Rebranded Whitehawk primary school opens next week

The rebranded Whitehawk Primary School reopens next week as City Academy Whitehawk with City College Brighton and Hove acting as the new school’s sponsor.

The academy school boasts a new governing body, a full team of staff for the first time in three years and a new head teacher with high aspirations.

The head David Williams said: “The vision we are proposing for the academy is for all staff and pupils to adopt an ambition to be ‘great by choice’ where all pupils have an entitlement to high-quality teaching and learning experience and an ethos focused on building a culture of high aspirations, where a commitment to and engagement in learning is the norm for all children.

“Some of the values and principles we have been discussing with parents and staff this summer include the academy promoting and achieving excellence to inspire children and adults to achieve the extraordinary.

City Academy Whitehawk head David Williams

“We are keen to encourage the highest standards of behaviour and attendance to support learning, promote achievement and encourage creativity and innovation to grow a ‘can do’ and ‘no excuses’ culture.

“We are addressing all areas that will help to make the school successful and achieve the best possible learning experience for our pupils.”

The school was rebranded as an academy after poor reports from the official schools watchdog Ofsted.

Inspectors from Ofsted assessed the school in September 2011, graded it as inadequate – the lowest rating – and placed it in special measures.

A follow-up inspection in February last year found that while there were improvements, they were only satisfactory and not consistent throughout the school.

The new school has been decorated by staff from the City College campus in Wilson Avenue, Whitehawk, who volunteered to work there during the school holidays.

New school uniforms have been issued free of charge to each pupil by City College.

And the school is promising an exciting programme of activities, with a strong emphasis on sport, to help build positive interpersonal skills.

The academy aims to have class sizes no larger than 30 pupils, a tailored approach to each individual’s needs and an emphasis on life skills including courtesy and respect.

It also aims to create a vocational community hub, enabling local parents and residents to access high-quality work-ready training.

City College principal Lynn Thackway, chairman of the new school’s governors, said: “On his recruitment, the Department for Education described David Williams as ‘inspirational’ and said ‘we are lucky to have someone of this calibre’.

“He is an outstanding leader and we have full confidence in him to lead the new academy.”

Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown, said: “I wish the new academy the very best and hope that it is able to achieve the new head teacher’s very positive aspirations so that our local children can have the best possible start to their education.”