surrounding
areas.”

“Meanwhile, we have successfully persuaded the Department for Education to prioritise the rebuilding of Beacon Hill Academy, and we hope to announce the start of this scheme later in the year.”

“In addition, The Link Academy has been awarded a £100,000 grant by the Wolfson Foundation to transform its Science and Design Technology facilities.”

“One project from which I am particularly keen to see the results is the Sherwood Ranger light aircraft that our learners are building at the Institute of Technology.”

“When it is finished, it will have a range of 200 miles, so we really will be able to say that our learners can go a long way in life!”

“I am confident that our academies will continue to make great strides forward over the coming years and that your child will find every opportunity to thrive with us and to develop as a rounded and confident young person. “

“We want your child to ‘Dream Big’ and to know that many positive life choices are within their reach.”