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New dawn for school given academy status
Headmaster Joe Sellers with Head Boy George Mason (16) and HeadGirl Poppy Robinson (16) promoting academy status. Picture: Andrew Kershaw
NORTH Axholme School has entered an exciting new era after being granted academy status.
The Crowle school - now known as Axholme Academy - will enjoy more control over curriculum choices after the new status was officially confirmed earlier this month.
Principal Joe Sellars explained becoming an academy followed extensive consultation with staff, parents, partner primary schools and North Lincolnshire Council.
He said: “It was clear that academies were a major Government priority and that they were here to stay.
“We have established ourselves as a ‘converter academy’ in our own right, without having to have sponsors.
“The whole purpose of seizing this opportunity is to build on our successes.
“Every year our academic results are improving and we want academy status to benefit this generation of students and future ones.”
The Department of Education supported the school’s academy aspirations and necessary legal hurdles were also successfully negotiated.
“The transition has gone really smoothly despite it being a huge undertaking,” Mr Sellars added.
“Greater autonomy will allow us to make decisions for ourselves. We will still liaise with the local authority but we can work with other schools and look at providing professional development for our staff.
“As an academy we don’t have to stick rigidly to the curriculum. It’s always shifting and evolving but we won’t stop teaching the core subjects.”
Mr Sellars said there would also be more flexibility in spending an academy budget and new uniforms which could also be in the pipeline.
Head boy George Mason (16) said one of the differences he noticed with the new status was discipline.
“They’ve brought in a new behaviour policy which is better for pupils and this makes a big difference,” he added.
Head girl Poppy Robinson (16) added: “It’s sounds a lot better being an academy than a school and hopefully we should get a lot more funding for the media arts which can buy things like laptops and other equipment.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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