New Hall School Trust (New Hall) sponsors primary academy, Messing Primary School
New Hall School Trust (New Hall) has undertaken sponsorship of a primary academy, Messing Primary School, which was recently in special measures, to help enable that school to improve its performance and grow the roll. New Hall was the first independent school nationally to agree to sponsor a primary school. New Hall established New Hall Multi Academy Trust (NHMAT) in August 2013 in order to carry out this sponsorship. The trustees of NHMAT comprise the Principal of New Hall together with members of the governing body of New Hall and of the academy. New Hall shares some staffing and facilities with the academy; a New Hall SLT member has joined the Local Governing Body, specialist teachers from New Hall teach music, PE and swimming to the academy school pupils; and New Hall staff have assisted with the academy school’s educational, financial, marketing/PR and premises developments.
Aims
The aims of the partnership is to share New Hall’s educational experience with the sponsored academy in order to improve educational outcomes for pupils of the academy and increase the pupil roll.
The identified need was that in November 2012, the primary school had been judged by Ofsted as Requires Improvement and had a roll of 32 pupils against a net capacity of 74.
Background
New Hall was approached by the DfE in 2013 to be an academy sponsor as part of a wider DfE initiative to encourage independent schools to support the academy programme.
In September 2013 Messing-Cum-Inworth Primary School converted to an academy within New Hall Multi-Academy Trust.
Resources
The Principal of New Hall is the Accounting Officer for NHMAT and oversees the management of the academy. New Hall shares some staffing and facilities with the academy; a New Hall SLT member has joined the Local Governing Body, specialist teachers from New Hall teach music, PE and swimming to the academy school pupils; and New Hall staff have assisted with the academy school’s educational, financial, marketing/PR and premises developments.
The academy pupils come to New Hall once a week for swimming lessons in the 25-metre indoor swimming pool, free of charge, with coaching provided by New Hall swimming coaches and members of New Hall PE staff go to the academy once a week to give specialist coaching.
Impact
The academy academic results and pupil numbers are monitored termly by the academy Local Governing Body and reported to the NHMAT Board.
Pupil Involvement
Some New Hall students, aged between 11-18, have visited the academy for one-off activities e.g. music, choir and languages.
Frequency
Ongoing and continuous throughout the academic year and will continue for at least 7 years.