From Aberdovey to EverestThe Walsall Academy story

Our vision

“If they summit the mountain, it’s only part of the story. They’ve built skills, fundraising, resilience, persistence. Learning outside the classroom is not a bolt-on. It is an intrinsic part of a young person’s development.”J Clarke WCMT

The Guardian July 2019

About us• The predecessor school

named in 2001 as one of the 5 worst in the country

• First Cohort of Academies

• 2 hour 40 minute lessons

• Vertical tutor groups• Pioneer in the use of

outdoor learning

• Serves a zone of mass derivation highest 5% nationally predominately white, very little industry. 50% PP.

• The Black Country a forgotten land

• In 2018-19, 500 students undertook residential courses, there were over 200 day visits.

Core projects that embed learning

Green Pioneers course with Mid Counties Cooperative

Year 7 Outward Bound Course and induction

Boys intervention project

Sixth Form visit to Cern, Auschwitz & Lake District

EDS courses in Yrs 8 & 9

Day visits and their place within the curriculum

• Health and Social care: disability living centre

• Technology: Morgan Motors• Travel & Tourism: West Midlands

Safari Park• Computing: the National Gaming

Centre• History: Wroxeter Roman City as

Time Team Investigation• Geography Field Trip

Funding

•How do they afford it?

•PP funding for some

•Parental contribution

•Coporate sponsorship

•CSR schemes £65,000 From Hadley Group

• Some really hard product placement

Everest and all that since 2014

• 2 expeditions to the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia

• First state school expedition to Everest Base Camp

• Expedition 2019 to Himalayas to climb Stock Kangri at 6,134m

• 5 ski trips and MFL trips• Research into raising White Working

Class boys’ attainment through learning outside the classroom and expeditionary learning

• Green Pioneers course with Mid Counties Cooperative