Thornhill and Earlsheaton schools set to become academies

Thornhill Community Science College is to re-open as Thornhill Community Academy on June 1 and the School Partnership Trust Academies (SPTA) has been selected as lead sponsor to run Earlsheaton Technology College as an academy school.

Thornhill’s move has been made possible following successive years of significant increases in the college’s examination results and the ‘good’ rating given by Ofsted in March 2010.

Headteacher Jonny Mitchell said: “Our current strapline is Achievement for All – and it is not simply a strapline, more a guiding principle in everything that we do.”

He said that becoming an academy would mark an important step in the future development of Thornhill, both as a place of learning and as a community and the staff and students were looking forward to continued success as part of the new academy.

In addition, from September the academy will play host to a specialist provision for students with autism, serving the whole of North Kirklees.

SPTA was chosen by Earlsheaton Technology College’s Interim Executive Board, appointed by the Department for Education in October last year.

The board will continue to govern the school until the academy conversion takes place and work closely with SPTA to ensure that progress is maintained. A formal consultation period will start in the near future.

Board chairman John Broadhead said an important milestone had been reached in selecting SPTA as lead sponsor.