CEO of Northampton multi-academy trust reflects on successful academic year with optimism for continued growth

The CEO of a Northampton-based multi-academy trust is reflecting on its continued growth and success at the close of the academic year.

Julia Kedwards OBE, CEO at Northampton Primary Academy Trust (NPAT), marked the end of the 2022-2023 school year by reflecting on the trust’s continued growth and significant improvement in recent Ofsted inspections.

Four of the trust’s member schools recently underwent inspections with positive outcomes all round.

Blackthorn Primary School, which was inspected at the start of the school year, was judged to be ‘good’ for the first time in the school’s history having previously been ranked ‘inadequate’ before being sponsored by NPAT five years ago; Lings Primary School, which recently celebrated success in the national NFL Flag Football Championships, was judged as ‘good’ having previously been judged as ‘requiring improvement’. Thorplands Primary and Upton Meadows Primary, meanwhile, both retained their ‘good’ ratings.

Ms Kedwards said: “Ofsted reports aren’t simply a reflection of how a school is performing on the days that the inspections take place, they’re confirmation of the hard work carried out in the classrooms each and every day.

“To have each of the trust’s schools that have been inspected in the past academic year rated as ‘good’ is cause for celebration and the improvements recognised at both Lings Primary and Blackthorn Primary really are the icing on the cake. As a trust, we work collaboratively to drive improvements through evidence-based approaches and these results bear testament to that.”

The trust has also seen its portfolio of member schools grow in the past year. Langland Community School and Park Junior School both joined NPAT, whilst Stanton Cross Primary School which opened in September 2022 was the trust’s first entirely new school opening. This growth has also marked the trust’s geographical expansion beyond its historical Northampton heartland. Both Park Junior School and Stanton Cross Primary are in Wellingborough, whilst Langland Community School is in the Netherfield area of Milton Keynes.

Ms Kedwards added: “When Northampton Primary Academy Trust was founded over ten years ago, it was with a vision to ‘provide educational excellence, create opportunities and enrich lives’. That vision was never intended to be limited to the founding schools and I’m pleased that we’ve maintained steady and sustainable growth ever since.

“The addition of Langland Community School, Park Junior School and Stanton Cross Primary School in the past year has been a significant milestone in the trust’s journey as it sees the realisation of our original vision reach a yet-wider catchment area, allowing us to share our approach amongst additional education authorities. This manageable and sustained approach to growth is something that sits very much at the heart of the trust’s vision for continued growth.”