THE new team at troubled St Aldhelm’s Academy has pledged to make major improvements and boost learning.

Controversial shared learning spaces will go within weeks and drastic changes will be made to give students the best chance of good GCSE results.

Bournemouth-based Ambitions Academies Trust has appointed Sian Thomas as Principal and the Trust’s Chief Executive Brian Hooper has told parents and pupils he will do his utmost to turn the Poole secondary school around.

The school, formerly Rossmore, has consistently under-performed with a string of different heads coming and going in recent years.

But Mr Hooper said things will be different this time.

“We are known in Bournemouth and Poole – we are not a faceless organisation. We have put ourselves forward for this and if we didn’t think we could do it, we wouldn’t be here” he said.

No one can argue with the Trust’s track record. It already runs Tregonwell Academy and Queens Park Academy in Bournemouth, which have both been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by government inspectors, and recently took over Kings Park Primary, now described as making “rapid progress.”

Longspee Special School in Poole is thriving under the leadership of the Trust and it will add Manorside Primary School to its portfolio next month.

St Aldhelm’s currently has just 469 pupils despite a capacity of 1,100. It recorded some of the worst GCSE results in the country last year with just 17 per cent of pupils gaining the national benchmark standard of at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and maths.

Earlier this month it closed its doors to hundreds of pupils due to high staff sickness levels.

Most pupils are taught in shared learning spaces, with up to six different classes being taught in one room.

So the Trust’s first job is to put up some walls.

Building work to create individual classrooms will begin in June and will be complete by September.

Until then Year 10 and Year 11 pupils will be taught in two smaller buildings on the site to ensure they can concentrate on revision and exam preparation.

Mrs Thomas will be based at the site permanently with Mr Hooper there at least three days every week. New senior members of staff will be brought in immediately to support the existing teaching team.

“We believe the school will get much better quickly and that parents and students will choose to come here” said Mr Hooper.

“I am confident parents will trust us with their children’s education.”

Mrs Thomas added: “Every child is entitled to the best possible education. The vast majority of the children here are absolutely delightful and eager to learn.

“It’s not going to be easy but, in partnership with the parents and the pupils, we can do it.”

  • An open evening will be held on Thursday, February 26 for all parents. They will hear a presentation and will be welcome to ask questions of the new team.

 

  • Today: Ambitions Academies Trust will take over, providing School Leadership and School Improvement.
  • From today: Year 10 and Year 11 will move in to defined classrooms in different buildings.
  • This term: Extra revision offered to Year 11 pupils ahead of their GCSEs including weekend, after school and Easter holiday lessons.
  • Summer term: Senior staff, appointed from other local schools, will join the team at St Aldhelm’s. The Trust will officially take over as sponsors of the Academy from the Diocese of Salisbury. Work to separate classrooms.
  • Autumn term: Building work will be finished for start of new school year.