When I first walked into what was then The Petchey Academy in April 2022, it felt like a house on fire. As I entered reception, one of the first things I noticed was a student sitting there in a hoodie, completely absorbed in their mobile phone.
As I walked around the building, it was difficult to tell whether lessons were taking place or whether it was lesson changeover. The corridors were chaotic, staff were exhausted, and the school urgently needed order, clarity and direction.
At my first staff briefing, it was clear that staff were crying out for consistency and support. I knew we had to act quickly. Without rapid change, we risked losing the staff who were still committed to the school and its students.
With 31 May fast approaching, we also had more than 30 vacancies to fill. With the support of the Trust, we appointed key people into key positions and opened the school in September fully staffed.
Four years on, we are a completely different school with a new name. We are not perfect, and we know there is still more to do, but our staff have moved a mountain. The transformation has been built on clear systems, high expectations and a shared belief that every student deserves to learn in a calm, safe and purposeful environment.
A Centralised Behaviour System
We introduced a centralised behaviour management system with zero tolerance for poor behaviour. Detentions are centralised and take place after school. Students who repeatedly disrupt learning are removed from lessons and continue their work in our Behaviour Improvement Room.
Our message to staff is simple: you teach, and we will support you with behaviour. The small minority of students who disrupt learning are removed so that teachers can teach and the majority of students can learn without disruption.
Line-Ups
We introduced line-ups before school, after break and after lunch. Students line up outside, teachers collect their classes, and students enter the building in a calm and orderly manner. This has been especially powerful after lunch, when students can be more unsettled. Line-ups help reset the tone and ensure students return to learning focused and ready.
High-Quality CPD
We developed a high-quality CPD programme, planned across the whole year. Regular, purposeful training is essential if staff are to improve their practice and feel supported. We also introduced deliberate practice for all staff, overseen by our Teaching and Learning Deputy. No one opts out. Tuesday is my favourite day of the week because it is when much of our professional development takes place.
Teaching and Learning Playbook
We created an Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) playbook, which sets out how lessons should be delivered from the moment students enter the classroom to the moment they leave.
This has been particularly valuable for new staff and those new to the profession. It gives clarity, consistency and a shared language for excellent teaching. We believe that strong routines and explicit instruction have a direct impact on student outcomes.
Zero Tolerance on Mobile Phones
When I first joined the school, we introduced a complete ban on mobile phones. However, I knew some students were still accessing them during the day. Last year, we introduced mobile phone pouches, and the impact was significant.
Students lock their phones away when they enter school and unlock them when they leave. Since then, we have seen fewer parents turning up to school because their child has been sanctioned, fewer students asking to leave lessons unnecessarily to go to the toilet, and more students interacting positively with each other at break and lunch.
Our Progress
Although we still have a long way to go, we are proud of what our students and staff have achieved.
Last year, we were in the ALPS top 25% for A Level performance and the top 1% for BTEC subjects. We were also the top-performing sixth form in Hackney, with 50% of students securing at least one A* - A grade.
At Key Stage 4, our Progress 8 score improved from -0.42 in 2022 to 0.48 in 2024, the final year in which Progress 8 was reported.
This transformation has not happened by chance. It has happened because staff, students, families and the Trust have worked together around a clear vision: high standards, strong routines and the belief that every child can achieve.
