East Point Academy

East Point Academy (correct as of Oct 2016)
Established 2011 (1938 as Kirkley Community High School)
Type Academy
Principal Richard Dolding[1]
Location Kirkley Run
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 0UQ
England
52°28′06″N 1°43′42″E / 52.46824°N 1.72840°E / 52.46824; 1.72840Coordinates: 52°28′06″N 1°43′42″E / 52.46824°N 1.72840°E / 52.46824; 1.72840
Local authority Suffolk
DfE URN 137134 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Students 547 (as of Oct 2016)[2]
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–16[3][2]
Website East Point Academy

East Point Academy is an academy located in the Kirkley district of Lowestoft, in the English county of Suffolk. It educates children from ages 11 to 16. In its latest Ofsted inspection in October 2016, the academy overall was rated as "Good".[2]

History

Before September 2011, the school was known as Kirkley Community High School being administered by Suffolk County Council,[4][5][6] before converting to academy status as part of the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET).

In December 2014, the Norfolk based Inspiration Trust (IT) formally took over the running of the academy and appointed Kevin Blakey as Principal.[7] The main reasons (see 2014 takeover section below) behind this was the failure of the AET to move the academy out of special measures and that the IT were better geographically placed with its Norfolk base to continuously improve the academy, compared to the relative isolation under AET and its other academies. The school will be refurbished with funding from the government which was secured by the AET before it was taken over by Inspiration Trust [8]

According to the Ofsted inspection in March 2015 (3 months after the IT had acquired the academy) the school leadership was rated as "good" although other criteria "require improvement". Overall the academy has improved from being rated as "Inadequate" to "Requires Improvement".[9] This was upgraded to "Good" in October 2016.[2]

2014 Inspiration Trust takeover

After 3 years under the management of the AET, the academy was placed in "special measures" by Ofsted. In July 2014 it was announced that the academy faced a takeover from the Norfolk-based Inspiration Trust, due to the academy making insufficient progress towards moving out of special measures.

A spokesman for the Department for Education (DfE) said: "We have consistently demonstrated that where we find failure we will not hesitate to take action – regardless of the type of school. We are now working closely with AET and the school to ensure pupils’ education is not disrupted." A monitoring inspection in May 2014 pointed to a "steady improvement" in students’ attainment and progress, saying East Point was making "reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures".

Dame Rachel de Souza, the Chief Executive of Inspiration Trust was approached by the DfE about adding the academy to its growing portfolio. The DfE believed that her trust was in a better geographic and cohesive position compared to the AET, with the aim to bring the academy out of special measures quickly. (In July 2014, the next nearest AET sponsored academy to East Point Academy was in Felixstowe, approximately 40-50 miles away[10]) "There’s a geographic logic to the change. We are [East Point Academy is] 10 miles from Great Yarmouth, where we have the primary academy. I think that’s what can make the difference."[11]

In September 2014 the Principal (Neil Powell) and other senior members of staff threatened to quit the Academy if the proposed takeover did materialise. This was mainly due to the disruption it would cause to the ongoing progress towards moving the academy out of special measures.[12]

In December 2014 the Vice Principal of Inspiration Trust sponsored Thetford Academy, Kevin Blakey replaced Neil Powell as Principal of East Point Academy, when Inspiration Trust completed the takeover.[13] Mr. Powell cited that he will be "staying with the AET"[14] and was installed Principal of the AET sponsored Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough in January 2015.[15][16] Following the Jan 2016 DfE letter complaining about 'unacceptably low standards' and failing to move the academy out of Special Measures,[17] Mr Powell resigned and left UCA in April 2016, returning to East Anglia in September 2016 as headteacher of North Walsham High School, which is administered by the local council and not the AET.[18]

In October 2016, approximately 2 years after the Inspiration Trust acquired the academy, it was rated as "Good" by Ofsted. In addition, for the criteria "Effectiveness of leadership and management", was rated as "Outstanding".[19] Thus, after 2 years, the Inspiration Trust takeover was a successful move for everyone involved with the academy.

Gene Simmons' Rock School

In Autumn 2005, the second series of Channel 4's Gene Simmons' Rock School was filmed at the Academy (when it was Kirkley Community High School). Auditions were held, and after much deliberation, 11 students were picked and were subsequently taught the basics of rock music by KISS bassist Gene Simmons. Simmons' eventually selected five of the students to perform as a rock group. The show culminated with the group opening for Judas Priest and Anthrax in front of 2,300 fans in LA.[20][21] The lead singer of the band, Lil' Chris, was signed to RCA records.[22]

Notable alumni

as Kirkley Community High School

Students

Teachers

Headteachers

  • April 2014-December 2014 - Neil Powell[25]
  • December 2014 - Kevin Blakey

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome from the Principal". East Point Academy. inspirationtrust.org. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2612113/urn/137134.pdf
  3. ↑ East Point Academy profile, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  4. ↑ Kirkley High’s academy switch delights headteacher, Lowestoft Journal, 4 March 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  5. ↑ New academy in Lowestoft ‘will inspire’, Lowestoft Journal, 11 March 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  6. ↑ Green light for Lowestoft academy, Lowestoft Journal, 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  7. ↑ MARK BOGGIS. "New head's vision for Lowestoft academy". Lowestoft Journal.
  8. ↑ JOE RANDLESOME. "East Point Academy in Lowestoft makes a successful bid for funding". Lowestoft Journal.
  9. ↑ http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2464391/urn/137134.pdf
  10. ↑ http://ukdistance.com/route/lowestoft/felixstowe
  11. ↑ "Warned Lowestoft academy set for takeover".
  12. ↑ "Lowestoft academy Headteacher:"I will quit over school trust row"".
  13. ↑ "Latest > New Principal - Inspiration Trust". inspirationtrust.org.
  14. ↑ "Parent Newsletter 19th September 2014.pdf". google.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Unity City Academy website. "Unity City Academy". unityacademy.org.uk.
  16. ↑ Lindsey Sampson (22 January 2015). "New principal for Ormesby Road's Unity City Academy drawn by 'character of pupils'". gazettelive.
  17. ↑ "Pre-Warning Notice Letter to the Directors of Unity City Academy Trust" (PDF). DfE. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  18. ↑ "North Walsham High School Appoints New Head Teacher". North Walsham High School. Retrieved 7 September 2016. . See also "Letter from Fr Adam Gaunt – Chair of the Board of Trustees" (PDF). Unity City Academy. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  19. ↑ enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk, Ofsted Communications Team. (5 November 2010). "Find an inspection report". reports.ofsted.gov.uk.
  20. ↑ "Programmes - All - Channel 4". Channel 4.
  21. ↑ "Rock School". Channel 4.
  22. ↑ RCA Label Group (UK) | Lil' Chris Archived 9 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ Gods to return to the Waterfront, Lowestoft Journal, 20 June 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  24. ↑ "Deary, Terry 1946– - Dictionary definition of Deary, Terry 1946– | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  25. ↑ Lowestoft academy will become an outstanding school in next few years, vow principal - News - Lowestoft Journal
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