Formal consultation on capacity expansion from 750 to 900 students.

Introduction

This document initiates a formal consultation regarding the proposed rebuild and expansion of Castle Manor Academy in Haverhill. The purpose of this consultation is to inform local stakeholders, parents, and relevant authorities of a proposed increase in the capacity of the new school building, and to invite feedback on the proposal. This aims to accommodate future needs in line with Local Authority pupil forecasts and ensure the Academy remains fit for purpose in the coming years.

Background

Castle Manor Academy currently accommodates up to 750 students. In response to anticipated demographic changes and to future-proof the school, it is proposed to increase the building’s overall capacity to 900 students. This expansion is designed to support the local community and maintain high educational standards.

Details of Proposed Capacity Change

The proposed building capacity change involves expanding the school’s infrastructure to support up to 900 students, representing a potential increase of 150 places. This initiative is informed by recent Local Authority pupil forecasts, which highlight a sustained rise in demand for school places across the Haverhill area in future years. It is also pertinent to note the closure of the Park Road middle school site some years ago, when pupils transferred to Castle Manor Academy. At that time, the school absorbed the additional students with minimal alterations to the existing facilities, which placed pressure on resources and space. The current expansion proposal aims to ensure that the Academy is properly equipped to meet future demand, maintaining both accessibility and the quality of education for all students.

Building Specifications

The expansion will include the provision of specialist classrooms, designed to support a broad and balanced curriculum. All building works will adhere strictly to the Department for Education (DfE) standards and regulations, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and best practice in educational provision. Specialist facilities will be constructed to accommodate modern teaching methods and the diverse needs of students.

Alignment with Local Authority Forecasts

The proposal is informed by robust pupil projections provided by the Local Authority. Increasing the school building’s capacity will future-proof Castle Manor Academy, enabling it to respond effectively to anticipated future increases in student numbers. This approach supports the long-term sustainability of the school and the wider educational landscape in Haverhill.

Published Admission Number (PAN)

It is important to note that we are not proposing a change at this point to the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN), which will remain unchanged at 150 students per year group. The PAN determines the maximum number of students admitted to each year group and is distinctly different from the capacity of the school.  The increase in capacity is intended solely to accommodate future growth and ensure adequate provision for all students.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

The proposed works and operational changes will be carried out in accordance with all relevant Department for Education’s standards and regulations. The school will ensure full legal compliance throughout the expansion process, including adherence to health and safety, accessibility, and safeguarding requirements. All statutory obligations will be met to guarantee a safe and supportive environment for students and staff.

Consultation Process

Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on this proposal during the consultation period. Comments, suggestions, and challenges may be submitted via the following channels:

• Email: consultation@castlemanor.org.uk.
• Post: Attn. CMA Consultation, Unity Schools Partnership, Homefield Road, Haverhill, CB9 8QP.

All responses must be submitted by Thursday 30th April 2026. Every submission will be carefully reviewed and considered prior to any final decision. If you wish to challenge any aspect of the proposal, please clearly state your grounds and supporting evidence in your submission. Following the consultation, a final statement will be confirmed to the Department for Education by 15/05/2026.

Conclusion

In summary, the proposed expansion of Castle Manor Academy’s buildings from 750 to accommodate up to 900 students aims to ensure the school remains responsive to meet future demand, without immediately altering the Published Admission Number. We encourage all stakeholders to participate in this consultation and share their views. The outcome of this process will inform the next steps and final decision regarding the capacity increase.

Imagine a child’s education as a rising brick wall. Each ‘brick’ represents a different element of their growth – from traditional subjects to enrichment activities, oracy skills to social development.

But a wall is only as strong as its foundation. We liken the bottom row of our wall to early educational skills like phonics and early numeracy. If these bricks are missing or crumbly, the rows laid on top will always be unstable.

Then there are the holes in the wall. When a child misses school or struggles with a concept that goes unaddressed, it leaves a physical hole. As the wall gets higher, these gaps make the entire structure lean.

Mortar is what holds everything together. It represents a child’s ability to connect new lessons to their real-life experiences. Without that connection, new “bricks” won’t stick. They simply sit loosely until they eventually fall off.

For students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the challenge is often that they’ve had fewer opportunities to lay those initial bricks. Our mission is to stabilise the wall, ensuring that high quality teaching and learning – in every lesson, every day – allows our young people to leave our schools with a life of choice and opportunity.

This academic year, we have been working closely with Marc Rowland, a recognised national expert on the Pupil Premium, to drive our project ‘Paper to Practice’.

Pupil Premium is the annual government funding for schools in England designed to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

In the Autumn term, we gave additional training to all our pupil premium leaders and we are now in the process of visiting every single school in our Trust to ensure that our priorities on paper match the actual experiences and what learning looks like for the children who attend our schools.

This allows us to move beyond a ‘one size fits all’ approach, ensuring that our Trust-wide Pupil Premium approach is bespoke to the needs of every setting.

By focusing on securing foundational knowledge and enabling rich social experiences, we are addressing the core pillars of student success. This includes prioritising attendance and committing to establishing a sense of belonging for all.

It is crucial students are in the classroom to lay those vital bricks while our programmes like Children’s University help build confidence and ‘cultural capital’.

We are incredibly proud to share that our commitment to disadvantaged pupils is getting noticed at national levels.

Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, recently sent letters to several of our headteachers, recognising how their schools demonstrated “excellent outcomes” for disadvantaged pupils at the end of the 2024/25 academic year – placing them among the very best nationally.

While we celebrate these successes, Unity Schools Partnership remains committed to supporting our pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds every step of the way.

By Toni Kittle, Director of Secondary Education, Unity Schools Partnership

Unity Schools Partnership is delighted to announce that our plans for a new special school in Saxmundham have been given the go-ahead.

The Trust, which runs 40 schools – including five special schools – across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire – has today received news that the new school has been approved for opening by Suffolk County Council.

The 126-place school, in Seaman Avenue and on the site of the former Saxmundham SET Free School, will provide facilities for pupils aged between three and 16 years old who have severe learning difficulties.

Georgina Ellis, Executive Director of SEND at Unity Schools Partnership, said: “Creating the right SEND provision has long been a key priority for Unity Schools Partnership.

“We are proud of the reputation we have built across Suffolk and beyond for providing these dedicated facilities and supporting SEND children – whether in bespoke schools or across our mainstream settings.

“We are acutely aware of the specific need for a specialist SEND school in North Suffolk and we are looking forward to working with partners to deliver a setting that the whole community can be proud of.”

The new school, which will be funded by the Department for Education, has been agreed by Suffolk County Council in line with its SEND sufficiency plans, which outlines how specialist provision should be delivered across the county.  

Andrew Reid, Cabinet member for Education and SEND at Suffolk County Council, said: “This new school is great news for SEND families in east Suffolk and is testament to our commitment to create additional specialist school places in response to the growing needs of our community.

“The council has spent time carefully mapping the needs and disabilities of children and young people across Suffolk and evidencing where provision is most needed. This new provision is one of other announcements to follow about extra places.”

Unity Schools Partnership currently runs five special schools in Suffolk and Essex – Churchill School in Haverhill, Ipswich-based The Bridge School and Sir Bobby Robson School, Sir Peter Hall School in Bury St Edmunds and The Compass School in Romford.

I’m writing these words at the end of my first week as the Chief Executive of Unity Schools Partnership and I’m feeling an appropriate mix of excitement for what’s possible (‘What great schools! What amazing pupils!’) and awe at the responsibility (‘What a lot of schools! What a huge number of pupils!’)

I’m also very happy to be back in the East of England, the part of the world I’ve spent my entire adult life, apart from the last year. I arrived as an 18-year-old at teacher training college in Cambridge, where I met my wife (a native of Norfolk), and we’re really glad to be back in what, for us, is the best place in the country to live.

Such is the halo effect of homecoming, I’m even having warm feelings about the A14 and A11…let’s see how long that lasts!

With 25+ years of working in education under my belt, I’ve seen and done quite a few things that I’ll bring to my work at Unity Schools Partnership. But one consistent thread has been the use of technology to support teaching and learning.

This is all started when, as a newly qualified teacher with a class full of Year 5s, my Head said to me ‘I’ve noticed that you use the computer mouse with only one hand – would you like to be in charge of IT?’

If I’d known then that this path would eventually see me, early-pandemic, leading a national webinar on remote teaching from my shed, I’d probably have politely declined.

In this past week, I’ve visited several Unity schools and seen technology being put to really effective use. This has ranged from teachers using tablets to cast their lesson to the whiteboard, free to move around the classroom and support children, to pupils having their understanding in Maths pushed further and faster by a well-designed app that knows the exact skills they need to practice.

Examples like these remind me of Steve Jobs’ famous description of computers as ‘a bicycle of the mind’ and it’s brilliant that so many pupils in our schools have access to an iPad.

This isn’t to say that technology is an unquestioned ‘good thing’. There is a world of difference between providing children with a secure, safe and managed device containing software specifically designed to support learning and permitting the unconstrained use of phones in school.

If fact, I fully support Headteachers who decide that the very best thing they can do to help their pupils learn is to remove the distraction and the negatives that mobile phones can bring, and to free up children’s capacity to focus on what we’ve always known makes education effective – great teachers using a powerful curriculum to deliver engaging lessons.

Technology in service of learning needs to be our guiding principle as we prepare our children to become adults in a digitally rich world.

Dominic Norrish, Chief Executive, Unity Schools Partnership

Unity Stars Nurseries is proud to announce the opening of its second location in Haverhill, scheduled to open on September 1st, 2025.

Building on the success of its flagship nursery in Chalkstone Way, this expansion reflects the growing demand from families seeking high-quality, nurturing, and educational childcare.

The new nursery, located in Norton Road, shares the same ambitions for providing outstanding levels of care and learning opportunities that have become hallmarks of the Unity Stars experience.

The facility is currently undergoing an extensive programme of refurbishment and will feature two bright, spacious rooms, secure outdoor play areas, and age-appropriate learning environments designed to support each child’s individual development.

Unity Stars Nurseries is proud to be part of Unity Schools Partnership, and its well-established curriculum – Curriculum with Unity Schools Partnership (CUSP) – which serves over 800 schools throughout the UK, as well as a growing number overseas.

CUSP Early Foundations celebrates learning for the youngest of children. Recognising the fundamental importance of all children having access to rich language from the earliest possible stage, the curriculum is underpinned by explicit vocabulary instruction and research-focused pedagogy. Combining these has led to exceptional outcomes for children.

“We are thrilled to bring our unique approach to early childhood education to more families,” said Gemma Frost, Director of Early Years Education at Unity Schools Partnership.

“Opening a second nursery allows us to support the community further, create new job opportunities, and continue our mission of providing safe, stimulating, and supportive settings where children can grow and thrive.”

The new nursery will cater for children age 0-4 years and enrolment is now open.

Families are invited to attend an open house on Wednesday 20th August between 2pm-4pm, to tour the facility, meet the staff and learn more about the curriculum offered.

Find out more

For enquiries or further details on enrolment, please visit www.unitystars.org.uk, email info@unitystars.org.uk or call 01440 333181.

A village school is celebrating after Ofsted inspectors suggested they were moving towards an ‘Outstanding’ rating.

Kedington Primary Academy underwent an ungraded (Section 8) inspection from Ofsted in July – and retained its Good status achieved in March 2019.

But as part of the report, inspectors said: “The evidence gathered suggests that the

inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out

now.”

The recent report paid tribute to pupils’ behaviour, describing it as “exemplary”, and said pupils “delight in coming to school”.

It added: “Classrooms are awash with learning because pupils have highly positive attitudes toward their work. Classrooms are vibrant, happy places.

“While pupils have much fun and laughter with their friends, they know that when play stops and work starts, they are expected to concentrate and try their best. This is exactly what they do. Adults expect much of pupils, and pupils live up to these expectations.”

Executive headteacher, Vicky Doherty, and head of school, Hayley Ahlquist, said they were pleased that the report represented what they see on a daily basis.

They said: “We were delighted to receive a Good rating and the suggestion that Kedington Primary School could achieve ‘Outstanding’ just motivates the staff even more to keep enhancing the education we provide to our children.

“This report is testimony to all the hard work of staff, students, families and our school community and we thank them all.

“It perfectly highlighted our school offer, not just the academic success but also the nurturing and enriching opportunities we give to children.”

Inspectors paid tribute to the fact a “culture of respect flows through the school” and the opportunities offered to pupils – including pupils running lunchtime clubs and the ‘Kedington 50’ which offers pupil 50 different enrichment opportunities.

The report added: “Pupils across the school learn exceptionally well. They develop deep and detailed knowledge across the curriculum.

“The school ensures that pupils learn to read extremely well. The youngest pupils build strong foundations in their phonic knowledge because adults are expert in teaching reading.

“Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve exceptionally well.”

Other areas of praise was the caring and nurturing environment for children in Reception class and the fact staff were highly valued by the school with a range of training and development opportunities offered.

Tim Coulson, chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership of which Kedington is a member, said: “Not only is the trust delighted at the acknowledgment of success at Kedington Primary Academy, we are very proud that this is happening at the same time as the school is working closely with Steeple Bumpstead Primary.

“The two schools have a shared leadership structure with Vicky Doherty leading both schools and this is paying dividend at both Kedington and Steeple.”

An ungraded (Section 8) inspection from Ofsted is a routine inspection carried out at schools that have been given a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ rating.

A huge congratulations to every GCSE student who picked up their results today.

We would also like to praise all our school staff members for their support, hard work and commitment.

Breckland School said they were thrilled with the performance of students picking up their GCSE results.
Annabelle Culley-Tea, Head of School, said: “All of our students have worked incredibly hard to secure the platform for their future successes and we are looking forward to hearing of their bright and exciting futures.
“These results reaffirm the school’s commitment to ensuring that the school continues to be one which the town of Brandon and surrounding villages can be proud of.
“The school thanks the staff, families and the wider community for their support of the cohort of 2024.”

Castle Manor Academy are celebrating with Year 11 as they collect their GCSE results this morning.

The Class of 2024 achieved excellent results and were praised for showing real resilience and working incredibly hard.

Headline figures at Castle Manor are once again strong, with 56% of students gaining grades 4+ in English and Maths.

Headteacher Vanessa Whitcombe said: ‘The students should be so proud of their results. “Our congratulations go to all of them, along with best wishes for their next steps.

“They have been expertly supported by teachers and support staff and of course parents, and I would like to thank everyone involved in helping our students to reach their goals.”

70% of the 187 students taking GCSEs at County High School achieved a Grade 4 in English and Maths with 45% achieving a strong pass in those subjects.

Sally Kennedy, headteacher at County High School, said: “I am very proud of our students who have worked hard in their studies as well as contributing so positively to school life and the positive community of our school. They have demonstrated our school values of ambition and determination in their examinations.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff who worked so hard to support every student achieve their potential and we wish all our alumnae the very best in their next steps.”

GCSE and Level 2 BTEC students at Felixstowe School have been praised for showing remarkable determination and resilience throughout the last few challenging years.

The school paid tribute to the achievements of students picking up their results with many choosing to stay on at the school for sixth form.

Headteacher Emma Wilson-Downes said: “This year, our students have been incredible in rising to the challenges they have been presented with.

“The work ethic they have built and continually demonstrated will serve them well in future, and the grit and determination they have shown throughout has been nothing short of inspirational.

“We are delighted in particular with the success in our Modern Foreign Languages department, where we have seen spectacular results in French.

“We are also delighted with outcomes in Triple Science, which echoes the successes seen in the sixth form science outcomes this year.

“This year, we are thrilled that so many of our year 11 students have chosen us as their further education provider and we know they will continue to impress us as they enter the sixth form and embark on their Level 3 journey with either A Levels or vocational qualifications.”

The headteacher of Newmarket Academy has praised the hard work of students and staff following the recent GCSE results.

Headteacher Martin Witter said: “We would like to congratulate all our fantastic Year 11 students who have received their GCSE results. 

“We are delighted with the results from our students this year and we would like to pay tribute and thank all the young people, their families and all the staff at Newmarket Academy for all of their hard work over the years.  

“We are sure our students will go on and do fantastic things and we look forward to seeing and celebrating their future achievements.”

More than 220 students from Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill collected their GCSE results.

The school has paid tribute to students after 65% achieved Grade 4 or higher in both English and maths. 

Dr Kev Geall, Head of School, said: “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to see so many students delighted that their hard work has paid off. 

“I congratulate them, the staff who have worked so hard to guide them and the families who have supported them. The future is bright for this cohort of great young people.”

St Edward’s Academy was thrilled to announce another year of exceptional GCSE results – a testament to the hard work and dedication of both students and staff.

The school said they were immensely proud of the remarkable achievements across the board, with many students attaining the highest grades and setting a new benchmark for excellence at the school.

Jodie Hassan, Executive Headteacher of St Edward’s Academy, expressed her pride in the students’ accomplishments: “I am incredibly proud of all our students for their tremendous effort and commitment, which have led to these fantastic results.

“Their hard work, coupled with the unwavering support from our dedicated staff, has truly paid off. These results are a reflection of the resilience and determination our students have shown, and I couldn’t be more pleased with their success.

“This is an exciting time for St Edward’s Academy as we continue to innovate and invest in our students’ futures.

“Starting in September 2024, every student in our Sixth Form will receive an iPad as we transition to becoming an Apple School. We are confident that this advanced technology will not only enhance the learning experience but also help drive further academic success – making St Edward’s Sixth Form an institution of choice for students across East London.”

Students at Sybil Andrews Academy have been praised after achieving the school’s best ever set of results in non-Covid times.

Grade 5 figures for English and maths at the Bury St Edmunds school increased by 10% to 50% while the Grade 4 percentage for English and Maths increased by 9% to 71%.

Almost one fifth of pupils in the year group also averaged a Grade 7 or above. 

Kevin Blakey, Executive Headteacher, said: “I would like to say well done to all pupils and staff for their hard work and to Sybil Andrews parents for their support.

“This set of results validates the good judgement received from Ofsted. We are also confident that we are on an excellent trajectory for GCSE results over the coming years.” 

Joe Pointon, Head of School, added: “We know that some pupils have overcome significant personal challenges in their preparation for these qualifications and we are delighted that their perseverance and resilience have been rewarded.”

After 74% of pupils at Thomas Gainsborough School achieved a Grade 4+ in English and maths, Helen Yapp, headteacher at Thomas Gainsborough School, said: “We are delighted by our GCSE results this year.

“They are a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the students and the staff. This cohort have risen to the challenges they have faced during their secondary education, and we look forward to their continued success as they start their A-level and college courses.”

Post-16 students across Unity Schools Partnership have today been celebrating following the publication of their Level 3 results.

Praising their hard work and commitment, Tim Coulson, Chief Executive of the Trust, said: “Today is a day of pride and celebration.

“It is our privilege as educators to watch young people develop and mature and we look with pride on what they have become.

“We celebrate their successes and wish them well in the next stage of their education and lives. We are proud too to have staff with the skill and dedication that has helped young people achieve all we can see today has come to fruition.”

*****

The final sixth form cohort at County High School in Bury St Edmunds have graduated on a high with 41.5% of grades being awarded an A or A* and 64% A*-B. 

Headteacher Sally Kennedy said: “We are very proud of our sixth form students who have all worked very hard and supported each other to fulfil their potential. 

“We know the personal challenges some of our students have faced and we are very proud of the resilience and determination they have demonstrated over the past two years. 

“We wish them the very best as they move onto their next adventure and look forward to them returning to inspire the next generations of students at County High School.”

Despite the challenging circumstances of the past few years, and the return to pre-pandemic grading, Felixstowe School students are celebrating their recent Level 3 qualifications, which show strongly improving headline figures on last year, particularly in the numbers of students achieving the top grades.

Headteacher Emma Wilson-Downes said: “The students at Felixstowe School can be rightly proud of their achievements, and proud of being Felixstownians, Alumni of Felixstowe School Sixth Form.

“The support and kindness they have shown to each other, alongside the work ethic they have built and continually demonstrated, will be a huge asset to them in their future careers.

“It is a great testament to their continued high aspirations that 60% of this year group will be going on to study at University, the highest proportion the school has seen move on to Higher Education.

“We are so proud to call them our alumni, and look forward to hearing the great things that they go on to achieve in the future.”

Students at Haverhill Community Sixth Form are celebrating after picking up their Level 3 qualifications – with many achieving their first choice of university and apprenticeships.

The sixth form’s vocational results were also the best in their history.

Pete Wilson, Head of Haverhill Community Sixth Form, said: “I congratulate students and staff on all the hard work that has gone into achieving these results.  

“I’m pleased that so many of our students are moving on to their first choice of university, apprenticeship or employment.” 

A-level students at St Edward’s Academy in Romford have been praised for the “hard work and dedication” shown over the last two years.

School leaders said the results announced today reflected the tremendous effort and potential of all students.

Executive headteacher, Jodie Hassan, said: “We are incredibly proud of our students and the results they have achieved this year.

“Their hard work and determination and their lovely positivity and demeanour makes this a standout year group.

“Our students’ successes are a testament to the support from our dedicated staff and the vibrant learning community here at St Edward’s Academy.”

A-level students at Thomas Gainsborough School have been praised after 99% received an A to E grade and 81% achieving A to C’s.

Both figures were a rise on the last set of pre-Covid grades and headteacher Helen Yapp praised the commitment of students sitting exams this year.

She said: “We are very proud of the hard work, determination and resilience shown by our A-level students.
“The results are particularly pleasing when compared to the 2019 results and when we take into account the disruption to learning during their GCSEs.”

An ambitious commitment to sixth form education will see four schools join forces and provide free iPads to all post-16 students.

Under the ‘Unity Sixth’ umbrella, sixth form students at St Edward’s Academy in Romford, Thomas Gainsborough School in Great Cornard, Haverhill Community Sixth Form and Felixstowe School will benefit from a shared curriculum including presentation and lectures given by renowned speakers from business, politics and the arts.

The post-16 arm of Unity Schools Partnership will also offer all sixth form students and teachers an iPad from September 2024, for use at both school and home.

Stephen Astley, executive director of education at Unity, said: “We are hugely excited to launch Unity Sixth and its supra curriculum from September 2024.

“By the quartet of sixth forms joining forces, we believe we can offer an enhanced and enriched experience for our students as well as the very best of shared resources, teaching skills and assessment models to drive outcomes.”

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Sousa, has enthusiastically committed to help launch these lectures.

Reaction to the partnership…

Jodie Hassan, headteacher at St Edward’s Academy, said, “We are incredibly proud to be launching this world class provision for our sixth form students.

“The use of iPads throughout the taught, extra and supra curriculum will ensure our students are upskilled to be future ready. 

“The supra curriculum offer will ensure our young people have access to speakers and resources comparable to any of the top schools in the country. 

“We are extremely grateful to be part of Unity Schools Partnership as our membership has enabled us to access this outstanding provision.”

Helen Yapp, headteacher at Thomas Gainsborough School, said, “As a growing and successful Sixth Form, we are eager to ensure that all our students receive every advantage and support we can give them to enable them to achieve their potential. I am proud that our Trust is committed to the use of technology to enhance and deepen the knowledge and the experience of our students and staff.”

Emma Wilson-Downes, Headteacher at Felixstowe School, said, “This will give our sixth forms the opportunity to take the very best from each setting and really capitalise on this for the benefit of us all as a family of sixth forms.

As Unity Sixth, we know we are stronger together and this is an exciting phase in the development of this provision for our post-16 students.

“By providing iPads to students both at school and at home, Unity Sixth is ensuring that learning continues beyond the classroom, fostering independent and flexible learning environments. 

“With access to cutting-edge technology and a collaborative network, students will be well-prepared to excel academically and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

“Alongside the supra curricular offer, which will allow students to network and link with those outside our town and the wider world, this will encourage them to explore new avenues of knowledge and personal growth and inspire them to influence others as they take that step into adult life.”

Andy Hunter, headteacher at Samuel Ward Academy, said: “We have had a record number of applications to the sixth form this year and we are still interviewing prospective students this week.

“We have never had so much interest from students at other schools and we are delighted that they will be benefitting from a shared curriculum and resources as part of Unity Sixth.”

Vanessa Whitcombe, headteacher at Castle Manor Academy, said: “This is an exciting development for Haverhill Community Sixth Form and our students.

“The opportunities to learn better by learning together are enormous and we are very excited about the future for our students.”

Unity Schools Partnership can today announce that it will be extending the Autumn half term break to a fortnight – across all of its member schools.

Following a trial last year, the trust carried out a second round of consultation in January and found that the majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half term which this year will run from Monday 28th October to Friday 8th November.

Tim Coulson, chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership, said: “We would like to thank every person who took part in the two consultations and have given us their feedback and comments since we trialled the initial two-week half term in October.

“While a majority of staff and parents were in favour of the two-week half term, we acknowledge and take seriously all those comments from individuals not in favour of the proposal.

“Although there are various views, the two most significant are the cost of childcare and how learning time is made up.

“We plan again to organise additional childcare during the second week of this half-term break and individual school headteachers will explain how the learning time will be effectively addressed.”

The second round of consultation, which was launched last month, saw the trust receive 2,929 responses from parents with 58% in favour of a two-week break and 42% against the proposal.

In addition, 1,079 responses were received from staff with 89% in favour of the two-week break.

One of the main reasons behind trialling the extended October half term was to try and reduce staff and student absence during a time in the school year when figures are quite high.

The review of the trial two-week half term found that, between the half-term break and Christmas:

• Pupil absence due to illness was less in every trust school in 2023 than in 2022, and overall reduced by 25%

• Staff absence reduced by 50%.

Plans to offer more holiday activities during the two-week break in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Sudbury and Haverhill are being finalised with the potential for this to be extended into other towns covered by the trust.

In March last year, the two-week Autumn half term break was originally proposed to combat high absence and also recruitment challenges for both teaching and classroom support staff.

Mr Coulson added: “As with every trust and school across the country, staff recruitment and retention is a challenge.

“We are constantly looking at ways to address this issue and highlight why a career in education remains as important and valued as ever.”

Please click here to view the responses from parents and staff, school-by-school