MP backs Witham Academies
Brooks Newmark met yesterday with leading members of the team developing Witham's proposed Academies.Braintree MP Brooks Newmark met yesterday with leading members of the team developing Witham's proposed Academies.
Brooks said, "I was delighted to have met with some of the people who have been instrumental in taking this ambitious project forward. I wholeheartedly support the new Academies, which will provide a huge boost to our community. I will do whatever I can to help ensure that the project goes ahead as planned.
"I am also pleased that Essex is leading the way in raising education standards for all of our children and I am confident that 2008 will be a year of great opportunities for all the schools involved"
New school names, logos and uniforms have been chosen and the final stamp of approval, including confirmation of the new sites, is due imminently. Full proposals for the Academy buildings are being developed with a view to building work commencing next year and being completed in 2011.
The John Bramston School will become the Maltings Academy, specialising in Science and Sport, while The Rickstones School will become the New Rickstones Academy, specialising in Mathematics and Performing Arts.
Greensward College in Hockley will become the third Academy in the new federation and will act as the sponsoring organisation. All three Academies will be operated by the Academies Enterprise Trust, a charitable trust independent of Essex County Council control and funded directly by the Government. The Trust's patron will be Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield.
Attending the meeting were: Ian Foster, Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) Chair Designate; Phil Barlow, Chair of Rickstones Governing Body; Trevor Fulcher, Chair of Greensward College current Governing Body; Frank Butler, Chair of John Bramston current Governing Body; Rachel Macaulay, Project Lead for Place Group (DCSF appointed Project Management Company) and Steve Leverett, AET Associate working on strategic policy. David Triggs, AET Chief Executive and Principal of Greensward College, sent apologies.
Mike O'Sullivan, headtecaher of one John Bramston School has today been awarded the prestigious Royal Air Force Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School. Mr. O'Sullivan was nominated by one of his own pupils in recognition of his role in bringing the school out of special measures.
Greeting the news Brooks said, "Mike has my warmest congratulations for winning a well deserved award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and commitment to improving standards at John Bramston. His award is also a fitting tribute to every single one of the pupils, teachers, parents and governors at the school who have worked so hard to turn things around."
Photo: Brooks Newmark meets with leading members of the team developing Witham's proposed Academies.
