Wichelstowe school to join Park Academies Trust following Ofsted special measures judgement

By Barrie Hudson - 19 March 2024

Pre-school & ChildcarePrimarySecondaryCommunity

The Deanery Academy and Kingfisher primary school and nursery in Wichelstowe are to join the Swindon-based Park Academies Trust in September.

In September of last year the Deanery received a Special Measures judgement from Ofsted.

At the time both schools and the nursery were part of the The Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust.

The Ofsted rating led to a Termination Warning Notice being issued by the Department for Education, which advised that they were minded to re-broker the Deanery to another multi-academy trust.  

The Park Academies Trust already runs six schools and a Sixth Form centre and was the Department for Education’s preferred choice of Trust for the Deanery and Kingfisher because of its strong record in school development.   

The process of transferring the Deanery and Kingfisher to a new Multi Academy Trust has taken almost six months and has been carried out in close consultation with the Department for Education (DfE) and the DfE’s Regional Director for the South West. 

James Nicholson, Interim CEO of The Park Academies Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Deanery and Kingfisher as the latest schools to join our Trust and we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for pupils, families and staff. 

"We are a Trust with a proud sense of community and family at the heart of our ethos and we know we can grow stronger together. We look forward to extending the support and resources which benefit all of our schools to the Deanery and Kingfisher as well.” 

Stephen Mitchell, CEO of The Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust, said: “It is important to us all at the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust that the Deanery and Kingfisher schools both continue their journeys to grow and flourish, within a Trust that will do the best for the pupils and the community that the schools serve.  

"We are looking forward to continuing our work in the coming months, with our colleagues in The Park Academies Trust, to ensure a smooth transition”

Kelly Osborne-James, Interim Headteacher at the Deanery CE Academy, said: “We are delighted to be joining The Park Academies Trust as the Deanery CE Academy continues its journey of rapid improvement. 

"We have been blessed to already develop positive working relationships with various members of staff across the Trust and have been grateful for the support they have provided. 

"We look forward to growing such professional relationships as we collectively serve our students, their families and the community so all can flourish.” 

Sharon Bishop, Headteacher at Kingfisher CE Academy, said: "The Kingfisher family is delighted to begin a new chapter in our story with The Park Academies Trust. We look forward to introducing everyone to our incredible learners, parents, carers, staff and community. 

"All of us at Kingfisher CE Academy are very proud of all that has been achieved since our opening in September 2021 and we look forward with Hope, Wisdom, Resilience and Service to all we can achieve together as a school, a campus and part of a new Trust family." 

 

 

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