Since January, Principal Georgina Charles has been leading the transformation of Gracewood Academy after it joined Future Academies last year.
The Potters Bar secondary school is aiming to become ‘a first choice for families’ and become a school that its pupils, their parents and the local community ‘can be proud of’, says Ms Charles.
There have been lots of changes to the school since it became a part of Future Academies. Since becoming Gracewood Academy in December, the school has undergone a significant transformation rooted in higher expectations, a more ambitious curriculum and a culture of excellence. Alongside visible changes such as a new name, refreshed uniform and new staff appointments, these developments have helped establish a clear vision for the future of the school.
And, so far, the changes are making a marked difference. In this summer’s GCSEs, ‘we’ve had our best English results ever in the history of the school,’ smiles Ms Charles. ‘The fact that over 25% of our young people got over a grade seven is historic; last year, 0% did, so we’ve made a huge rise there and that’s a real strength.’
This success has been recognised beyond the school grounds, too. ‘Our local MP wrote to us on both results days to praise the turnaround. We’ve seen the best results here in almost a decade,’ explains Ms Charles. She says this historic lift in standards showcases the effects that the changes in culture, the implementation of a new curriculum, and the improvement in behaviour are having on a fundamental level.
The academy boasts a small but mighty cohort of 400 students, which Ms Charles and many parents see as a huge advantage: ‘We do know everyone by name, and we know them really well,’ she says.
All the pupils and staff engage with Gracewood’s values of integrity, courage and excellence. This ethos helps the students to be proud of the school they attend, learn how to be resilient and prepare themselves for life by becoming rounded individuals.
The school’s motto is ‘we grow a little every day,’ explains Ms Charles, ‘which is a simple way that we think about every day being a fresh start and an opportunity to excel. But it also mirrors the journey we're on as a school – one of growth – and they're very much part of that. It's not happening to them; it's happening with them.’
This focus on growth is reflected in the environment surrounding the school. The grounds are vast and full of trees, and these trees represent the growth that each child will be making every day at Gracewood.
As one of the school’s core values is excellence, Ms Charles wants to ensure that ‘excellence is visible’. One of her favourite ways of recognising student success is by hosting an awards breakfast once per half term in her office. She explains the importance of this: ‘Students tell us they feel really noticed by staff here for doing the right thing in the academy. They know they will be celebrated for their achievements. In some schools, the loudest poorly behaved children can often capture most attention, but we are really passionate about excellence being celebrated to empower all pupils to be their best.’
This shift in focus to positive reinforcement and giving praise where it’s due has been vital in the transition to this new era for Gracewood. The teachers and staff are integral to achieving this. ‘We talk regularly with staff about being warm and demanding,’ reflects Ms Charles. ‘What we mean by that is that we're warm, we know children well and we praise them, but we also hold that really tightly in coalition with high demands. That means that we do expect them to listen to their teachers. We do expect them to work exceptionally hard, and they will be held to account if they're not doing that. That's what they deserve and that's the kindest thing we can do.’
Beyond the classroom, opportunities are endless, thanks to the support of Future Academies, the multi-academy trust with whom Gracewood works. It provides support for enrichment, including the necessary funding, so the school can be intentional with what it offers outside of lessons.
These after-school activities are non-negotiable for Ms Charles: ‘We want all young people to have access to a core entitlement of enrichment when they come to us, just like a curriculum,’ she states.
The academy offers activities related to sport, music, drama, academics and more. One of the highlights is Future Scholars. This group is for young people who are interested in attending university, so they will be invited to enriching opportunities, which concludes in having afternoon tea at the House of Lords. ‘Our pupils talk about how special this visit was in the summer,’ says Ms Charles.
The school experience is not just lessons and clubs; it’s about the whole community and the support network that exists within that. For Gracewood pupils, support is always accessible – every year group has a pastoral manager – and visible – all of the pastoral staff will be out on the playground or in the pastoral area at break times and lunch.
The school focuses on ‘quality-first teaching’ for all pupils. Ms Charles believes, ‘Really great teachers are really great teachers of children with SEND, because they explain things clearly and they're very supportive, which we know is necessary for all children to thrive.
‘If all of our teachers do that to begin with, it should already be inclusive. We think all the time about our most vulnerable children first, because if they succeed, then that's a really good barometer that we're doing a good job.’
For those students with additional needs, there is also our inclusion team. Plus, the school works very closely with their parents to ensure their child is getting the most out of their experience. ‘We believe that if you've got a child that has barriers to learning and is vulnerable, then you need an even deeper connection to the school,’ says Ms Charles, ‘so we expect to see you more and hear from you more.’ One of the ways Gracewood builds these connections is by hosting SEND coffee mornings and bringing parents into the school environment.
Rebuilding relationships with parents has been one of Ms Charles’s key tasks since she started in January. ‘The contract between parents and school had broken down here in years gone by’ she reflects ‘Sadly some trust had been lost from parents of Mount Grace. We have been really keen to hear from parents and rebuild that relationship as raising young people is a team effort.’
Since then, Gracewood has made a conscious effort to invite parents into the school community and create that line of communication. ‘We do think really carefully about how we engage with parents and make sure that they feel that they can reach out and we can invite in,’ explains Ms Charles.
Another aim for the coming months is to create a ‘Friends of Gracewood’ group, so parents and school staff can work even closer together, so they can openly discuss the academy’s values, behaviour and school life.
One of the biggest endorsements of the school’s positive changes is the fact that ‘a lot of our staff send their children to us and actually some staff have moved their young people from local schools to us. And I think that's a real testament to the work we're doing here. We're really proud of our school and the changes happening. And, as a team, we firmly believe that this is the place that young people can thrive,’ highlights Ms Charles.
This is just the start of the changes and improvements happening at Gracewood. The school buildings are becoming more modern, opportunities are expanding, and there are even hopes for post-16 education returning. ‘We’d love to be a place that offers post-16 [education] in the future. We really want to make sure that our provision is excellent quality and then we absolutely will look to do that,’ says Ms Charles.
Reflecting on her journey at Gracewood so far, Ms Charles notes, ‘When I stand in front of whole school assembly, I look out and see a group of young people who have risen to the challenge we have set out for them and want and deserve amazing outcomes and futures.
‘I find assemblies a symbolic moment, where our community are together in one room and we can reflect on just how much has been achieved already in nine months’.
Gracewood Academy is hosting open evenings and mornings for prospective students and parents, so they can see the new look and feel of the academy for themselves and hear from Ms Charles too. Register your interest for the open one of the two open mornings on September 30 and October 2 or reach out via the website for a private tour.
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