SHINE Academies is a growing, successful multi-academy trust based in the West Midlands. Northwood Park Primary School became a SAT (Single Academy Trust) in January 2015. The Academy converted to a Multi-Academy Trust - Northwood Park Educational Trust - when it successfully became an approved sponsor school in April 2015.

 

Since then, Lodge Farm joined the MAT as a sponsored academy in April 2016. This was a school that was seriously under-performing and became part of the Trust to benefit from the shared expertise, vision, resources and partnership that the Trust offers.

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In April 2018, Villiers Primary School joined the Trust as a ‘Good’ school, thus increasing the Trust’s capacity to support future schools. 

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The impact of the MAT is best demonstrated in the improvement that has been made at Lodge Farm. This was a failing school before academy conversion took place and served a community situated in one of the most deprived wards in the West Midlands. This school had been in special measures for over three years and yet in just 9 weeks of support, Ofsted removed the special measures and we awaited the first inspection following academisation. In November 2018, this hard work was recognised with a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating, the first the school had ever achieved! 

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In January 2018, we established a successful link with a larger, more experienced, successful MAT to work in partnership with through the next 12 months. This has been a turning point for our Trust, making us more strategic and with an in-depth understanding of the value of growth within a MAT.

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Following the success of our sponsored school, Lodge Farm have had the opportunity to share our expertise with Busill Jones, Walsall. SHINE has provided interim support to Busill Jones Primary School since September 2018, ahead of the legal conversion process and this has enabled us to spend time building capacity to ensure we have the foundations for successful future growth. The latest HMI inspection demonstrates the progress that has already been made in such a short space of time. 

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The Trust is now in a strong position to grow. There are already many MATs in existence, with more being established going forward. Some are large national trusts whilst some others are just starting out on their journey. However, few MATs will have the same level of experience, the established systems and the successful track record of SHINE Academies.

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With the addition of Busill Jones we are now responsible for the education of over 1900 pupils in the West Midlands. We have also been approached by the DfE to consider sponsoring another school in a neighbouring authority.

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In the coming years, we hope more schools will join the SHINE Academies family so that collectively we can grow in strength and ensure that even more children receive the same quality education. The Trust is well placed to support schools in the process of becoming academies by joining our Trust. Our experience of the academy sector means that we can make the transition to academy status as smooth as possible and offer support every step of the way.

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The Trust Head Office is based at Northwood Park Primary School, in the North of the city of Wolverhampton, just 5 mins away from the M54 thus meaning that it can travel to 6 other local authorities within 30 mins – Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley.