PRESS RELEASE
Date: 28th September 2015
Immanuel College makes move to Academy status following best ever school
GCSE and A-level results
Hot on the heels of another set of improved results, Immanuel College has secured approval
to convert to an academy within the Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) and has
been issued an Academy order from the Secretary of State.
The Church of England College, which secured 65% 5 A* – C including English & Maths this
summer, has decided to make the move to secure its position within the Church of England
Trust and to strengthen its school-to-school support role working alongside secondary
partners.
Immanuel College will be the second secondary school to join BDAT, following the opening
of Bradford Forster Academy last month.
Jane Tiller, Head Teacher of Immanuel College, commented “Following an extensive period
of exploration, governors and school leaders have made the decision to join the BDAT family
of schools. Coupled with our best ever results we feel this move will strengthen the capacity
and structures of the College to help support educational improvement across a number of
schools in Bradford. We very much look forward to the next exciting steps in our journey to
outstanding.”
Carol Dewhurst, Chief Executive Officer of BDAT commented “We are delighted to welcome
Immanuel College in to the Trust. We have worked together in close partnership since the
Trust was established and believe the wealth of experience and good practice the College
can bring to BDAT will help accelerate improvements across all our Academies”.
The Chair of BDAT, the Venerable Dr David Lee, Archdeacon Emeritus, commented:
“Immanuel has great strengths and will be a welcome member of the Trust. The school has
achieved consistent and steady improvement in results year on year for its students whilst
celebrating a well-grounded and thoughtfully developed Christian ethos. The Diocesan Board
of Education Academies Working Group unanimously approved this application. In the
present flux of educational provision, Immanuel will find a natural home and mutual support
in the BDAT family of Academies. And just like BDAT, Immanuel is committed to helping
schools which face major challenges and working with them to deliver improvements in
Teaching and Learning. I am delighted that the Immanuel Board of Governors have decided
to join the Trust. I look forward to welcoming them into the Trust in due course”.
Following the issuing of the Academy order the College will now embark on statutory
consultation with its parents, staff, children and other stakeholders. If you would like to
contribute to the consultation please contact the school directly. The College will open as an
Academy in Spring 2016.
- ENDS Notes to Editors
Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT) was set up in 2012 to support and sponsor
Church of England Academies in Bradford on behalf of the Diocese of West Yorkshire and
the Dales. We work with our schools to provide a network of support and challenge, so
working together we can achieve our vision of improved outcomes and results for our
children and young people. BDAT is a charity and company limited by guarantee, governed
by a board of Trustees who are responsible for, and oversee the management of the
company.
BDAT currently supports three Church of England Primary Academies, St Oswald’s in Great
Horton, Christ Church Academy in Shipley and St Philip’s in Girlington. Bradford Forster
Academy, a new school, was the first secondary Academy to join the Trust in September
2015.
For further information or media queries please contact:
Carol Dewhurst, CEO, Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust,
01274 909 120, [email protected]
For more information on BDAT visit www.bdat-academies.org
Immanuel College is a Church of England (Voluntary Aided) secondary school located in Idle,
Bradford. The school secured its highest GCSE results in 2015 with 65% of all pupils securing
5 A*-C GCSEs (including English and maths). The school also saw a rise in A-Level results in
2015. For more information visit http://www.immanuelcollege.net/