Dudley Academies Trust

Dudley Academies Trust was formed in September 2017, uniting four secondary schools under the sponsorship of Dudley College of Technology, which is one of the UK’s leading FE colleges and rated ‘Excellent’ by Ofsted. The schools are: Beacon Hill Academy, Pegasus Academy, St James Academy and The Link Academy.

On the 1st February 2020, Blowers Green became the first primary school to join Dudley Academies Trust.

The Trust, when combined with the sponsor, annually supports 8,500 young people aged 11 to 19 years old and employs almost 1,100 staff.

The Trust has a strong emphasis on providing the very best educational experience for pupils so they can experience both academic and personal success. It has a strong central team that works across the schools to ensure that our aspirations for them are put into practice. We believe that our investment in people, technology and our estate makes the Trust an attractive employer for anyone who wishes to work in a progressive, environment where achievement is valued.

Our Chief Executive, Jo Higgins, joined us after a career in school leadership in South Yorkshire, where she led Penistone Grammar School for ten years. She also contributed to the borough wide school improvement system in Barnsley and she led the application process for a cross phase MAT of eleven schools.

As a school leader, Jo is motivated by the conviction that all young people should be able to access outstanding provision, irrespective of their starting point in life. As part of her previous work she has driven rapid school improvement, and brings this experience to help strengthen each school's performance.

The vision for Dudley Academies Trust is that our family of schools will be the first choice for young people and parents in north and central Dudley. We will achieve this through:

• innovative teaching and learning supported by a team of expert practitioners who work across our schools
• access to the latest available learning technologies
• a relentless focus on aspiration
• a rich, broad and varied curriculum, meeting the needs of learners of all abilities
• providing clear pathways to educational advancement and employment
• instilling positive values in our learners through a system of Values Driven Expectations that rewards achievement and good behaviour
• developing a culture in which our staff can contribute, develop and thrive.