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

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Please watch the video below to find out what some of our employees and pupils say, and begin the first steps to a career in Ad Astra where you too can make a difference.

Children at seven primary schools across Teesside are set to benefit from a new project after a £50,000 cash boost.

It follows a successful bid to SHINE, an education charity that works with schools and other organisations, to help disadvantaged children fulfil their true potential.

The schools, in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees, are all part of Ad Astra Academy Trust and the money will be used to improve speech and language skills of 3 and 4-year-olds.

Philippa Kermotschuk, Deputy Lead for School Improvement with Ad Astra Academy Trust, said: “We are seeing an increasing number of children entering our schools with below average speech and language skills.

“We want to ensure that all of our children get off to the best possible start at school and this funding will help us to focus on the children who need additional support to bring their speech and language skills to the required level.”

The SHINE grant of £52,080 will be spent over a two-year period. It will involve various initiatives including the appointment of speech and language champions at each school and programmes for parents to help them support and encourage their children.

Dr Helen Rafferty, Interim Chief Executive Officer of SHINE, said: “SHINE is delighted to be working with the Ad Astra Academy Trust on this important and inspiring project.

“We know that the early years of a child’s educational journey are critically important in giving them the best possible chances in life, and that speech and communication is one of the most vital skills our children can develop.

“We are looking forward to seeing many more children in the region find their voice and thrive throughout their school years.”

Andy Brown OBE, Chief Executive Officer for Ad Astra Academy Trust, commented: “We are delighted to receive financial support from SHINE and there’s no doubt it will help to raise standards and aspirations of our young children.”

It’s felt that the increased reliance on technology in recent years and a rise in poverty across our communities are the main contributory factors to young children lacking basic speech and language skills.

Leanne Todd, Headteacher of Rosebrook Primary School, added: “It is so important that children get off to a good start with their speech and acquisition of language as it enables them to succeed in all areas of the curriculum as well as to socialise and interact with others.

“The initiative will help our schools to identify issues at an early stage in a child’s development, meaning we can intervene sooner to enable all children to keep up or catch up.”

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

Issued by Alastair Rae on behalf of Ad Astra Academy Trust. For further information, contact Alastair on 0758 1239557.