Our role as system leaders
Our National Support School has a track record for rapid transformation which is founded on clear expectations, a visionary curriculum approach and robust systems for mutual accountability. By working closely with other schools, we are able to draw on expertise across our network of schools & teaching hubs in order to ensure sustainable school improvement.
Jerry Clay Academy has been a National Support School for the last 5 years. During this time, we have supported 17 schools, as intense support projects to ensure that they have made an improvement of an Ofsted rating with sustainable improvement for the future. We have welcomed over 500 schools, locally and nationally, during this time through large scale conferences and school improvement professional development too. We believe we have a proven track record of improving standards and outcomes, we have grown our capacity to support schools through our work as a National Support School and over the last 3 years as an English Hub, currently supporting over 100 schools.
As a National Support School & English Hub, our aims have been to transform childrens lives in some of Yorkshires most challenged communities. This means helping our children raise aspirations and ambitions so that they are able to make a positive contribution within and beyond our local communities.
Many of our supported schools have served challenging communities with high levels of deprivation and a history of underperformance. Our mission is to continue working with schools that have historically struggled to fulfil their potential. We aim to show that through outstanding school leadership and a values-based approach to planning school improvement, all children can succeed.
Our collaborative network of partnerships
The Trusts school improvement model recognises the stimulus and learning that comes from engaging with schools and practice both within and outside the Trust, so we will build on effective existing strategic partnerships with Wakefield, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Kirklees and Lancashire LAs. As one of 34 English Hubs across the country, our academy already collaborates extensively and effectively with other local Trusts & the DfE.
By working closely with other schools, we are able to draw on expertise across our network of schools & teaching hubs in order to ensure sustainable school improvement.
Our impact to date
- Through 17 intense support school projects, we have helped to improve the Ofsted rating of all of these schools
- Most recently we have supported 4 schools this year, 2 schools moved from RI to Good and we await the Ofsted of an inadequate school with predictions of Good.
- We were particularly pleased with the impact on Phonics improvement across Wakefield LA in 2018-19 (the last statutory reporting year). The overall Yorkshire and Humber result increased by 1% to 81% from 2018 to 2019. Wakefields increase of 2.3% was the highest of all the 15 LAs. In 2018, Wakefield was the lowest of the 15 LAs but has now improved to be eighth (equal). Wakefields 2019 gap between disadvantaged and other pupils is 17.5%, this is 1.6% narrower than in 2018. Jerry Clay English Hub supported 25 of the schools that all improved their Phonics screening results following audits and support work provided by the hub. We believed this played a significant part in the whole LA improvement.
- We are currently on track to make an average of 15% improvement of 29 schools Phonics results across our hub.