Welcome From Our Principal

As Principal, I am delighted to welcome your child as a new learner in September at Beacon Hill Academy, part of Dudley Academies Trust. Beacon Hill Academy is a rapidly improving school which offers a wide range of subjects and activities for your children to choose from. I am extremely proud of what we have to offer, and I am confident that our provision is of high quality. Above all, I am committed to ensuring that your child will have the best possible life chances as a result of a first-class educational experience.

All communications sent to new parents are also posted at the bottom of this page from March onwards.

We ensure that the transition from primary to secondary school is as smooth as possible and an exciting and happy experience for your child. During May and June, we will contact your child’s primary school to learn all about their academic progress so far. Our staff then go out to all of our main feeder schools to say ‘hello’ to the learners, talk to their teachers and learn all about them and their abilities and needs. Any extra support that is needed will be noted so that it can be in place when your child comes to us. SEND staff will also make contact where appropriate.

Then, in July, all new learners will come to a block of taster days, when they will attend lessons, make new friends, get to know their teachers, get used to the behaviour and rewards system, and begin to feel at home in the academy. There will also be a meeting for all new parents and carers which you are strongly encouraged to attend.

The same level of thought is put into the start of your children’s first term in Year 7. There is a structured getting-to-know-you process and a high level of reassurance for the learners. Collaborative learning brings the children together in different groups in each lesson, so they soon get to know each other.

Pastoral support is one of our strengths. Every learner who joins us will clearly know who to talk to if they have things on their mind. Staff are approachable and always on hand; they engage with the learners rather than waiting for them to bring any concerns they might have.

Or guiding principle is that Transition should be an exciting time that motivates learners to play a full part in building their futures.

In the classroom

In every Year 7 and 8 classroom, there is a strong emphasis on English and Mathematics skills as the foundation for academic success. Our teaching is focused on encouraging communication, getting every learner in a classroom to join in with the lesson, helping the learners to solve problems in teams and to learn from each other. The key to success is making learners want to learn, giving them goals that motivate them (Dreaming Big) and approaches to teaching that keep them engaged, focused and making progress in every subject (Learning that Inspires).

We aim to accelerate the progress of every single learner by:

• Building on areas of strength to improve outcomes for all pupils
• Quickly identifying and dealing with any areas of weakness
• Accelerating pupil attainment
• Increasing the levels of outstanding teaching in the academy
• Raising pupil confidence, developing their future career aspirations and increasing their knowledge of career options
• Ensuring that all pupils, irrespective of their differing abilities, achieve their maximum potential – supporting those with learning difficulties.

Our learners are supported by a highly-committed teaching and support staff including the Trust Central Team of Outstanding Practitioners. Each member of our staff encourages learners to aim high in all that they do.