At Dilkes Academy, we are committed to setting high standards for all our pupils and providing a fulfilling educational experience; we want to ensure that every student feels they can succeed with us. We are a two-form entry school catering for students from 3 to 11, supported by our Nursery provision. Established in 1952 the building initially housed separate infant and junior schools, but these were amalgamated into a single primary school in September 1977. In 2010, we opened a special SEMH (Social, Emotional, Mental Health) resource provision called Dilkes PLC, or Personalised Learning Centre. Following our “Outstanding” inspection in 2012, we converted to academy status and began forming Catalyst Academies Trust. This accolade was once again achieved in April 2023.
The school facilities include: a large ICT suite, extensive library with teaching areas and a spacious, well equipped ICT suite. Our outdoor facilities include a cricket strip, outdoor gym as well as a state-of-the-art Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) with a wide range of PE and games equipment.
The school prides itself on a system leadership approach, which brings a shared ethos of high expectations. This has allowed a number of senior leaders to grow, flourish and gain valuable insight and experience in schools’ development.
'The greatest strength of Dilkes Academy is the sheer focus, organisation and determination to make sure all the children reach their potential. I think that’s what makes Dilkes Academy stick out from the rest.'(Year 1 parent)
At Dilkes, we strive to ensure high achievement and a happy educational experience for every child. One of the strengths of our school, is the support it gives to its staff. This involves regular in-house training and joint practice development across the Trust, whereby potential leaders are identified and supported. This has meant that many teachers within the Trust subsequently go on to assume leadership positions. We set high expectations for all our pupils and are committed to fostering individuality, valuing each and every one of our children.
'Pupils learn a broad, rich and deep curriculum. They respond exceptionally well to the high expectations that all staff have. Pupils are active participants in lessons. They have developed resilience, and they understand that they learn more when there is a challenge.' (Ofsted 2023)
Working alongside our Catalyst Academies Trust partner schools, our curriculum is carefully planned, adhering to national requirements whilst ensuring it remains engaging and inspiring. We engage children in a range of activities that enable them to develop their knowledge and skills and equip them for life beyond school. To help support this, we engage frequently with action research.
The school provides a supportive environment which enables my child to thrive and constantly achieve her academic goals. Thank you for all your hard work in ensuring that pupils accomplish their goals and fulfil their potential. (Year 6 parent)
We are incredibly proud of our pupil outcomes and being part of Catalyst Academies Trust, the highest performing primary trust in the UK.
We are particularly proud of our achievements with our Personalised Learning Centre, which caters for pupils with special educational needs, classified as social, emotional and mental health. Having learnt that these pupils need stability, consistency, to be included and to understand what it is to be a mainstream pupil, the focus of the centre is to reintegrate pupils into mainstream education as soon as possible and in a way that allows each pupil to succeed. We know and accept that these pupils may initially struggle within mainstream, but we are committed and focused on discovering what works for each child.
Leaders and staff identify and meet the needs of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) remarkably well. All barriers to learning are reduced. This is achieved by highly trained staff, who keep detailed records of pupils. This enables all staff to understand pupils’ needs and adapt the teaching support appropriately. This approach is individualised and means that pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well. (Ofsted, 2023)
We are dedicated to maintaining our results and adapting to the needs of all our students. We focus on supporting the transition to secondary school and hope that Dilkes Academy’s high expectations continue after our students leave us, setting them with strong foundations to succeed in life.
