About the academy
The proposal is to replace John Bunyan Upper School by an Academy. The information below tells you why this is happening, who is involved and what the new Academy will be like.
What is an Academy and why is John Bunyan Upper School being proposed for an Academy?
An Academy is a state funded school which is independent of the Local Authority and is set up by a sponsor or sponsors and run by an independent Governing Body. Like Local Authority schools, Academies provide a free education for pupils of all abilities and are inspected by Ofsted. Each Academy specialises in one or more area of the curriculum. Click here for further frequently asked questions about Academies.
John Bunyan Upper School is currently a community school, maintained by Bedfordshire County Council. In recent years standards have been well below the national and local authority averages. Although the school has a large catchment area only about 4 out of every 10 of the children of upper school age living in the John Bunyan catchment area attend the school. While the school is now showing clear signs of improvement, we recognise that it faces immense challenges if it is going to provide its students with the quality and breadth of education which they deserve.
For this reason, the Government has been working with the Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust), Bedford College, the University of Bedfordshire and the County Council to explore the possibility of John Bunyan becoming an Academy.
Who would the sponsors of the Academy be?
The Sponsors for the proposed Academy at John Bunyan are:
- The Bedford Charity (The Harpur Trust), a local charity that operates four large, successful independent schools, an extensive community grants programme and
- Bedford College, one of the most successful colleges of further and higher education in the country
The Sponsors will bring additional resources and expertise which will help the school to raise its standards, increase the levels of attainment of its students and improve their future prospects. The Sponsors plan to work in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire and the Local Authority.
What are the Sponsors’ plans for the Academy?
The Sponsors’ aim is to create a vibrant, successful academy, which will raise aspirations and the standard of achievement in academic and vocational studies for students and the community, and also help address the challenges facing the area.
They plan to achieve this aim by:
- fully involving parents and families in their children’s learning
- ensuring that the local community benefits from the Academy
- providing strong leadership from the principal and the management team, supported by a dedicated governing body
- focusing on the individual learner, ensuring everyone makes the most of their own talents and abilities
- improving the quality of teaching and learning in all disciplines, with extensive use of IT and a clear focus on student results
- encouraging aspiration and valuing effort, courtesy, and consideration for others: good behaviour and attendance will be the norm.
- actively involving the students in the running of the academy as mentors and researchers, and at school council and governing body level
- working closely with other schools, particularly the current lower andmiddle schools, to provide a clear learning pathway, from the start of a student’s education right through to them gaining qualifications
What will the curriculum be like?
The curriculum will be innovative, comprehensive, stretching and exciting. It will widen the range of vocational and academic subjects through the involvement of the four schools of the Bedford Charity and the College and University.
There will be improved tutorial support and parental education services. Links with the University of Bedfordshire and other universities will be strengthened and the college’s relationship with employers will be used to develop visiting speaker programmes, lectures, work experience and skills competitions.
The academy will be a part of theNorth Bedfordshire and Bedford 14-19 consortium, which from 2009 offers diplomas in construction, engineering, hairdressing and creative & media. The “Bridges” Skills Academy which runs courses to 14-16 year-olds in business, care, construction, engineering, hairdressing and hospitality will continue to be used.
Science and Technology will be the specialism. It will include subjects like pure science, arts (through the study of music/design technology or technical theatre), engineering (including aerospace), construction, food technology and computing.
Who will lead the Academy ?
The Sponsors have appointed Claire Smith to be the Academy's first Principal. Claire Smith will take up post in January 2010, having been involved in transforming her two previous schools, which were in “special measures”. Claire has a clear understanding of what makes a successful school, with personalised learning and high expectations key to raising standards. She was part of the team that led Hartshill School to an improving three year trend with their best ever GCSE results in all measures in 2008.
Summary
John Bunyan and its community deserve the opportunity of the school becoming an Academy to bring about the level of change that will deliver the best possible education for the foreseeable future. The Academy will create a culture where learning is valued, improving the life-chances of young people of the area for many years to come. Its success will result in significant and far-reaching improvements for the whole of the local community in a way no other project could achieve.