Northampton's Preston Hedges Trust climbs to top two per cent nationally in primary school performance

Preston Hedges Trust climbed to 13th place nationally out of 657 Trusts in league tables of primary school academy trusts published by the government this month.

The trust, which is Northampton's highest-performing primary school Trust, has strengthened its position as the top-performing Trust locally while achieving national recognition based on the percentage of Year 6 pupils reaching national expectations in reading, writing, and maths.

An impressive 84 per cent of children across Preston Hedges Trust schools achieved the Year 6 standard, significantly surpassing the national average of 62 per cent. The Trust's pupils outperformed the next best Trust in the county by a remarkable six percentage points.

Particularly noteworthy is the Trust's success with disadvantaged pupils. While nationally less than 50 per cent of disadvantaged children achieve Year 6 expectations, 72 per cent of disadvantaged children at Preston Hedges Trust schools reach this standard.

This means disadvantaged pupils at the Trust's schools are surpassing the national performance of non-disadvantaged pupils - an exceptional achievement that reflects the dedication of staff working in close partnership with pupils, families and the wider community.

The government has recognised this exceptional work, with both Parklands and Pineham Barns schools receiving letters praising their support for disadvantaged pupils as among the very best in the country.

Paul Watson, chief executive officer of Preston Hedges Trust, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to see our Trust ranked in the top 2 per cent nationally. These outstanding results reflect our commitment to ensuring every child experiences fun, creativity and achievement from their very first day with us. What makes me most proud is that disadvantage does not limit success in our schools. Our disadvantaged pupils are achieving results that exceed national averages for all children. This is testament to the exceptional hard work of our staff and the strong partnerships we have built with families and our community."

Mike Brinkley, trust chairman, said: "Climbing to 13th nationally out of 657 Trusts is a remarkable achievement that the entire Trust community should celebrate. These results demonstrate that our 'One Team' approach - which lies at the heart of everything we do - truly works. By strengthening teamwork across our schools, among our teaching staff, with parents, and throughout the wider community, we are giving every child the best possible start in life. I am immensely proud of what our pupils, staff and families have achieved together."