Rockwood Academy, Birmingham
Template:Infobox UK school Rockwood Academy is now one of the best schools in Birmingham and students scores have improved since September 2015
Rockwood Academy (formerly Park View School) is a mixed secondary school located in Alum Rock, Birmingham, England.
History
The school was built in the 1960s and was known as Naseby School under the successful leadership of headteacher Mr Roger Perks O.B.E. In 1983 it became Park View School and was based over two sites. The Lower School was located on Naseby Road and Upper school was based in Park Hall School. The school became Park View Business and Enterprise School in 2005 and later was refurbished in the early 2010s under the Building Schools for the Future programme.[1]
The school was previously a specialist Business and Enterprise College, however in 2013 it became an academy sponsored by Park View Educational Trust.
In 2014 the school was criticised for promoting extremist Islamic views to pupils: see Operation Trojan Horse.[2] The school is under investigation by Ofsted.
In 2015, it was announced that the Education Funding Agency had found financial irregularities to the tune of £70,000 including a payment of £27,000 to a public relations firm without authorisation from the EFA. The EFA report alleges that money which had been allocated to the school under the government's pupil premium scheme—which is intended to help the most disadvantaged of children—was misused on public relations.[3] Despite all this criticism the students had achieved some of the best results in an innercity school. In 2012 the results were 76% including English and Maths yet in 2015 they were 54% including English and Maths. The school was renamed Rockwood Academy in September 2015,[4] and is now sponsored by The Core Educational Trust.
References
- ↑ Oliver Wainwright (22 January 2013). "Birmingham's brilliant new schools – but could they be the last?". Guardian newspapers. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ↑ "Inside Park View School, accused of 'promoting extremist views'". BBC news. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ↑ McKinney, Emma (9 February 2015). "Trojan Horse-linked Park View Trust probed over £27,000 paid to PR firm from money meant for pupils". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
- ↑ "Park View Academy name change rethink after 'derision' fears". BBC News.