About Us
Welcome from the Chief Executive

Dudley Academies Trust is a relatively new organisation set up to help transform education in Dudley. With the backing of our sponsor, Dudley College of Technology, we have already achieved much.
At the end of our first year of being fully operational, all four of our secondary academies had improved achievement and progress at GCSE. In 2020, all four again recorded significantly improved GCSE grades.
We are able to achieve these and many other advances because we have a large and experienced Central Team that supports each academy with its leadership, teaching, building programmes, sports and activities, financial management, staff training, IT and – most importantly – the progress and wellbeing of our learners.
We have recruited numerous excellent staff to our academies and made some outstanding appointments to their leadership teams. Our Central Team is successfully supporting the teachers in each academy, sharing best practice and helping them to set higher and higher standards. We have introduced a proven system of rewards and behaviour management that has changed the culture of our classrooms, accompanied by a raft of new approaches to teaching. Many £millions have already been invested in improving the buildings, facilities and computing equipment of our academies and another £5 million is being spent this year.
We have even bigger plans for the years to come. We aim to build a centre of educational excellence and best practice that will significantly change the prospects for our learners and the outcomes that they can aspire to. Our academies will inspire learners to achieve their best, to ‘Dream Big’ and to know that a variety of positive life choices are within their reach. We are determined to deliver on those objectives.
The DAT Revolution
The DAT Revolution
Creating Inspirational Schools
Click on the arrows to travel forward or backward in time.
Sukhjot Dhami appointed as Principal of Beacon Hill Academy
19/05/2020
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2020 League Tables show academic progress in every academy
All four Trust secondary academies see an improvement in their Progress 8 scores. All four academies see an improvement in their Progress 8 scores for disadvantaged learners. All four academies see an improvement in their Attainment 8 scores. Three academies see an improvement in their percentage...
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Ian Moore appointed at St James
New principal appointed from proven management team
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GCSE Results improve in all four academies
Improvements shown in attainment and progress
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Pegasus Academy goes up a grade
Ofsted inspection says school is improving
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Learning with Artificial Intelligence
Century AI software is introduced to accelerate learners’ progress in English, Mathematics and Science.
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Emma Edwards-Morgan appointed as Principal at The Link Academy
As an ex-pupil, Emma becomes a news story when she finds some of her schoolgirl artwork still on display.
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£500,000 investment in IT
Delivery starts of 1,080 new PCs and 280 laptops. Dudley College donates another 100 PCs. Major improvements are made to cabling and wireless networks.
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Pandas encourage attendance
Perfect Attendance – No Days Absent attendance strategy is launched across the Trust.
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Upgrade initiative
The Academy day is extended by one period on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for all Year 11s.
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Introducing Values Driven Expectations
A new system of rewards and behaviour management brings a different culture to the schools and a boost to teaching and learning in the classrooms.
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All change!
Learners start the term with new uniforms (free blazers and ties), a new school day and new teaching methods centred around Collaborative Learning.
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A new identity
High Arcal Academy becomes Beacon Hill Academy, Holly Hall Academy is now Pegasus Academy, Hillcrest Academy changes to The Link Academy and Castle Academy is re-named St James Academy The names have been developed by students.
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Developing our estate
Work starts on £4.5 million worth of improvements to the fabric of the four academies.
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First appointments to the Central Team
Experienced professionals are recruited to lead on data management, estates, finance, HR, IT, marketing and leadership development.
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Andy Landers appointed Principal at Pegasus Academy
Andy moves over from the SLT at Hillcrest.
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SMART curriculum
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Launch of Strategic Plan 2018-20
The Trust explains what it is going to achieve over the next three years and how it will achieve its ambitious targets.
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Introducing the Trust values
Following a student leadership day, learners come up with the Trust values. Dreaming big Rewarding effort Leading together Respecting each other and our world Learning that inspires.
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Jo Higgins appointed Chief Executive
Jo Higgins joins from Penistone Grammar School with the aim of transforming the performance and estates of the four schools.
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Our new mission and vision:
Working together we will develop inspirational schools which instil ambition and desire in young learners, open their minds, widen their horizons and equip them to succeed in a challenging world. Find out more about our Vision & Mission.
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DAT Announces Board of Trustees
The Trustees comprise highly successful leaders from education, business and the public sector.
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Launch of Dudley Academies Trust
Four Dudley secondary schools are brought together under the sponsorship of Dudley College of Technology to form a new Multi Academy Trust.
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