Do it! You can make a difference. Choose your partners and stay focused on the children and the benefits it brings to teaching and learning. Build a future for your school that will deliver higher standards.

The Primary Academies Trust, Devon

 

We were developing a personalised curriculum that suited the needs of our pupils, while our local authority had more of a one-size-fits-all approach. Academy status allows us to be innovative without having to justify what we’re doing at every stage.

Broadclyst Academy Primary School, near Exeter

 

We’ve been able to appoint an extra teacher and set up an extra class. As a result all our classes, which used to be about 28 pupils each, are now reduced to an average of 20. Every class now has a full-time teaching assistant, which was previously not the case.

St Buryan Academy Primary School, Cornwall

 

For us, it was about autonomy. We wanted to focus on our own school initiatives and those didn’t always marry effectively with local authority priorities.

Barnby Road Academy Primary School, Nottinghamshire

 

School governance has improved – we have no big committees any more, each of our trustees has responsibility for specific tasks and areas of work. Decision making is easier and more accountable.

Seaton Academy, Cumbria

 

An important freedom for us is being able to develop projects in collaboration with other schools and high profile  corporate partners. This includes an ICT project that will enable our students to continue their learning at home in new and exciting ways.

Broadclyst Academy Primary School, near Exeter

 

It’s not new or extra money. It’s just our existing allocation but coming straight to us. I felt if we could manage that money and get a better deal for our children, we should. We are not a rich area or a wealthy catchment, far from it.

Barnby Road Academy Primary School, Nottinghamshire

 

We’ve introduced two curriculum changes - a drive on outdoor education, which has impacted upon self-esteem and team building; and more use of technology to allow pupils to drive their own learning, which hopefully will enhance working with academies outside of the area.

Robinswood Primary School, Gloucestershire

 

We consulted to alter the school day to begin earlier to teach an extra lesson in the morning, to enhance the curriculum to run sports, music, MFL and art sessions and allow teaching staff to meet to plan and assess the learning of all pupils.

Parbold Douglas Primary, Lancashire

 

The option to shop around means we can buy in services that are right for the school, at the right price, and buy in bulk when appropriate. We collaborate with chain partners to procure services and resources jointly to provide better VfM. Pooling resources between three local schools will enable better opportunities for pupils in terms of provision.

Staunton and Corse Primary, Gloucestershire

 

Many services have been jointly procured, generating efficiency savings to re-invest in the delivery of primary education. Through shared data, school improvement partner activity and performance management we will be able to identify strengths, weaknesses, emerging needs and trends. As a result we will be able to use the skills of the staff across the chain to support the school improvement delivery in a weaker school both within our chain and beyond it.

The Primary Academies Trust, Devon, (provided by South Brent)