Bright future for Long Sutton’s Peele Community College with ‘adoption’ by UAH sponsor on cards

Long Sutton’s troubled Peele Community College is poised to become an academy under the wing of the University of Lincoln’s Lincolnshire Educational Trust (LET).

Becoming an academy was forced on Peele after education inspectorate Ofsted branded the school “inadequate” following an inspection last July.

I think it’s going to mean some huge opportunities for our students ...

If Peele becomes part of LET, which also sponsors University Academy Holbeach (UAH), it looks like a dream outcome for Long Sutton pupils as their school’s educational standards are certain to rise and there may be closer ties with the hugely successful UAH.

Peele head teacher Jane Moody said: “It’s very exciting, I am very pleased.

“I think it’s going to mean some huge opportunities for our students. The nearest Lincolnshire Educational Trust school is University Academy Holbeach and I had already been speaking to (its principal) Steve Baragwanath because he’s my nearest, local successful secondary head.

“I am very hopeful that the two schools can work closely together in the future. It makes sense. We have got resources that they don’t have and they have got resources that we don’t have. It seems like such a good match.”

Mrs Moody said she originally approached Mr Baragwanath for help because she was new in post.

“I did approach him as a mentor for a start – and for guidance – and he’s been incredibly helpful,” she said. “No school is an island and we can only benefit by working together.”

Peele won’t be involved in the final decision on joining LET.

Heather Sandy, Lincolnshire County Council’s assistant director for children’s services, explained what had happened so far.

She said: “Plans for The Peele Community College to become an academy are progressing well and very recently the regional school commissioner gave his approval for the college to become a member of the Lincolnshire Educational Trust.

“Considerable work between representatives of the college, the Lincolnshire Educational Trust and the local authority has been taking place to facilitate the sponsorship and to enable the trust to carry out their due diligence exercise. The findings of this will then be presented to the trust board ahead of any final decision being taken.”

No date has been given for that decision but Mrs Moody hopes the LET sponsorship will go ahead and be in place by September.

Mrs Moody was head of science at Peele and became head teacher in September, following the departure of Elizabeth Smith, the fourth head to leave in eight years.

Previously ...

Long Sutton’s Peele Community College confident of bouncing back from damning Ofsted report

Peele head quits to move abroad

University Academy Holbeach A-Level students excel and set new record