Peacehaven Community School

Peacehaven Community School is a mixed secondary school for 11 to 16-year-olds in Peacehaven, East Sussex in the United Kingdom.

Peacehaven Community School
Address
Greenwich Way

Peacehaven
,
East Sussex
,
BN10 8RB

England
Coordinates50°47′46″N 0°00′11″E
Information
TypeAcademy
Motto"Aspire, Believe, Achieve"
Established2001
Local authorityEast Sussex
Department for Education URN144661 Tables
OfstedReports
Head of SchoolDarren Warner Swann
Executive HeadteacherLiza Leung
GenderMixed
Age11 to 16
Enrolment889 as of April 2016
HousesSharks, Seagulls, Bears, Eagles
Multi-Academy Trust AffiliationSwale Academies Trust
Websitehttp://www.phcs.org.uk/

The school was opened in 2001 following a 40-year campaign by the local community for a secondary school in Peacehaven.[1]

It is an Academy administered and governed by the Swale Academies Trust, a status it gained in September 2019. The current Head of School is Darren Warner-Swann with Liza Leung as Executive Headteacher on behalf of the Trust.[2]

Previously, it was a foundation school administered by East Sussex County Council and the Peacehaven Co-operative Learning Trust. With governance of the school being undertaken by an Interim Executive Board between 2013 until 2018.[3]

Ofsted inspections

The school was inspected by Ofsted in 2013[4] and again in 2016. For both inspections, the school was awarded a grade 3 or 'requires improvement' mark overall,[5] despite previously being a 'good' school.[6] This was reflected in the then-latest exam results, released in August 2016, which showed only 38% of students achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) inc. English and maths[7] compared to the 53% national average. This was 4 points down on the previous year from 42%, despite local authority intervention in the governance of the school and consultation and guidance of the Swale Academies Trust.[8]

It was once again inspected in October 2018, and was awarded a grade 2 or 'good' mark overall.[9]

Following the academisation of the school, it has not yet had another inspection.[10]

Summary Table of Historic Ofsted Inspections
Year Inspected Ofsted Grade Headteacher
2018 Good Rachel Joseph [11]
2016 Requires Improvement Austen Hindman [12]
2013 Requires Improvement Nicky Bassett [13]
2011 Good Helen Cryer [14]
2008 Good Helen Cryer [15]

Academy Conversion Controversy

Prior to being converted to Academy status, parents and teachers went on strike in opposition over the plans, citing concerns such as a gender pay gap at the Swale Academies Trust and the way in which the conversion was imposed upon the school by an Interim Education Board, garnering national press attention.

East Sussex County Council and the Interim Education Board defended their decision, arguing "It remains our view and view of the Interim Executive Board (IEB) that this is the right course of action to secure strong leadership and continued improvements at the school."[16]

Local MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle also campaigned heavily against academisation.[17]

Nevertheless, the academisation process was completed in September 2019.[18]

References
  1. "Peacehaven parents stage day of action to save local schools". the Guardian. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. "About". www.phcs.org.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  3. http://www.phcs.org.uk/downloads/pcs_governance_parent_letter.pdf
  4. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2289249/urn/131601.pdf
  5. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2565310/urn/131601.pdf
  6. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/905951/urn/131601.pdf
  7. "Peacehaven Community School". Schools Guide. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  8. https://www.schoolguide.co.uk/schools/peacehaven-community-school-peacehaven
  9. https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/131601.
  10. enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk, Ofsted Communications Team (8 August 2020). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  11. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50037192
  12. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2565310
  13. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2289249
  14. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/1964705
  15. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/905951
  16. "Staff and teachers on strike over school's academy conversion plan". The Argus. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  17. "School takeover complete after long-running disputes: 'It's shameful'". The Argus. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  18. "School takeover complete after long-running disputes: 'It's shameful'". The Argus. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
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