Principal’s
Welcome

On behalf of the staff, students and governors I am delighted to welcome you to St. Paul’s Academy.  Our website will introduce you to the key elements of the education our school can offer to your child.  St. Paul’s Academy can be characterised by the welcome it offers all and the inclusive approach we take to our students. Care and compassion are central to the way we treat one another, and we pride ourselves on how the attention to students’ welfare runs through all aspects of the Academy. We have high expectations that our young people can achieve the very best, and our curriculum is designed to ensure it meets the varying needs of all our students.

St Paul’s is a school community where young people can thrive. We are ambitious and we demand excellence in academic study and behaviour but we also provide the love, care and attention your children will need to be successful and happy. Our expertise and experience in pastoral inclusion work ensures that our young people, in spite of any challenges, are able to find St Paul’s a place that helps them achieve and be proud of themselves. We welcome families of Catholic and other Christian denominations, other faith traditions and any family who seeks, and can support, our ethos.

There are three key elements to creating an outstanding school culture-ambition, achievements and creating an abundance for young people day to day.

Ambition: The educational journey at St Paul’s allows for students to explore the depth and breadth of their vocational and GCSE courses and to prepare them for the world of work and future study. We provide a curriculum that also provides a rich, varied and broad experience through Key Stage Three so that we can cultivate young people who are widely read, resilient learners and culturally rich people.
Our personal development curriculum underpins all that we do to support the formation of our young people to take their place in the world as justice makers and ambassadors for truth.  The daily experience of faith and prayer provides our community with a ‘centre’ to return to as its source of strength and solace.

Achievement: We pride ourselves on striving for academic rigour each day in every lesson. We expect excellence from our young people in terms of their behaviour for learning and excellence from teachers and leaders in delivering high quality, engaging learning. Creating inquisitive learners who are able to discuss, to debate and to problem solve are key to success so we give these time in our planned curriculum.

Abundance: St Paul’s is a place of an abundance of opportunities to develop gifts,  support talent, engage with new experiences and to see the wonders of our world. Enrichment clubs, trips and sporting opportunities are at the heart of St Paul’s. We shape and equip our students to navigate the challenges and opportunities of a modern and changing world. The development of the whole person is at the centre of the daily mission and purpose of St Paul’s Academy.

Since joining the Academy as Principal in January 2023 there have been changes to the curriculum offered at KS3 and KS4 to support mastery of learning and outcomes, reshaping of the school day to support an enriched experience at lunch and renewed leadership set to take the Academy onto the next stage of its exciting and ambitious journey.

Here is a link to a short film that shares with you some of the experiences, opportunities and facilities at St Paul’s.

Principal
Mrs Sheila Ward