Falcon Education Academies Trust

Introduction to the partnership of Falcon Education Academies Trust and Mercia Academy

Falcon became sponsor to Mercia Academy (then William Allitt School) on 1st September 2022, at which point the school converted to be an academy within the Trust. Falcon was chosen to sponsor the school due to the number of challenges it had historically faced.

The Trust is committed to providing high level, quality support and investment to the school, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that the school becomes the school of choice in the local community and gives students the highest standard of education.

Upon beginning to support the school, the Trust undertook a detailed due diligence exercise to identify areas most in need of transformation, from which a bespoke plan of support has been developed with our partner Trust, Spencer Academies Trust (SAT).

Support for the school

To date, the school has benefited from a range of support incorporating development of strong leadership and management, along with targeted support to improve behaviour and attitudes and additional resources to boost SLT capacity. 

Additionally, professional development of staff is an ongoing facet of our support, with Subject Directors support from SAT providing coaching and resources to ensure quality and consistency within teaching. 

Investment in the school

Falcon Trust has supported the academy in securing £300,000 in funding through the DfE Connect the Classroom project. This significant investment will be utilized to enhance the curriculum delivery by leveraging the power of EdTech. As part of this initiative, the core network and wireless infrastructure throughout the academy site will undergo a much-needed upgrade in late 2023. This upgrade is set to bring about improved stability and performance, ensuring the delivery of high-quality IT services in the classroom.

Falcon Trust has actively supported the academy in upgrading and modernising its digital platforms. This effort includes strengthening security measures to mitigate cyber risks, as well as implementing advanced communication systems such as a modernised telephone system and digital signage solutions. These enhancements aim to streamline communication channels and improve overall connectivity within the academy.

Extensive planning is currently underway for a planned new build, which will serve as a catalyst for digital learning. The new facility will introduce innovative technologies that will offer students a more interactive and engaging educational experience.

Mercia Academy has been has been successful in its bid for a new school, having been awarded a place on the School Rebuild Programme in December 2022.  A feasibility study is well underway and is expected to be completed by the summer, with a pre-planning application being the next key milestone.   A phased plan of electrical works will start summer 2023 to ensure priority actions are being addressed until a new building is complete which is expected sometime in 2027.

Change of Name

Falcon is committed to working with staff, students, parents and the local community in the time that it supports its schools. One particular example demonstrating this is the work which was undertaken to select a new school name for the academy.

In Spring 2023, consultation took place with staff and parents, and it was agreed that the school would change its name from William Allitt Academy to Mercia Academy, later in the year. Following on from this, the students were directly involved in the design of the new academy logo and a small group worked more closely with the website designers to finalise the design.

As a Trust we are pleased to be collaboratively involved in working with the school, investing in education and changing outcomes. Various partners have contributed to that collaboration, including Spencer Academies Trust (SAT).