What's Different?

What makes the Trust's academies different?

• Access to a wide-range of opportunities so everyone can find something they excel at. The David Ross Foundation develops sustainable partnerships with outstanding organisations such as Clare College and Peterhouse at Cambridge University, Future Leaders, LAMDA, Old Vic Theatre, Oxford Philomusica, Royal College of Music, Teach First, The University of Nottingham, Uppingham Collegiate and The Voices Foundation, etc. The Foundation's support for their outreach work provides increased opportunities for academies' staff, students and communities

• Access to a range of development opportunities including senior leadership team conferences, summer schools, residential trips and scholarships

• Access to cross sector infrastructure support services. By sponsoring regional networks of primary, secondary and special academies in the East Midlands (specifically Northamptonshire and North East Lincolnshire) and Yorkshire we are creating infrastructure hubs to support academies to be self-improving

• Shape and influence the foundation's work. The foundation does not have a blue print that all academies must follow. Each academy is different, it must be if it is to serve its community effectively. Each academy brings a range of experiences and skills which have a direct influence on what services academies provide to each other, how the regional hubs develop and how we share best practice relative to the challenges the academies face

• Effective student transition across the primary/secondary phases to ensure all children are well-prepared and supported as they successfully transfer to the next key stage. Our deliberate strategy to engage and include feeder primaries into our networks aims to address the issues around transition including consistency of provision. We will use the specialisms of the secondary academies and the foundation's partnerships to support our transition programme.