Education bosses say they have "serious concerns" about Basildon Academies (From Basildon Recorder)

Education bosses say they have "serious concerns" about Basildon Academies

11:00am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News By Melissa Hills

Education bosses say they have "serious concerns" about Basildon Academies

EDUCATION chiefs have raised “serious concerns” about the Basildon Academies and say they will be keeping a close eye on the school.

In the wake of the sudden resignation of Dr Rory Fox, who has been headteacher since September 2011, the Government has said they will be keeping pressure on the school to ensure recent improvements continue.

Earlier this year Dr Fox enlisted the help of Margaret Wilson, the headteacher at King John School in Thundersley, to help improve mathematics at the Timberlog Close and Wickford Avenue school sites.

This month Mrs Wilson also took over James Hornsby School in Laindon to help improve standards and create new opportunities for the students.

Since Dr Fox took over the school’s GCSE results have risen from 31 per cent to 45 per cent in one year and he brought in a series of rules which turned the school round.

The department has said it will not be stepping in at the moment but will keep an eye on the school to see what happens because standards were improving.

Dr Fox said: “Since I started at the school I have always just wanted to see the best for the pupils. I believe I have helped put in place the foundations for the school to succeed.

“I got in touch with lots of local schools to try and improve relationships and get in as much expertise as possible.

“The partnership we have with King John is good because of their great maths department they sent in some of their teachers to help us improve.

“Our maths department has come on leaps and bounds and their teachers shared ideas and know how to improve how we do things here.”

Sixth form students have also started mentoring children in the lower academy and at Northlands Infant and Junior School in Pitsea to broaden their curriculum.

Dr Fox added he hoped the school would be out of special measures by autumn next year and said he would keep an eye on the school’s progress when he leaves.

A Department for Education spokesperson added: “We are very concerned by the performance of these schools.

“We have been working with the Basildon Academies since last October and we have made clear the action they need to take to turn around both Academies quickly.

“The Academies have sought additional external expertise and report that they are now above the floor standards for the first time.

“We will continue to closely monitor the schools to ensure that their pupils are getting the education they deserve.”