STEP Academy Trust, has been selected to become a National Teaching School with a focus of support in East Sussex, where STEP has six academies. This recognition has been awarded based on the fantastic educational performance of STEP’s Angel Oak Academy in Peckham, which achieved the prestigious grading of Ofsted Outstanding in October 2017.
Introduced in 2011, teaching schools are excellent schools that work with partner schools in an alliance to provide high quality school-led initial teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers at all stages of their career.
Teaching schools take a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the profession. They identify and develop leadership potential, provide support for other schools to bring about school improvement, and work with schools across their teaching school alliance to raise standards of teaching.
They raise standards through supporting other schools, especially those in challenging circumstances, and ensure that the most talented school leaders are spotted and supported to become successful headteachers.
STEP Academy Trust operate 8 schools in South London and 6 in East Sussex. During the last academic year, three schools were awarded the prestigious ‘Outstanding’ rating by Ofsted, who praised the Trust’s approach of working together as one team and described it as pivotal in ensuring success.
Executive Headteacher Tim Mills said: “To have the support that Angel Oak Academy has been providing across a number of regions recognised with this designation is a credit to the exceptional staff at the academy.”
The Department for Education (DfE) has responsibility, in partnership with headteachers from the Teaching Schools Council, for the appointment of teaching schools and the quality of the teaching schools programme. There are now 800 teaching schools across England.
Lord Agnew, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, said:
“I’d like to congratulate Angel Oak Academy – they should be very proud of this achievement.
“Teaching schools are supporting other schools, attracting and training the best new teachers and developing the next generation of leaders.”
The new Teaching School will have a specific remit, to support schools in East Sussex.