Response to The Hereford Times

The Editor
The Hereford Times

Madam,

Good Education in all Herefordshire High Schools

With reference to your front page article regarding 'empty desks' at Hereford High Schools I would like to state that The Hereford Academy is an outstanding school that has achieved improved results year on year and we are leading the way both locally and nationally in curriculum development.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families [DCSF] identified that we are one of the 5 most improved schools in the West Midlands in both 5A* - C grades including English and Maths, and one of the most improved Sports Colleges in the West Midlands. We have been commended by the SSAT [Specialist Schools and Academies Trust] for our Added Value for schools this year. The measure of added value is based on the standards students have achieved when they start secondary education and the achievements students reach by the time they complete their secondary education.

The DCSF have identified The Hereford Academy as a case study for high quality innovation in our curriculum that has placed us in an ideal position to meet the new revised curriculum for the 21st Century. Also our Learning Support Workers have been used as an outstanding example on Teacher's TV for the way in which they effectively provide one to one assistance for students in raising aspirations and their achievements through a personalised programme that meets individual needs. We have had visitors and government agencies from across the country to look at how we are addressing these new developments in education.

The quality of education at The Hereford Academy is first class. I would go so far as to say that Herefordshire parents are extremely lucky in having such a range of choice of high quality secondary schools as there are many areas in the country where such choices are limited.

I feel, therefore, that The Hereford Times stance should be one of celebrating the high quality performance of Herefordshire Schools and not undermining what is an extremely successful service.

John Sheppard
Principal and Chief Executive Officer
The Hereford Academy