Trustees, Governors and Trust leaders joined staff at Heron Academy today to celebrate the school becoming part of London South East Academies Trust.
The special school offers provision for 11–18-year-olds with a range of learning needs. It joined the Trust on 1 February and has been renamed Heron Academy, having previously been known as The Michael Tippett School.
The Trust took on the school from Lambeth Local Authority at the request of the Department for Education, following a challenging Ofsted Report that was received in late 2021.
Heron Academy joins the Trust’s network of eight other schools, which are located across Bromley, Bexley and Surrey. Provision includes mainstream, alternative and special – ensuring children and young people of all abilities and from all backgrounds can be supported to fully achieve their potential.
Pupils at Heron Academy have received new school uniform and new signage has been erected as part of the exciting fresh start. New senior leaders, including the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher, were appointed in September and January respectively, along with other staff members. Further improvements to the building and learning environment are also planned.
Headteacher at Heron Academy, Melanie Hall-Judd, took up her post in September 2022. She has been working hard to build her leadership team and ensure that the school is improving in all aspects. Melanie says:
“I am so excited for the future of Heron Academy. This is an amazing school; our pupils and our staff are fantastic and we have a really supportive wider community.
“We have also had a huge amount of support from the Trust. This is helping us to make improvements quickly and secure a positive future for the Heron community as a whole.
“Today’s celebration has been a lovely opportunity for staff to meet Trust leaders, governors and Trustees. The benefits of being part of a larger organisation are evident already –in terms of both financial support and the sharing of best practice with a network of experts.
“Our priority is to ensure our pupils have an excellent, rich and relevant learning experience every single day and that Heron Academy continues to be deeply rooted in its local community."
Group Principal and CEO of London & South East Education Group, Dr Sam Parrett CBE, adds:
“I am delighted to be here this afternoon to celebrate Heron Academy becoming part of our Trust family.
“It has been wonderful to meet pupils and staff and to see the great work that is happening here. As a Trust, taking on this important provision was the right thing for us to do for the whole community.
“We will be working closely with families, the local authority and other agencies to ensure that every single child and young person receives the care and education they need and deserve – enabling them to flourish every day and achieve their personal goals.
"Many thanks to Melanie and team for all their hard work so far, it is very much appreciated by us all and I look forward to visiting again soon."
For more information about Heron Academy: heron.lseat.org.uk