Dame Alison Peacock Visits Academy 360

On Monday 20th May, Academy 360 in Sunderland had the pleasure of welcoming Dame Alison Peacock, CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching.

Dame Alison was greeted by Sally Newton, CEO and Director of Education at Laidlaw Schools Trust, David Amos, Headteacher at Academy 360, Sarah Hammond, School Improvement Partner, and students Alice and Amelia.

The visit began with introductions over lunch, where an overview of the Laidlaw Schools Trust and its integration with the Laidlaw Foundation was presented. Discussions then shifted to the strategic priorities of the Trust and opportunities for adding value through this new partnership.

Sally Newton emphasised the shared goal of raising aspirations for young people both in the North East and nationally. She stated, “We look forward to working closely with the Chartered College of Teaching, empowering our teams to make transformational change through evidence-based research and high-quality networks.”

Dame Alison Peacock highlighted the impact of additional funding in providing access to expensive elite curriculum programs for children from lower-income backgrounds. She noted, “It’s incredible that your additional funding can allow children from lower income backgrounds access to elite curriculum - it is expensive and allows barriers to be broken down in academia. Something that’s important when looking at Secondary in particular is not to let curriculum overshadow finding out how the children learn – we need to give students the agency and authority to learn for themselves, and learn how they make connections to develop their own education.”

David Amos, Headteacher at Academy 360, reflected on the benefits of the Trust’s approach, saying, “Something that appealed to me when applying for the job within Laidlaw Schools Trust was that the independent identity of the school isn’t interrupted by the Trust. As an ex-headteacher herself, Sally understands this and is an advocate for collaboration and shared purpose but also understands clearly the specific needs of each LST community. I’ve spoken to colleagues who work elsewhere and they are looking for new roles where they will be individually valued and liberated, and I’m overjoyed that I receive this as a member of LST.”

The visit included a tour of the school’s facilities, showcasing spaces for Speech and Language Therapy, the Hub for Enhanced Mainstream Provision, Sensory Calming and Stimulating suites, and the area designated for the new Trust Educational Psychologist.

The visit concluded with Dame Alison speaking to the Academy 360 team about the importance of owning change and recognising the significant impact educators have on individual students, even if it’s not always immediately visible.