The Dorney School has been taken out of Special Measures as it forms a new Multi-Academy Trust with Burnham Grammar School.

As of Thursday June 1, Dorney School joined the secondary school in the Beeches Learning And Development Trust, which was created following a request from the Department for Education.

 

Burnham Grammar School will be supporting the staff of The Dorney School to improve their already high standard of teaching, as well as assist in the behind the scenes running of the school.

Dr Andy Gillespie, headteacher at Burnham Grammar School said: “Under the direction of new headteacher Henrik Rademacher the teaching team at Dorney have transformed teaching and learning since the Ofsted inspection. This is an exciting, vibrant, forward looking school which we are delighted to support.

“With the current state of school finances, arrangements such as Multi-Academy Trusts are a key way for schools to share back room services and save money.

“Our Investors in People Gold Award, Investors in People Champion status and nationally recognised professional development programmes, Burnham Grammar is aptly placed to help Dorney to develop the already high standard of practice of their teachers ensuring that inspirational learning  leads Dorney out of special measures.”

The Multi-Academy Trust status was requested by the Department of Education following the Ofsted inspection in the summer of 2015 which put The Dorney School into special measures. Burnham Grammar School was approached as the ‘sponsor’ for the primary school, and hard work behind the scenes in the setting up of the MAT will help both schools and has been taking place over the last year.

Mr Rademacher, added: “"At Dorney we are delighted to start our new partnership with Burnham Grammar School, which will bring benefits to both schools.”

Being part of the MAT and transforming into an Academy automatically removed Dorney School out of special measures.