NPAT was established in November 2012 and is a collaboration of the following schools :

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1 12 th September 2016 Registered Address : Headlands Primary School, Bushland Road, Northampton NN3 2NS Strategic Director : Julia Kedwards Julia.Kedwards@npatschools.org To the Parents/Carers of Rectory Farm Primary School Pupils Conversion to Academy Status As you may already be aware, the Governing Body of Rectory Farm Primary School has been issued with an academy order by the Secretary of State requiring it to become an Academy. It is proposed that the school will join our Multi Academy Trust on 1 st November We are delighted to share our plans with you, to demonstrate how joining Northampton Primary Academy Trust (NPAT) will help to shape a more positive future for your school and how working in collaboration with the other schools within the Trust will provide benefits to children and families across all of our schools. NPAT was established in November 2012 and is a collaboration of the following schools : Abington Vale Primary School Ecton Brook Primary School Headlands Primary School Lings Primary School Simon De Senlis Primary School Weston Favell Primary School We are driven by a vision of innovation, high aspiration and achievement with a commitment to sport and the arts. This approach is encapsulated in our motto : Extraordinary Children Doing Extraordinary Things NPAT schools all share this common vision and are committed to these principles, whilst retaining the freedom to innovate and develop their own identity and character. NPAT improves our schools using collaboration and innovation through working as a partnership which brings together children, parents, teachers and school leaders. NPAT has been working with Rectory Farm for the last fourteen months and staff have already benefitted from the support NPAT offers through the attendance of a variety of curriculum activities Abington Vale Primary School Ecton Brook Primary School Headlands Primary School Lings Primary School Simon De Senlis Primary School In partnership with Weston Favell Primary School

2 and networking groups. It has also resulted in the successful appointment of Sarah Heslop as the new Head Teacher of Rectory Farm Primary School. All children within the NPAT partnership have access to an engaging and inspiring curriculum and will benefit from the highest standards of teaching. This is delivered through the following expectations: Teaching is consistently good or outstanding in every classroom Results are consistently above national expectations All schools are at least good or outstanding in their Ofsted grading We have prepared the attached document which includes answers to many Frequently Asked Questions relating to Academy conversion and the specific benefits of the partnership with NPAT. There is also the opportunity to answer any further questions you may have by completing the slip at the end of the document. You can find more information about academies on the DfE website : Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and the attached documentation which we hope you have found informative. We look forward to your continuing support as we work to transform Rectory Farm Primary School into an outstanding school worthy of the children entrusted to our care. Yours sincerely Julia Kedwards Strategic Director for NPAT

3 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What is an Academy Academies are publicly funded, self-governing schools for children of all abilities. The Academy trust enters into an agreement with the Secretary of State for Education that sets out its responsibilities and accountabilities for the effective running of the Academy. All Academies will be inspected by Ofsted and comply with the same rules as other schools on Special Educational needs, exclusions and admissions. Academy status gives schools the freedom to be innovative and creative with the curriculum, timetabling, staffing and governance. What is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) A Multi-Academy trust is when two or more Academies come together to form a partnership. The NPAT Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for the schools within the partnership, providing visionary strategic leadership, a focus on continuous improvement, high quality governance and a strong ethos with a caring and supportive culture. What are the main benefits of this partnership? Access to top quality staff, including a Trust leadership team who are sharply focused on securing excellence Moderation of standards across the partnership of schools to ensure the highest quality provision Greater control over finances, the money due to the school and savings through collaborative purchasing Educational benefits for all pupils as a result of additional freedoms available to academies in terms of the curriculum we offer and how we prioritise resources The opportunity to work in close and formalised partnership with other schools, and share expertise and services that will benefit all of our pupils Sharing resources and expertise, allows us to target funding towards improving front line teaching and learning Developing our own solutions collaboratively Joining up provision to remove barriers to learning Will admissions arrangements change? Northampton Primary Academy Trust will be responsible for setting the admissions arrangements for our schools. It needs to be stressed however that the admissions criteria must have regard to the National Admissions Code of Practice. There are no plans to change the admissions criteria. What does it mean for the staff at the school? All staff have the right to transfer their employment under TUPE legislation from their current employer, which is the Local Authority to NPAT. Terms and conditions will remain in line with nationally and locally agreed pay and conditions.

4 How will it affect my child s education? NPAT, as sponsor is tasked with ensuring that every pupil at Rectory Farm Primary School achieves his or her full potential We are wholly committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning and providing staff with the best professional development. What will happen to the uniform? There will be no change to the uniform. Will the name of the school change? The school will still be known as Rectory Farm Primary School from the date it becomes an academy. Will the times of the school day and holidays change? There are no plans to change the times of the school day or the term dates. Any future changes would be subject to extensive consultation with parents and carers. How do I get further information? If you have any further questions or concerns, please complete the tear-off slip below and give it to Sarah Heslop, the Head Teacher who will ensure a representative from NPAT gets in touch with you. Academy conversion query form Name. Contact Details. Query

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