The trials and tribulations of becoming an academy

The school became an academy 12 months ago on the existing site. This has its own challenges, not least having to work in a building that is far less flexible than your curriculum and your approach, which for us means a larger pupil intake and smaller, mixed-age form tutor groups.

Other academies in a similar transition will be familiar with turning dark and dusty cupboards into usable space, and are likely to find the phrase "well, when we are in our new building ..." used frequently.

While lack of space can be a headache, a major challenge of becoming an academy is to manage the change process, particularly from a staff perspective. Change can be frightening. When I arrived, the school at the time was a "coasting" school that wasn't getting the most from its pupils. We needed fundamental change on all levels. There was clearly some great talent in the school, but also a culture of complacency. Exam results weren't the worst in the area - but could be better. When it was announced the existing site would be turning into an academy, a significant proportion of staff chose to leave.

Becoming an academy is a great opportunity to transform the experience for students, but some might not share your vision. When I arrived, the maths department disintegrated before my eyes. A vital part of the change process is to accept that some people don't want to be part of what you want to create.

It's also stressful when you have just one member left in a department and the recruitment agency tells you: "It's maths, it's May, we don't think we can help."

But success starts with people and such situations present the opportunity to take a fresh look at things. With freedom to go and recruit the right attitude, we found our ideal maths curriculum leader who understood the need for innovation and a changed attitude. As a result, in our first year as an academy, the number of pupils gaining a GCSE grade A to C in maths rose by 12 per cent. And pupils originally expected to fail altogether were pushed to achieve the grades of which they were capable.

Academies are not quick fixes. All change must be sustainable - it's not always about final results, but also attitudes to learning. We have introduced a behaviour management system rewarding good behaviour, new term dates and a vertical tutoring system, with all age groups mixing together to support one another.

We still have a long way to go as an academy, but are already seeing the results of change. In our first year, we have raised the number of pupils achieving five A to C grades including maths and English from 48 per cent to 61 per cent.

So, becoming an academy is not easy. You might start in a new building, but you will inherit attitudes that can't be packed up with your old signage. Becoming successful starts with helping your staff see that everything you do is about delivering for pupils - and accepting that the right sort of staff will be excited, thrilled and naturally nervous about coming along on this journey.

HOW TO CHANGE ATTITUDES WHEN SETTING UP AN ACADEMY

• Accept that not everyone will want to be on board. It is better to have the stress of finding the right staff than the impossible task of changing someone who is not willing to think differently
• Talk about results. It is true that lots of people do not like change and this is natural. But if you can demonstrate that you are achieving, standards will improve as everyone can see it is working
• Be honest. When I joined, areas such as the sixth form needed work. I was prepared to talk about how I was aware of the issues, but also happy to talk about what we were doing to improve matters
• Think long-term. Change doesn't happen overnight. There are often ways to get quick results, but if what you do cannot be built on or give every pupil the same experience, then it is probably not a solution
• See the value of outside expertise. Not all your staff have to be from the education sector; you can learn a great deal from experiences elsewhere. We are getting good practice in areas such as HR and marketing so that we can do the best that we possibly can

Michael Gosling, principal, Trinity Academy, Halifax, West Yorkshire