The Department of Education has selected London South East Academies Trust as a new provider of Alternative Provision in East Sussex.
Working with East Sussex County Council, the DfE led a competitive process to identify a new Trust for the former Alternative Provision, College Central, to transfer into.
The new provision will be named East Sussex Academy, supporting children and young people from the ages of 5-16 who have been excluded from mainstream settings.
The Trust’s Outreach team has also been commissioned to work with schools across the region. Comprising SENCOs, educational psychologists, mentors and behaviour experts, this team will focus on preventing avoidable exclusions and supporting pupils to access specialist provision where needed.
With a proven track record for school improvement and expertise in behaviour and attendance management, London South East Academies Trust will be working closely with East Sussex County Council and education providers to deliver the school and system-wide changes required to achieve the necessary improvements.
CEO of London South East Academies Trust, Dr Sam Parrett CBE, says:
“We are delighted to be part of this exciting transformation. By expanding our successful Trust into East Sussex, we are able to share our expertise in Alternative Provision and Outreach further afield, supporting more children and young people.
“All our schools are committed to ensuring that every pupil has access to the high-quality education they need and are entitled to – and East Sussex Academy will be no exception.
“We are aware of the many issues Ofsted raised in its recent report regarding the former provision and understand the systemic improvements that need to be made. To achieve this, we are already working in partnership with local stakeholders, including the outgoing Trust, the Local Authority and schools across the region.
“With our proven track record for improvement, we are confident that we can achieve our shared ambition for current and future pupils, ensuring that every single one can reach their full potential. While it's challenging, we very much look forward to the journey ahead.”
Cllr Bob Standley, East Sussex County Council Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, said:
“We strongly believe that every child and young person in East Sussex should be supported to reach their full potential, and we look forward to working with London South East Academies Trust on the provision of high quality education in a safe and nurturing environment.
“We will work closely with the trust and local schools on our strategy to improve inclusion. With their expertise and experience, the new trust is well placed to support these continuing efforts.”
To support its undertaking, London South East Academies Trust has launched a recruitment campaign to help secure additional leaders and staff for this new school.
If you are an ambitious, aspirational teaching professional and want to be part of an exciting journey of change and improvement, see the opportunities on offer by clicking here.