One of the North-East’s most successful academy trusts is set to add a further primary school to its portfolio.

Sunnyside Academy in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough will join Ad Astra Academy Trust on 1 April 2022, bringing the total number of primary schools under its umbrella to eight.

Ad Astra Academy Trust was formed in 2015 and over the last seven years has grown across the Tees Valley, providing education for over 3,000 pupils and 500 employees in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.

Eighty-six per cent of its schools are judged by Ofsted to be either “outstanding” or “good”.

Sunnyside Academy – which is home to 314 pupils between the age of three and 11 – has been a single academy trust since 2014. It is a mainstream school with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) bases, including for children with visual and hearing impairments.

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer of Ad Astra Academy Trust, said “We are delighted to welcome Sunnyside Academy into our family of schools and are looking forward to supporting them to further improve through the fantastic collaboration that exists across Ad Astra schools.

“At the same time, we are looking forward to the benefits that Sunnyside Academy can bring to Ad Astra with their specialist provision and knowledge.”

Julie Sutton, Headteacher of Sunnyside Academy, commented: “Our trustees have considered a number of options in the last few years, but unanimously agreed that joining Ad Astra Academy Trust would be of significant benefit to both parties and ensure that all of our children reach their full potential.

“We have clear school improvement priorities that we are striving towards and being part of a large Trust will help us achieve our goals. Ad Astra Academy Trust has an enviable reputation in the education sector and everyone at Sunnyside is looking forward to the next chapter in our proud history.”

Last month (February), Ad Astra CEO Andy Brown, was invited to the House of Lords to share education best practice with key Government figures.

The other seven primary schools within Ad Astra Academy Trust are Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View in Hartlepool and Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Ayresome in Middlesbrough.

For further information about Ad Astra Academy Trust, visit www.adastraschools.org