Academies Enterprise Trust to adapt Shene Academy plans (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Academies Enterprise Trust to adapt Shene Academy plans

6:50am Saturday 23rd January 2010

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The organisation taking over the running of Shene School when it becomes an academy will be listening to parents’ views and adapting their plans for the school accordingly, its chief executive has said.

Richmond Council is in the middle of turning the Park Road school into an academy – an all-ability school run by a sponsor – and at the end of last year the Government approved an Expression of Interest document, which sets out more information about the plan.

The Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), which already runs four academies, was approved as the main sponsor, and a public consultation is under way.

David Triggs, chief executive of AET, said David Fuller, set to be made the managing director of the new academy, attended a meeting with the Barnes, Mortlake and Sheen parent promoted foundation last Tuesday, and listened to parents from the area.

Mr Triggs said: “We listened to what the community had to say. It was a positive meeting and we got some tremendous information.

“We now have to show we have listened and adapted our thinking.”

Mr Triggs has been principal of Greensward Academy, Essex, for 16 years, and said his organisation developed an education model which would fit with the new academy at Shene.

He added: “Shene is different to the other academies we took over.

“[Headteacher] Lesley Kirby has been there for two-and-a-half years and the school is making good progress.

“When we bid we knew there was a challenge – it was a school not oversubscribed and to which residents are not choosing to send children.

“We have developed a model for education over 11 years, not just school education but long-term development – we see ourselves as a long-term sponsor of Shene.

“We are halfway through the process and the next six or seven months we will be making sure our model is focused to Shene School.

“We are great believers that if a school is successful, if it meets the needs of people, if it delivers high quality education, they will choose to send their children there.”

Mr Triggs said he knew there were challenges ahead, but AET would be addressing any issues.

He said: “We need to find out why parents aren’t sending their children there.

“We have 11 consultation meetings coming up to listen to parents, a school is successful when it fits its community.

“We strongly believe the AET model will work everywhere where there is commitment – it is not new, it has been developed over an 11 or 12-year period.

“We have a lot of education experience.”

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