Council approves academy change for Halesowen primary school

Huntingtree Primary School’s move to the Stour Vale Academy Trust has been given the go-ahead by David Stanley, the council’s cabinet member for Children’s Services and Education.

The Huntingtree Road school will be able to join the trust from October 1.

The school has a 64-strong workforce made up of 21 teaching staff and 43 other staff who will all transfer to the trust when the changeover takes place.

The school’s latest Ofsted inspection took place in April 2024 when Huntingtree Primary was rated as a ‘good’ school.

The inspection report said: “The school sets high expectations for all pupils. They achieve well in school, particularly in writing.

“Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils work hard in lessons and want to do well. Pupils are happy and safe in school. They are well cared for.”

Stour Vale Academy Trust currency has 12 member schools including Earls High School and Oldbury Academy.

The trust says: “Our vision is to be a larger successful family of schools. Stour Vale member schools will serve their communities by providing excellent education and care which ensures both strong academic progress and a broad range of opportunities for personal development.”

Academies are still funded by the state but have the freedom to choose how the money is spent, they also are free to make their own decisions about curriculums, term times and school hours without interference from the local authority.

A multi-academy trust is a not-for-profit charity that operates a number of schools, any cash surplus must be reinvested in the trust.

The Department for Education said: “Joining a multi-academy trust remains a positive choice for schools.

“They enable the strongest leaders to take responsibility for supporting more schools, develop great teachers and allow schools to focus on what really matters – teaching, learning and a curriculum that is based on what works.”