Hill View Academy Explained

Hill View Academy
Motto:Working Together to Achieve
Address:Fernside Avenue
Town:Almondbury
County:West Yorkshire
Postcode:HD5 8YE
Country:England
Other Names:-->
Former Name:Almondbury Community School
Type:Academy
Founders:-->
Local Authority:Kirklees Council
Trust:Impact Education Multi Academy Trust
Urn:148134
Ofsted:Yes
Headteacher:Kate Eastwood
Gender:Mixed
Age Range:3–11
Capacity:268[1]
Accreditations:-->
Affiliations:-->

Hill View Academy (formerly Almondbury Community School) is a 3–11 mixed primary school with academy status in Almondbury, West Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Impact Education Multi Academy Trust.

History

In April 2014, the Kirklees Council Cabinet approved the merger of the Almondbury High School and Language College, the Almondbury Junior School, and Greenside Infant and Nursery School, "as an all-through school for children aged between 3 and 16 years".[2] The three schools were combined following extensive consultation with parents and other community members.[3] [4] [5]

Following a 2006 Ofsted report that rated the Almondbury High School and Language College as Grade 3 "Satisfactory" overall, the 2009 and 2012 reports gave a rating of Grade 2 "Good".

The reports of 2015 and 2017 rated the combined Almondbury Community School as Grade 3 "Requires Improvement" overall.[6] A monitoring visit by Ofsted after the 2015 inspection noted "significant" positive changes in leadership, systems, teaching quality and governorship under a school improvement plan.[7] [8]

In 2018, Ofsted visited again concluding that sufficient progress had not been made. A list of issues was published and Kirklees was required to issue a recovery plan.[9] [10] A monitoring visit by Ofsted, confirmed the recovery plan was adequate.

Leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures. The local authority’s statement of action is fit for purpose. The school’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.[11]

In 2018, Chair of the school Governors was Gill Goodswen, a former president of the National Union of Teachers (NUT).[12]

The secondary department was closed in September 2020,[13] while the primary school department converted to academy status and was renamed Hill View Academy. The school is now sponsored by the Impact Education Multi Academy Trust.

Almondbury controversy

See main article: Almondbury Community School bullying incident. On 25 October 2018, an assault took place on a 15-year-old student at Almondbury Community School; this was widely reported after a video recording of the assault was posted on social media.[14]

Prime Minister Theresa May commented, "most people were sickened and angered" by the video clip; she went on to praise the public for the response, and for setting up a crowdfunding appeal for the youngster's family.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hill View Academy . Get information about schools . GOV.UK . 24 December 2020 . en.
  2. Web site: Kirklees Consultation on School Admission Arrangements for 2015/16. Kirklees Council. Directorate for Children & Adults School Admissions. 25 March 2014. kirklees.gov.uk. 4. 1 December 2018.
  3. News: New 'super school' plan considered. 15 September 2013. BBC News. 1 December 2018.
  4. News: Almondbury super school is not a done deal says Kirklees Council as consultation gets underway. Whitwam. Linda. 5 October 2013. Huddersfield Examiner. 1 December 2018.
  5. News: 'Super school' plan to combine Almondbury's high school, junior school and Greenside I&N - what do you think?. Atkinson. Neil. 9 September 2013. Huddersfield Examiner. 1 December 2018.
  6. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/28/107758 Almondbury Community School
  7. https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2523180 Monitoring visit
  8. Whitwam, Linda, "Ofsted is full of praise for improvements at Almondbury Community School", Kirklees News, 2 December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2018
  9. Web site: Ofsted Report 2018 . ofsted.gov.uk . 23 December 2020.
  10. News: Inspectors make emergency visit to crisis-hit Almondbury School. 6 December 2018. Examiner Live. 6 December 2018. Sutcliffe. Robert.
  11. Web site: Ofsted Monitoring Visit 2019 . ofsted.gov.uk . 23 December 2020. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright
  12. News: Is behaviour at Almondbury Community School out of control? Third video emerges of fight on fields. 1 December 2018. Examiner Live. 30 November 2018. Lavigueur. Nick.
  13. Web site: Special measures monitoring inspection of Almondbury Community School . hillviewacademy.co.uk . 21 December 2021 . PDF . November 2019.
  14. News: Teenager to be charged with assault after 'Syrian refugee' is allegedly attacked at Huddersfield school. 28 November 2018. The Telegraph. 28 November 2018.
  15. News: Theresa May blasts sickening video of Syrian boy 'waterboarded' in UK school. 1 December 2018. The Mirror. 1 December 2018.