Wickersley Partnership Trust strives to be an outstanding group of five secondary and eight primary schools where pupils have a highly positive educational experience that prepares them well for the next stage of education and provides them with opportunities to develop socially, emotionally, academically and physically to achieve the highest possible standards. The climate for learning is characterised by embedded inclusivity and high expectations from the whole Trust community for the Trust learning community. We are one school on several different sites. Pupils in our care are happy, enthusiastic resilient and purposeful learners. All staff are supported thoroughly in their professional development through the dissemination of best practice and collaboration, and through reflecting and debating on their practice. All pupils are supported to reach their full potential and those pupils who fall behind are helped to make rapid progress through effective action ensuring all pupils make at least good progress. The Trust is closing the gap for all groups of pupils and national figures rapidly.

From the October 2019 census, our academies have 6251 students within them and an additional 160 in our F1 provision and they serve a diverse community culturally, ethnically and socially. 10% of the school population are classed as EAL and at least 20 different languages are spoken. We have a number of refugee families with a proportion of these children placed as part of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. These children come to our academies with no English and sometimes significant care needs. Some schools sit on the border between Rotherham and Sheffield with a proportion of children not coming from Trust catchment area or local authority. One school sits out of Rotherham completely and is situated in Gainsborough.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is currently at 22.3% (ranges between 3.6% and 53.2%). This figure has been impacted on in recent years due to the advent of universal free school meals in KS1 and also reflects the fluctuation of children ‘on and off’ benefits. The percentage of pupils who qualify for Pupil Premium funding within the Trust is 32% (ranges between 5% and 66%). These figures do not include Early Years funding. FSM data also no longer accurately represents the cohort of pupils from deprived areas or near the poverty line in our community.

Under the revised SEN code of practice, the percentage of children identified across the Trust as SEND was 19% in October 2019. 10% of these pupils (120) have an EHC Plan. Children across the Trust often begin their education working at average or below average and leave broadly in line with national.

Through perceptive and accurate self-evaluation and a staunch commitment to school improvement, each school tackles underperformance and is committed to raising standards.