The proposed Academyfor North StocktonInspiring Healthy Minds

Public consultation period:28 January 2010 – 26 February 2010

Have your say – attend one of our consultationevents or complete our questionnaire

NHS Stockton-on-Tees is delighted to be the lead sponsor for such aprestigious development and to helpchange the educational experiences of young people in Stockton, promotehealthier lifestyles and improve theiremployment prospects.

Along with our co-sponsors, Stockton CollegeConsortium and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council,we believe this is an exciting opportunity to changelives, aspirations and prospects for young peopleand their families. We will develop an inspirationalenvironment that will encourage and promotelearning, support the government’s Every ChildMatters agenda and the Stockton-on-Tees family ofschools, ‘Campus Stockton’.

Our aim is to raise standards of achievement,particularly on the move to the Academy, and at 14+.Through the freedom of the academies frameworkwe will be able to set the highest aspirations, andprovide a curriculum which is enjoyable, challenging,relevant, and underpinned by the use of newtechnologies. Our goal is that every young personwill leave the Academy with the highest qualificationsmatched to their potential, and an appropriate routeto further learning or training post-16.

The Academy aims to be a key resource forcommunity regeneration as well as learning. It will strengthen the impact that extended serviceshave in addressing the effects of deprivation onstudents and their families. Through a partnershipand multi-agency approach, we are determined totackle the health, social, educational and economicbarriers to successful learning outcomes forstudents and their families.

A message from the sponsors

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Our vision To promote health and well-being,and seek to reduce inequalityamongst children, both ineducational achievement and intheir personal health status.

Our vision for the future sees theAcademy for North Stockton at the heartof its community, and the school ofchoice for local parents and carers. TheAcademy will create links with localcommunity groups to become a new hubfor community outreach and regenerationin the area.

The vision for the Academy hasdeveloped from the lead sponsor’s aimto help the people of Teesside livelonger, healthier lives. In their role aslead sponsor to the Academy, NHSStockton-on-Tees is confident it cancontribute to improving the educationalstatus, health and well-being, not only ofthe young people in the Academy, butalso their parents/carers, families, andthe local community.

Our ethosIn addition to the urgent andessential requirement to improveacademic attainment in literacy andnumeracy, the Academy willintroduce motivating and excitinglearning through its namedspecialism of science with a focuson health, well-being and sport.

Celebrating success, enthusing and excitingyoung people to progress into further andhigher education, and encouraging them tobecome confident with an understanding oftheir place in the world will be essential inenabling them to flourish.

The Academy will seek to provide personalisedlearning programmes for all of its young people.It will do this by enhancing the quality of itsinformation, communication and technology(ICT) facilities and by providing appropriateprofessional development for staff. TheAcademy aims to develop a well-balancedcurriculum for 14-16 year olds, with multiplelearning routes that meet the aspirations andneeds of its Year 11 students. The Academywill work with local post-16 providers to enablethe widest possible choice for its young peopleto encourage them to stay in learning ortraining post-16.

The Academy’s vision and ethos

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We are currently working through theproposals for how the Academy willlook and feel. We want to create anenvironment that is exciting and vibrant for young people in the northStockton area.

The Academy aims to create a support network forthe students of north Stockton to ensure theyreceive the best education.

We would like to hear your views on the proposalsfor the Academy. We need to consider whether thenew Academy will operate across split sites, or onone site, prior to the new building opening.

There are financial implications in the proposal to be considered. Most importantly, the education andlearning experience of students within the Academyneeds to be thought through.

The issues surrounding opening the Academy onone or two sites, prior to the move to the newbuilding in 2013, are outlined opposite. Furtherinformation can be found atwww.stocktonacademy.org.uk

This is not an exhaustive list.

“The Academy is aiming to create asupport network for the students ofnorth Stockton to ensure they receivethe best educational support.”

The Academy prior to the new build

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By opening the Academy on two sites, staff andstudents will feel that their school remains inexistence prior to the opening of the new building,and there will be less disruption to students whowill no longer be at the Academy when it moves tothe new site in 2013.

However, this will not immediately create anAcademy identity and common bond amongststudents, which would be created by a single site.

Operating from two sites will require greatercoordination of resources and the schooltimetable. This is likely to involve more staff andstudent disruption, as some staff and studentsmay be required to move between the sites.

It will also mean further disruption to the educationof other students, as they progress through theAcademy and then move to the new site. Thisdisruption may cause financial issues that theAcademy will need to consider further.

In comparison, a single site will mean that educationresources will be shared, there will be enhancedinformation, communication and technology (ICT)provision, and consistent leadership andmanagement support with subject teams.

The Academy sponsors will work hard to ensurethere is minimal disruption to children’s education inthe Academy, whichever option is implemented.

The Academy prior to the new build

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The proposed Academy for North Stockton will admit girls and boys of all backgrounds, abilities and faiths.

Type of Academy

There will be up to 1050 places for 11 to 16 year olds. The Academy will admit up to 210 children into Year 7.

Student places

The Academy will continue to operate within the current admission zone/catchment area, retaining thesame priority catchment area as the two current schools.

For more information about admissions, visitwww.stockton.gov.uk/citizenservices/learning/schooladmissionshome

Admissions

Current students of Blakeston School and The Norton School will automatically be able to transfer to the new Academy.

Current students

The lead sponsor is NHS Stockton-on-Tees.

Lead sponsor

The co-sponsors are Stockton College Consortium and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

Co-sponsors

It is yet to be decided whether the Academy will initially open on one or two sites – we are currently inconsultation about this. Regardless of the decision, the Academy will open in September 2010 with themove to the new building planned for September 2013.

Location and opening date

Although the proposed Academy’s specialism is science with a focus on health, well-being and sport, itwill not select students on the basis of ability or skill for this, or any other subject.

Curriculum

About the Academy

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Drawing from the sponsors’experience, the proposed Academy will deliver science as its specialism,with a strong focus on health, well-being and sport.

Science will provide a critical framework to promotestudents’ understanding of the world in which we alllive, through inquiry and investigation. There will bea science learning experience each year, wherestudents will benefit from a range of science relatedactivities both on and off site. This will include‘scientists in residence’, guest lectures, researchactivities, global aspects of scientific research, theapplication of science to everyday life (particularlyaspects of health and well-being), and work relatedlearning complemented by NHS expertise.

All young people will be expected to follow ascience related subject during Years 9-11 tailored totheir needs and aspirations. Most will beencouraged to study at least two science GCSEs,and those who would benefit from a morestretching science curriculum will have theopportunity to study the three separate sciences ofphysics, chemistry and biology.

Stockton College Consortium has a range ofscience related courses available at post-16 level,enhanced by access to world-class sciencelaboratories. This will provide an enriched scienceexperience for Academy students, including thedelivery of ‘master classes’ for gifted scientists, aswell as a pathway to training and employmentopportunities available in the NHS.

The Academy’s specialism

“Science will provide a criticalframework to promote students’understanding of the world throughinquiry and investigation.”

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The new Academy building will be built via Stockton Borough Council’sBuilding Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

It is proposed that the new building, planned toopen in September 2013, will be located on a siteoff Norton Road. As the new building will be built ona new site, building work will not impact on theeducation of the Academy students prior to thisexciting move.

The BSF team are currently working towardsselecting the contractor who will build the newAcademy. For further information please visitwww.stockton.gov.uk/bsf

“Building work will not impact on theeducation of the Academy studentsprior to the exciting move in 2013.”

New buildings

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The proposed Academy will seek tobring the community together throughprovision of valuable extended servicesand out of hours opportunities.

The Academy will:

• provide study support, including suitable learningspaces open before and after school to meetindividual requirements and to overcome barriersto learning

• encourage community engagement by servingwider adult and family needs through communityeducation programmes, and access to specialistresources such as information, communicationand technology (ICT) and sports facilities

• partner with the north Stockton extended schoolcluster, so that young people and their familiescan access extended services and a range ofactivities including parenting support, childcareand swift and easy access to targeted andspecialist services

• work with other agencies such as the police,Connexions, children and adult mental healthservice and the Youth Offending Service toprovide support beyond the school day, ensuringthat the needs of our most vulnerable youngpeople are coordinated, specific and relevant

• involve local businesses in the delivery of thework related curriculum content

• promote sustainability and environmental issues.

“The Academy will encouragecommunity engagement by servingwider adult and family needs.”

The Academy in the community

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We’d like to hear your views on theproposed Academy for North Stockton,so please take the time to tell us whatyou think. Your views will help shapethe future of local children and thecommunity you live in.

Consultation on the proposal is an important part of this development.

We want to ensure information on the Academyproposal is widely available, so that everyone –young people, parents, carers, staff and the widercommunity, including those from local feeder primaryschools and other secondary schools – has theopportunity to give their views and listen to others.

You can express your views and comments by:

• completing the questionnaire on the back page of this brochure and returning it to the addressprovided

• completing an online questionnaire at:www.stocktonacademy.org.uk

• attending one of our consultation events

• emailing us at: info@stocktonacademy.org.uk

• calling Dorothy Pearson, Project Administrator atEC Harris, on 01642 345647

• writing to us at the address opposite.

For information on additional consultation events andto confirm the events below are still going ahead,please visit www.stocktonacademy.org.uk

Consultation process and events

Consultation eventsDate Time Venue

Wed 3 Feb 10am – 1pm Somerfield, 24-28 High Street, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees

Thu 4 Feb 1pm – 5pm University Hospital of North Tees, Hardwick Road, Stockton-on-Tees

Fri 5 Feb 10.30am – 2pm Norton Library, 87 High Street, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees

Mon 8 Feb 11am – 2pm Ragworth Neighbourhood Centre, St Johns Way, Ragworth, Stockton-on-Tees

Mon 8 Feb 3.30pm – 5.30pm David Lloyd Leisure, Tees Barrage Way, Stockton-on-Tees

Thu 11 Feb 10am – 2pm Teesside Shopping Park, Sandown Way, Stockton-on-Tees

Fri 12 Feb 10am – 2pm Castlegate Shopping Centre, Stockton-on-Tees

Fri 12 Feb 2pm – 5pm Sainsburys, 1 Hanover Parade, The Glebe, Stockton-on-Tees

Tue 16 Feb 2pm – 5pm Asda, Portrack Lane, Stockton-on-Tees

Wed 17 Feb 10am – 12.30pm Splash, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees

Thu 18 Feb 1pm – 4pm Splash, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees

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Consultation process and events

Further informationFor further information about the proposedAcademy for North Stockton please contactDorothy Pearson, Project Administrator at EC Harris:

Telephone: 01642 345647Email: info@stocktonacademy.org.ukWeb: www.stocktonacademy.org.uk

Alternatively, you can write to:

FREEPOST RSET-YTYH-UCEGEC HarrisBillinghamTS23 4EA

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1. The vision and ethos of the proposedAcademy is to:

• put young people first

• promote health, well-being and sport

• raise standards of learning

• help the people of Teesside live longer,healthier lives

Do you think the vision and ethos for theproposed Academy are appropriate?

Yes No Not sure

If No, why?

2. There will be a period of change beforemoving to the new building. What are yourconcerns during this period?

Costs

Staff disruption

Student disruption

Transport arrangements

Other

3. Do you have any ideas for the name of theAcademy? (please state below)

If so, why?

4. We are very keen to ensure that the proposedAcademy serves the whole community. We areinterested in your views about what sort of facilitiesand services could be made accessible to thecommunity. Please provide comments below.

5. About you (please tick all applicable boxes)

Are you connected to: The Norton School

Blakeston School

Neither

I am

a parent/carer of a student

a member of staff

a student

a governor

a parent at a local feeder primary school (nameof school)

a local resident

a local business owner

other (please specify)

If you are happy to provide us with your contactdetails please complete the information below. Ifyou would prefer to remain anonymous, leave thissection blank.

Name

Address

Postcode

Email

Telephone

Thank you for taking the time tocomplete this questionnaire, yourviews are very important to us.

What do you think?

Please return this form to:

FREEPOST RSET-YTYH-UCEGEC HarrisBillinghamTS23 4EA

by 26 February 2010