Bede Academy, Blyth

Bede Academy is a 3–18 academy in Blyth, Northumberland, England. Opened in September 2009, it is run by the Emmanuel Schools Foundation. It was one of the first all-through academies to be set up in the United Kingdom, and the first in the North of England. School performance and inspection judgements The school's first full inspection by Ofsted was in 2012, with a judgement of Good. There was a second full inspection in 2017, also with a judgement of Good. In 2019, the school's Progress 8 benchmark was below average. The proportion of children entered for the English Baccalaureate was 61%, compared to 43% for the local authority overall. 36% of children at the school achieved at least grade 5 in GCSE English and maths, compared to 43% for the local authority overall. At A level in 2019, the average grade achieved by students at the school was C, and the average points score 29.62, compared to C+ and 32.59 for the local authority overall. Of students from the school who go on to university, "Many are the first in their family to attend university". Governance The Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF), established by entrepreneur Sir Peter Vardy, had previously opened three other schools: Emmanuel City Technology College in Gateshead (1990), The King's Academy in Middlesbrough (2003) and Trinity Academy in Thorne, Doncaster (2005). In October 2010, Vardy announced his retirement as sponsor of the group and its transition to the United Learning Trust. After exploring the integration of the ESF schools into the ULT, it was later announced in February 2012 that the Department for Education had agreed in principle to the four schools returning to their own independent governance, as a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Vardy had originally planned to establish seven schools, and in 2019, ESF adopted Grace College, Gateshead, and Christ's College, Sunderland, into the MAT. Ethos and values The academy has a non-denominational Christian ethos. Originally, it promoted the seven core values of ESF, namely: Honourable Purpose, Humility, Compassion, Integrity, Accountability, Courage and Determination. For children in the primary years, these were simplified to "Be Good", "Be Humble", "Be Kind", "Be Honest", "Be Responsible" and "Be Brave and Determined". Bede Academy gained a School of Sanctuary Award in 2022. In 2009 the primary section of the Academy was criticised for suggesting that children might be expelled if their parents repeatedly parked on parts of the school site where parking is not allowed; a local councillor said that this was not in line with the school's Christian values. Facilities Buildings The academy buildings were purpose-built in 2009, designed by architects Howarth Litchfield Partnership with consulting engineers Cundall, and constructed by Surgo Construction. The "North" site housing the secondary school was built on the site of the former Ridley High School and the "South" primary school on the site of the former South Beach First School. Its secondary accommodation comprises over 50 classrooms, a main hall (seating 500), lecture theatre (seating 200), a large sports hall, a dance studio, fitness suite, learning resource centre, sixth form study area, drama studio, recording studio, specialist engineering rooms, restaurant and multi-use games area (MUGA). The building has natural air circulation systems augmented by air conditioning, and has a ground-source heat pump-based heating system with bores covering a large section of the car park. For the 2012 academic year, the former Sixth Form block of Ridley High School was redeveloped to house the Bede Academy Sixth Form. Sports In addition to the sports facilities on the North and South sites, the academy also owns the land of the former Delaval Middle School site which was developed into a cricket pitch with pavilion along with a number of other sports facilities. Leadership During the school's initial development, Nigel McQuoid, former Principal of Emmanuel College, Gateshead and subsequently ESF's Director of Schools, was the Executive Principal of Bede Academy. McQuoid left the organisation a few months before to the completion of the building and the school's opening. From 2009 to 2010 Liz Clubbs, formerly Headteacher at South Beach First School, was the founding Principal of the primary years with Gwyneth Evans, who was previously a Vice-Principal at Emmanuel College, Gateshead, leading the secondary years. Gwyneth Evans then became Principal with Irene Watson and subsequently Bethan Harding serving as the headteacher of the primary years site. Gwyneth Evans left in 2018 and Andrew Thelwell joined as the Principal (Secondary Years) in April 2019, Bethan Harding having been made Principal (Primary Years). In 2013, ESF reorganised its senior management structures with the result that Jonathan Winch, Principal of Emmanuel College, was appointed Executive Principal of Bede Academy. He subsequently left the organisation. Admissions In 2017, the Office of the Schools Adjudicator found that the school's admission arrangements were unclear and unfair, and required the school to revise them. The school was criticised for prioritising siblings of current pupils in its admission process. School Life Curriculum The academy follows the National Curriculum and has academic specialists grouped into Mathematics, English, Science (including physics, chemistry and biology specialists), Engineering, Sport, Modern Foreign Languages (French and German), History, Geography, Music, Drama and Philosophy, Theology and Ethics (encompassing religious, personal and social education) departments. Publications The academy publishes a newsletter, Bede Chronicle, once per term and an annual Year Book each autumn. Events and Performing Arts The academy holds events, including student concerts, as well as the Reg Vardy Band and pianist Francesco Attesti, talent shows, quizzes, cookery competitions and tea parties for local residents. Sport The academy has teams for a number of different sports, many of which have won local and regional titles. It competes in rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, rowing, fencing, and tennis. The schools of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation also hold the annual ESF Olympics, in which students participate against other schools in the group. Houses The academy operates a house system, a key for pastoral organisation, as well as inter-school competitions and sports matches. The four houses are named after Christian saints with a connection to the North East of England: Aidan Cuthbert Oswald Edwin The houses compete for the House Cup, awarded at the annual Presentation Day each summer. While Aidan, Cuthbert and Oswald have been houses since the creation of the academy, Edwin House was added in September 2023 In the Media In October 2022, the school appeared in an episode of the BBC programme We are England - Educating Blyth. The episode followed the daily life of four students at home, at school and at the workplace, as they endeavour to become the engineers of the future and contribute to Blyth’s resurgence as a modern industrial powerhouse. References External links Bede Academy website DCSF EduBase details for Bede Academy