New academy hub for areas of “significant educational challenges” in the North East
The Government is setting up a new academy hub for the North East Coast and Darlington in the second wave of a £10m initiative to improve school standards across the north of England.
A minimum of six schools will be part of the hub stretching across South Northumberland, North & South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham and Darlington.
Applicants have until January 29 to submit bids to set up and run the hub which will cover primary and secondary schools.
The Northern Fund for academy sponsorship application form states that…
…the hub will not only include maintained schools becoming sponsored academies, but “underperforming academies and any single academy trusts that would benefit from working with a strong sponsor” as well.
The area’s performance profile states: “significant educational challenges with some schools judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted, some with a history of underperformance and results below the national floor standard, and others at risk of being coasting schools.”
The document also advises applicants that “travel times (are) likely to be significant given the region’s geography and infrastructure”.