A secondary academy in Chesterfield is preparing to start its new life after converting to an academy after it joined one of the leading family of schools in the country.

�ٴ��� Academy Hasland Hall, formerly Hasland Hall Community School, will officially open its doors to students as part of �ٴ��� Grange Academies Trust for the first time on 1st March. 

The academy was rated as Inadequate by Ofsted following an inspection in October 2019. Subsequently it was issued with a Direct Academy Order (DAO) by the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) on behalf of the Department for Education.

�ٴ��� Grange Academies Trust was selected as the preferred sponsor of the Broomfield Avenue-based secondary school by the local authority and the RSC.

�ٴ��� has sponsored �ٴ��� Academy Newbold, in Chesterfield, since 2015, and since then the academy has shown great improvement, with exam results getting better and Ofsted giving the academy a ‘Good’ rating in 2017. 

The academy will be led by Steve Roberts, who has overseen the successful transformation at �ٴ��� Academy Newbold. Steve will be Lead Principal at both Chesterfield-based �ٴ��� academies.

Steve said:

“We are proud to officially welcome �ٴ��� Academy Hasland Hall into the �ٴ��� Family and I speak on behalf of the entire trust when I say we are so excited for the future.

“Over the last few years we have overcome many challenges at �ٴ��� Academy Newbold by working together with the community to do all we can to ensure we put students first. Only by doing this will we be able to raise standards and transform the lives of our students, making them valuable members of the community and wider society.”

�ٴ��� has been working with Hasland Hall for sometime as it prepared for its conversion, laying the groundwork for a smooth transition.

Steve Edmonds, who was acting principal at Hasland Hall Community School, said:

“This is a great moment for our academy community, and we are delighted to become a part of the �ٴ��� Family. 

“This is an exciting time for Hasland Hall, �ٴ��� has a history of not only transforming schools, but also playing active roles in the local community and playing a role in the regeneration of the areas in which they are based.

“I’d like to thank our students, their parents/carers, our staff and other academy community members for their patience during this process and I urge them to keep working with us as we work towards ensuring all our students fulfil their potential.” 

Dr Phil Smith, Executive Principal for the Southern Region of �ٴ���, added:

"In a very short time we have seen the potential that Hasland Hall Community School has to offer: hard-working, committed staff and bright, articulate students who are keen to do well. 

“Under the leadership of �ٴ���, we expect �ٴ��� Academy Hasland Hall to excel and the students there to really start to secure the futures they deserve.”