Our Trust
Our driving force and journey so far
A passion for education
We know that great teachers make a difference. We have invested heavily in recruiting and retaining the very best teachers since the school started. We encourage them to make intelligent decisions about curriculum design, assessment and extracurricular opportunities which enable students to explore a wide range of subjects, keep their options open and unlock doors to future success.
Our ‘dream’ school
Our founders, positioned across the UK and Europe, were separately thinking about what it would take to create an excellent school that would provide lives of choice and opportunity for every student. The group met to discuss the impact a school could have in a local community to eradicate the educational and experiential gap between children from low socioeconomic backgrounds and their wealthier neighbouring peers. Bringing together years of experience we noticed a need for strong relationships, leadership, coherence, community, and rigour within the education system. This kick-started the vision for an all-through small-school model in the heart of Hounslow.
What is a Multi-Academy Trust?
Find out about the structure of our organisation and schools. Explore the opportunities and limitations on free schools and meet our members and trustees.
Why Hounslow?
We decided that Reach Academy Hanworth Park should be located in Hounslow where we have found the perfect combination of a supportive local community, need and demand for school places, good transport links for teachers and families and appropriate building space. In 2024, our new school, Reach Academy Hanworth Park will open to its first families in the same area. A period of ensuring the success of both schools in Hounslow will follow, as well as a continued effort to work deeply and strategically with local and national partners. We are currently not looking to expand outside of Hounslow because we know that our strong local relationships are key to successful outcomes, but we might expand further afield in the future!
2010
A dream to open a school
The school’s founders, Jon McGoh, Rebecca Cramer and Ed Vainker OBE came together and agreed that they wanted to open an excellent school that would serve the local community. They applied to open a small, all-through school.
2011
Application for Feltham
Founders visited Feltham and built relationships in the community, including collecting hundreds of signatories interested in a new school. The application to the DfE to open ‘Reach Academy Feltham’ was submitted, with interviews in August. The school was approved to open in October.
2012
Our first school opens!
We recruited our first cohort of pupils in Reception and Year 7, and our founding teachers. We moved into a temporary building which had previously been a job centre. On September 6th the school opened its doors to its frontier cohorts. In December the school was officially opened by Andrew Adonis.
2014
First free-school to be judged ‘Outstanding’
We were the first all-through free school to be judged outstanding by Ofsted. We achieved exceptional results, including 83% with a Good Level of Development in Reception and 90% passing the Phonics screen. The school moved into its permanent home in November with 340 pupils on roll.
2017
16th best Progress 8 score in the country
The Department for Education measure progress that pupils make from the end of primary school to the end of year 11 using the ‘Progress 8’. Pupils’ results are compared to other pupils nationally with similar starting points. Reach Academy Feltham received the 16th best Progress 8 score in the country.
2018
The Children’s Hub launches
In 2018, we reflected on our first set of GCSE results and realised that we needed to do more to enable all children to achieve a life of choice and opportunity. The Hub has now evolved as our sister organisation The Reach Foundation has grown.
2020
Initial Teacher Training begins
We run our own Initial Teacher Training in partnership with, and accredited by, South West Teacher Training. Many teachers have stayed with us and others are working in other schools. Due to additional funding we are able to attract a diverse set of trainees, many of whom would otherwise not be able to afford to train as a teacher.
2022
Feltham College opens
Our pioneering model of Sixth Form education is based at Reach Academy Feltham and ensures that local young people receive the best in contemporary teaching and learning provision across both vocational and academic courses. It is the first Sixth Form College in the country to be founded on a partnership of education, business and health service providers whose sole focus is broadening choices and opportunities for young people in Feltham.
2024
Our second school due-to open
Our second school, Reach Academy Hanworth Park, received its funding agreement in June 2024. Places have been accepted for our first Reception and Year 7 cohort and we have hired a highly skilled founding team. We are set to open in September 2024 in Feltham. Reach Academy Hanworth park will follow in the footsteps of sister-school Reach Academy Feltham as we seek to provide children with the skills, attributes, and academic qualifications to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity.