Ryecroft Academy

Ryecroft Academy joined GORSE in May 2014 following a period of significant underperformance. In 2013 the school was judged to be Inadequate by Ofsted. Ryecroft had become much less popular with families and the local community had lost confidence in it as its primary school.

In March 2017, Helen Townsley became the Principal of Ryecroft Academy, steering the school successfully through its inspection in May 2017 and its subsequent inspection of September 2019. The latter report reflects the enormous improvements that have been made at Ryecroft Academy since 2014, recognising that the school is now highly respected and popular within its own community.

Ryecroft Academy has benefited enormously from a major investment in its buildings through a capital programme worth in excess of £1.7million. That process in ongoing and the trust remains highly ambitious in its determination to support Helen Townsley in creating a learning environment which is truly inspirational.

Ryecroft Academy is the lead partner in our trust in the development of Physical Education and Sports Science. Naturally, this is a brilliant part of the school’s work with the innovative approaches being developed at Ryecroft Academy now being disseminated across the trust and to partner schools more widely.