Our Schools
The Schoolsworks Schools – Meet the Heads
Downsbrook Primary School
I am delighted to have joined Downsbrook at this exciting time and am very much looking forward to working in partnership with the whole school community to make Downsbrook the school of choice in the local area. Having worked in several London schools with a specific focus on school improvement, I am determined to ensure that Downsbrook moves to become an outstanding school where we deliver educational excellence every day, for every child. We will be working very hard to become a more outward facing school and will be forging opportunities to work more closely with the wider community to strengthen and enhance all aspects of learning: academic, social and emotional.
Just Jeffrey
East Preston Junior School
East Preston Junior School (EPJS) is a friendly and happy school situated in the beautiful coastal village of East Preston.
“Enjoyment and Excellence in all that we are and all that we do” is our school motto: we aim to provide exciting, meaningful and enjoyable educational experiences ensuring that all children have fun learning and achieve their academic potential. Our core values (responsibility, enjoyment, collaboration, kindness, excellence and respect) focus on providing a caring and nurturing environment to encourage our children to form positive relationships and become well rounded, resilient and confident individuals. EPJS currently has two classes per year group (years 3 to 6) but is at the very start of an exciting project to expand to 3 classes per year group.
EPJS joined the Schoolsworks Trust in May 2017. Schoolsworks’ commitment to excellence and its ethos of “people first” resonate with our own values. It is exciting to collaborate with like-minded people, to share ideas and learn from one another. A variety of groups meet together including School Community Councilors, head teachers, teachers and children so everyone benefits from the collaboration. The shared expertise within the Trust is invaluable providing challenge and support which enables us to develop further as a school, and provide the best for our children, staff, parents and the wider community.
We are looking forward to building on our successful introduction to academy life.
Michael Tidd
Edward Bryant School
All the staff have high expectations of pupils and their learning and the children usually leave our school with higher than national average attainment in English and Maths. The staff work together in close teams to plan work for children. We ensure the curriculum is varied, interesting and fun. We also ensure continuity in the children’s learning. As part of Schoolsworks, groups of staff meet regularly with each other to share and steal ideas! We are able to share resources with the other schools which enables us all to benefit from real school to school support.
Charles Beckerson
Medmerry Primary School
With one teacher in each year group, it is invaluable for us to be part of the Schoolsworks Academy Trust to draw on expertise across a number of schools and to be able to share ideas with like-minded professionals. We also benefit from sharing ‘back-office’ functions which enable us to run a small establishment efficiently for the benefit of our pupils. The school selected to join the Trust, having previously been an independent academy, because it felt that the values of Schoolsworks aligned well with those of the school.
As headteacher, I value the opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in other schools within Schoolsworks. Their commitment to excellence ensures that as a school we feel supported to continue to improve the offer we make for our children, both at Medmerry and across the trust’s schools.
Dave Lott
River Beach Primary School
River Beach Primary School is a large school in the heart of Littlehampton.
We are very well-resourced and benefit from having large open outside areas for the children to use, including an outside gym and an adventure playground. A specialist unit for deaf children is attached to the school and children from across the County attend it. Our school is a happy place and our curriculum is creative and exciting which enables not only our children to become successful learners but also, to hopefully have fun whilst they do it! We understand that every child is individual, unique and has a wide range of talents and through this, our school aim is to give “Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day”.
River Beach Primary School joined the Trust in 2013 and quickly recognised the benefits of good schools sharing good practice together, whilst at the same time retaining their own identity. Staff at all levels have been able to establish an effective network where challenges are met as a group of professionals, rather than alone. Assessment, data analysis and subject specific leadership have all benefitted from the focused groups that work across the Trust and year teams regularly visit their colleagues in other schools. Alongside this, senior leaders meet regularly to share ideas, support and learn from one another.
Dave Ayers
Rose Green Junior School
My staff have really valued working with others across the Trust, especially with those carrying out the same or similar roles in different schools. The future potential for further development of this work is significant and exciting, which will result in excellent professional development & career opportunities for our staff and improved outcomes for all our children.
Philip Craig
Rustington Community Primary School
The Schoolsworks team have ensured our continued improvement by sharing excellent practical ideas and by supporting all our staff through effective networks, all of which has helped us improve our educational provision. One of the key features of Schoolsworks is the focus on personal development and the quality of relationships. This thread runs throughout all our work, including children, staff, parents and those who assist with monitoring our performance.
Putting people at the heart of the organisation has always been my passion and it is good to work with schools which feel the same way.
Marie Smailes
Whytemead Primary School
Whytemead Primary School is a small primary school in Worthing, just opposite Downsbrook School. We are a small, friendly school that joined Schoolsworks in October 2021. We are seeing the benefits of working as part of a school trust in many different ways. For example, Downsbrook kindly share the use of their facilities with Whytemead for PE.
Our vision and values are summed up within our statement, ‘Through Curiosity, Collaboration and Determination, we are Growing Minds’. We ensure that all children develop these positive attitudes towards their learning.
We have developed our own curriculum which can be viewed on our website and have plans to continue to develop and review this in order to offer our children the best possible experiences. As I write this, one of our teachers has a large snake wrapped around them which is visiting for the day!
I have previously been the Headteacher of Edward Bryant School, also part of the Schoolsworks trust and look forward to the continual development of the education offer here at Whytemead.
Richard Waddington
Headteacher, Whytemead Primary School
Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton
The Secretary of State for Education approved the application of Schoolsworks Academy Trust to open a brand new primary school in north Littlehampton back in 2016. Since then, we have been in the "pre-opening phase" whilst the housing development in the Toddington area has been progressing. Currently, legal arrangements between the developers, the local authority and the Department for Education are also in process.
Although it is taking longer than we had hoped, we are excited to have the opportunity to open a new school, whose working title is Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton. It will offer:
- A brand new building with brand new resources
- Excellent teaching staff who know the Littlehampton area and community
- An open invitation for any pupil to enroll
- Places for 420 children aged 4 - 11 when full plus a nursery
Where?
A site for Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton has been identified on the new Persimmon building development (see map below)
When?
- Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton is still in the pre-opening phase, although we are working hard with all interested parties to get a confirmed opening date.
- In its first year, the plan is for Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton to open with a nursery offering 32 places for 2–4 year olds and two reception classes offering places for 60 pupils in total
- The school would then grow year on year to become a two-form through primary school for pupils aged 4 – 11
How do I keep in touch?
- You can ‘like’ our Facebook page and receive notifications when there are developments in the journey of building this new school
- Feel free to contact us any time to ask about progress
Below is drone footage of the site for Schoolsworks Community Primary Littlehampton before building work commences.