Academy flying the flag for working-class communities
A headteacher said his school’s exam results showed it was flying the flag for Newark and for working class communities.
Mr Lee Hessey, principal of The Sir Donald Bailey Academy, Newark, said the school’s above-average exam results were thanks to a focus on good behaviour and the core subjects of maths and English.
Pupils at the academy made more progress in their writing, on average, than any school in Newark and Balderton.
They had an average progress score of 5.5, which was well-above average compared to pupils in similar schools nationally.
Its reading score was an above average 2.1 and its maths score was 4, which was well-above average.
Six in ten pupils met the expected standard in their SATS exams, which were taken at the end of Key Stage Two, and 5% achieved a standard that was higher than expected.
The school, which has 520 pupils, is the third-largest in Newark and Balderton, following Chuter Ede Primary School and Barnby Road Academy.
Almost half (48.6%) of its pupils were eligible for free school meals at some point during the last six years — by far the largest proportion out of any school in Newark and Balderton — and, according to Mr Hessey, most pupils were eight to ten months behind in their learning when they start at the school.
Mr Hessey said: “Hawtonville is one of the most deprived areas in the country and yet we are flying the flag for Newark.
“Maintaining results is about good leadership. We have got a very good leadership team and if you are in my job you have to provide clarity and focus.”
Mr Hessey said he maintained high standards at his school by ensuring pupils behaved well.
“There is also a relentless focus on maths and English, but not at the cost of other subjects,” he said.
“We still provide a broad and balanced curriculum with a cross-curriculum approach.”
'We are not an exam factory at all'
Mr Hessey said the school supported children who had a talent, for example, in sport or music.
“We are not an exam factory at all, yet that is what people accuse us of being,” he said.
Mr Hessey said he felt achievements at the academy had been overlooked.
“Quite often parents say we are the forgotten people of Newark on the Hawtonville estate,” he said.
“It is a good community and it is part of my life.”
The academy was the founding school of The Forge Trust, a multi-academy trust that includes The Parkgate Academy, formerly Ollerton Primary School.
Others are The Forest View Academy, Ollerton, and The Marton Academy, Gainsborough.
The regional schools commissioner for the East Midlands and the Humber has ranked the trust as a top-performer.
Mr Hessey said exams were an important part of education because they were a currency for children.
“We will not settle until we are the best trust in the country and the ultimate ambition is to be the best academy,” he said.
“We are flying the flag for working-class areas.”
Mr Jack Tarr, a director at The Sir Donald Bailey Academy, said he was not surprised by the good results at the school given the amount work that had gone on throughout the year.
“Every child seems to be focused,” he said. “Usually when you go to a school you see one or two sinners sitting and waiting to see the headteacher, but here you do not see anyone in trouble.
“The parents here are 100% behind us as well.”
New leadership team aiming for improvements
Staff at a Newark primary school that had the worst exam results in the town are working hard to raise levels of aspiration and achievement, according to its new executive headteacher.
Mr Nadeem Shah said he aimed to make William Gladstone Primary Academy a place where children wanted to be.
A total of 18% of pupils who sat their end-of-school SATS exams in the 2016/17 academic year made the expected Government standard, with 3% achieving a higher standard.
In an average school, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard and 9% a higher standard.
Pupil performance at William Gladstone was below average for reading, writing and maths compared to similar pupils at other schools nationally.
The primary school became an academy in September and a new leadership team was appointed with Mr Shah at the helm.
He said the league tables reflected the results achieved under the previous leadership team.
Mr Shah said: “We are in a new position now and we are working hard to raise levels of aspiration and achievement across the community, and in particular at William Gladstone.
“We are making our community and school here a place where children want to be — a fun, engaging place where learning is at the centre of all we do and where every action and decision revolves around children.
“Moving forward, we are looking to show real success for these children.
“They have got one chance in life and every day matters, so [we are] making sure we have got our quality provision right, making sure behaviour for learning is in place and making sure it is a happy place to be.
“This is a school that is on the up.
“It has had a history, but under the team we are providing here the only way is upwards and we are doing really well.”
