The E-ACT Burnham Park Academy

The E-ACT Burnham Park Academy was a co-educational academy in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England until it closed in 2019 due to falling pupil numbers. A small part of the campus is located in neighbouring Slough, Berkshire. The academy was sponsored by E-ACT, and had approximately 235 pupils.[1]

Burnham Park E-ACT Academy
Address
Opendale Road

Burnham
,
Buckinghamshire
,
SL1 7LZ

England
Coordinates51.5293°N 0.6610°W / 51.5293; -0.6610
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoBest practice, best performance, best progress - always
Established1969
FounderRobert Turner
Closed2019
Department for Education URN137864 Tables
OfstedReports
GenderMixed
Age11 to 18
Capacity700
Websitehttps://burnhamparkacademy.e-act.org.uk

The school operated as a comprehensive school in a selective local authority. Approximately 40% of students came from Buckinghamshire, with the remainder coming from West Slough.

In 2021, the Netflix series Heartstopper was filmed on the grounds of the school after its closure.

History

The Academy was opened in April 2012, following the closure of Burnham Upper School, which was deemed to require Special Measures in March 2011. The Academy is sponsored by National Educational Charity, E-ACT. In April 2014, the Academy was re-inspected as a new establishment, with Ofsted stating that the school 'Requires Improvement'.[2] In December 2015 the school featured in local news for not testing pupils with dyslexia.[3]

Burnham Park was inspected by Ofsted again in July 2016, and overall graded 'Inadequate', leading to the school being placed in special measures. The report states that special needs pupils and disadvantaged pupils did not make good progress. The school was inspected again in March 2017, December 2017 and June 2018. The reports stated progress was being made towards coming out of special measures, but special needs pupils were not making strong progress and the recommendations of the external pupil premium report were still not being fully implemented. The school is however working towards resolving these issues as of the most recent inspection. the report in June 2018 states 5 teachers have left and the school is finding it difficult to recruit replacement teachers. In March 2019 the school was inspected again and found to be inadequate again. On the first day of the inspection 15 of the 20 teachers were sick or absent.[4] The Secretary of State for education has now agreed for Burnham Park to close.

Since the 2014 -2015 academic year, the school received extra pupil premium funding to support teaching of English, Maths and Science to narrow the attainment gap.[5] This funding was less successful in Science. In 2017 Ofsted requested external review of the effectiveness of pupil premium usage.[6]

Pupil numbers were low. In 2015 80 pupils applied to join the school, with this figure dropping to 55 in 2016, 21 in 2017 and increasing to 30 in 2018.[7] Pupil numbers fell to 224 as of February 2019 and the school consulted about possible closure.[8] when the school closed in August 2019 pupils were be offered places at The Bourne End Academy with coaches provided from Burnham.

Academic results

In 2013 53% of pupils at the Academy achieved 5 GCSEs or equivalent at grades A*-C including English and Maths. However, achievement has since declined over subsequent years, with this figure falling to 35% in 2015. 33% of students achieved at least 2 A-Levels at grades A* to E in 2015.[9]

The Progress 8 figure, the new government measure for progress, for Burnham Park in 2016 was -1.07, which is well below the average Progress 8 for schools in England. 29% of pupils passed GCSE English and Maths with grades A*-C in 2016. 2017 results show an improvement to -0.40 for Progress 8 and 35% of pupils earned grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 47% achieved grade 4 or above in these two subjects. The provisional Progress 8 figure for 2018 is -0.64,well below average.[10][11]

Phone mast

Burnham Park E-ACT Academy was one of several Buckinghamshire schools which host mobile phone masts. Contracts between Buckinghamshire County Council and various mobile phone operators generate an income of £145,000 per annum, of which about £59,000 comes from contracts for masts that are installed in schools.[12]

Closure

The school closed in 2019 due to falling pupil numbers. Pupils were given the option to transfer to The Bourne End Academy.[13]

References
  1. "Schools Directory". Buckinghamshire County Council. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2006.
  2. "Burnham Park Academy - Inspection of E-ACT Burnham Park Academy by Ofsted, 28 - 29 January 2014: Ofsted Report". Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  3. Katie Mercer (18 December 2015). "Burnham Park Academy accused of failing to test pupils for dyslexia". Maidenhead Advertiser. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  4. "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". 28 December 2018.
  5. "Burnham Park Academy - Pupil Premium". Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. http://www.e-actburnhampark.org.uk/docs/The_E-Act_Burnham_Park_Academy_Final_Report_25_04_17.pdf%5B%5D
  7. "Allocation of school places". Buckinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  8. "Wednesday 10 December: Slough". The Pharmaceutical Journal. 2014. doi:10.1211/pj.2014.20067156. ISSN 2053-6186.
  9. "The E-Act Burnham Park Academy – Slough".
  10. "The E-Act Burnham Park Academy - GOV.UK".
  11. http://www.e-actburnhampark.org.uk/docs/Newsletters/Burnham_Park_GCSE_results_2017.docx%5B%5D
  12. "Questions and Answers for County Council Meeting" (PDF). Buckinghamshire County Council. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2007.
  13. "E-ACT Burnham Park Academy set to close - Maidenhead Advertiser". Archived from the original on 12 October 2019.
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