Over the past five years, STEP Academy Trust has established a strong partnership of seven academies covering three local authorities in South London. Driven by the Trust’s mission – to improve the life chances of all children, where we have the capacity to make a difference – the Board of Trustees has recently committed to extend STEP’s moral purpose into East Sussex. A coastal area with a shortage of strong academy sponsors, Trustees believe the time is right make a real difference. Working closely with East Sussex County Council and the Regional Schools Commissioner the Trust aims to establish a group of schools using the same approach that has served our existing STEP Academies so well.
On 1st September 2016, our first partner academies in East Sussex will join the STEP family: Hawkes Farm Academy in Hailsham and Breakwater Academy (formerly Meeching Valley Primary School) in Newhaven. Trustees are delighted to have appointed two excellent STEP Head Teachers to develop our new partnerships. Jeremy Meek, who joined STEP in January and has been working across the Trust preparing for his new role, will lead Hawkes Farm Academy. Ian Rogers, who has spent the past two years as Deputy Head Teacher of Gonville Academy, will lead Breakwater Academy.
In January 2017, Newhaven Academy, Marshlands Academy, White House Academy and Hailsham Academy will join STEP Academy Trust. Currently members of Lilac Sky Schools Academies Trust, the schools will be re-brokered into STEP, establishing a sustainable partnership of STEP Academies in East Sussex. We are pleased that Paul Glover, STEP Deputy CEO, will oversee this exciting development for our Trust.