Hastings academies

Filsham Valley, Hillcrest and The Grove schools in Hastings are currently working with Ninestiles Plus, a school improvement company, to raise standards.

We want to ensure that at the end of the three year contract with Ninestiles Plus, in August 2011, permanent long term arrangements are in place which will provide the students and parents of Hastings with schools they can be proud of.

We believe the best long term solution for Hastings is to build two new academy schools.

Academy proposals

Plans are going ahead to develop two new academies to replace Filsham Valley, The Grove and Hillcrest schools. The time it will take to set up two academies – in the east and west of Hastings – is at least three years.

If the academies go ahead they are not due to open until, at the earliest, September 2011, when the contract with Ninestiles Plus will end. The academies will only go ahead if they are approved by the Government.

Latest

Academy proposals have been approved by the three sponsors, the University of Brighton acting as lead sponsor and BT and East Sussex County Council acting as co-sponsors.

The proposals, know as Expressions of Interest (EOIs), have now gone to the Secretary of State for Schools. If approved, the proposals will form the basis of a feasibility study and a local consultation in 2009.

Download the Hastings academies proposal documents.

What is an Expression of Interest?

An Expression of Interest is the sponsors’ case for an academy. There are two EOIs in Hastings. They address key issues such as what the sponsors want the academies to achieve, admission arrangements, proposed sites, special education need provision and student numbers.

They have to be submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for the approval of the Secretary of State before we can move forward with the proposals.

How can I have my say?

East Sussex County Council, along with the University of Brighton and BT, hope to get Government support to go ahead with the academies later this month (December 2008).

In 2009 you can have your say in the public consultations about the school closures and the academy proposals. We want as many people as possible to take part in these consultations. There will be meetings around the town and leaflets and questionnaires will be widely available.

What is an academy?

Academies are state funded, all ability schools. There are more than 130 academies throughout the country.

Academies are under the control of sponsors who come from a wide range of backgrounds. Sponsors can include universities, businesses, the charitable sector, educational foundations and faith communities. The sponsors in Hastings will be the University of Brighton and BT.

Sponsors challenge traditional thinking on how schools are run and what they should be like for students. They are responsible for governing academies. However, the day to day management of an academy remains with the headteacher, appointed by the sponsors.

For information about academies, go to DCSF – academies.

Benefits

Academies enable radical change in one go, allowing us to immediately build on the expected success of the Ninestiles Plus collaboration. The University of Brighton and BT will bring in their skills, input and expertise to each academy which will lead to innovative approaches to management, governance, teaching and the core curriculum. There is also the potential for academies to access Government capital (building) grants early.

New opportunities

Academies will offer a whole range of new opportunities for children and young people in Hastings. They will create long-term improvements in educational standards and attainment. The academies will be part of the local family of schools, sharing their facilities and expertise with other schools and the wider community.

Regeneration

This is important not only to the individual success of young people but to the regeneration of the whole area. More successful schools in Hastings will encourage more businesses to relocate here, more people to settle and a greater sense of pride and achievement in local communities

Why two academies and not three?

There are currently 1,200 vacant pupil places in the three schools. Forecasts show that by 2012 there will be just 2,400 students aged 11–16 in the three schools. This is only enough students for two viable secondary schools.

Where will the academies be located?

The east

The proposed academy for the eastern side of Hastings will be built on the Hillcrest site and will cater for 900 students aged 11–16 years old.

The west

The proposed academy for the western side of Hastings will be built on the Filsham Valley site and will cater for 1,500 pupils aged 11–16 years old.

What will the admission arrangements be?

Both academies will be non-selective, all ability schools. They will work closely with East Sussex County Council when allocating places.

The County Council's admission criteria will be used for deciding which children will attend the schools, if there are more applicants than places available. For more about admissions, see Going to secondary school.

What will happen to the special educational needs (SEN) facility at Filsham Valley?

There will continue to be SEN facilities in the new academy. New SEN facilities will also be introduced in the new Hillcrest academy.

The multi-agency Family Support Unit at The Grove will also be included in the new academy and there will be similar provisions at the other academy.

When will the three schools close?

If the academies go ahead the three schools will all close at the end of the summer term 2011. Students will transfer to the two new academies in the east and west of Hastings at the start of the new school year 2011. The target date for the opening of the new buildings is 2012.

Will the students’ education be disrupted by the transition to academy status?

The precise details of how the change will be managed will be developed during the feasibility stage. The headteachers of the three schools and Sir Dexter Hutt, head of Ninestiles Plus, will ensure that the transition is seamless.

What will happen to the staff in the three schools?

Staff, with the exception of the three headteachers, will transfer from the existing schools to the new academies. They are protected by the TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) regulations.

Headteachers will be appointed by the sponsors of the two academies.