Institute of Education Evaluation of the Academy

About the Report

The Institute of Education (IOE) looked at Newham’s alternative provision programme, known as NAP, in a report written by Brian Creese and published in 2012. The Peacock Gym Academy was one of the providers featured. This page summarises what the report said about the Academy.

Peacock Gym Academy is both larger than the other APs featured in this report, and far more rooted in the local community.Institute of Education report, Brian Creese (2012)

How the Academy Worked With Schools

Through NAP, young people attended the Academy as well as their school. The Academy also offered extended, fully personalised provision – in some cases up to five days a week, usually only when a student was at risk of permanent exclusion. Students on extended provision stayed on their school roll.

The report highlighted attendance as a key measure. One young person who had not attended school at all the previous year was attending the Academy three days a week with few unauthorised absences, with a plan to build up to full time.

Qualifications and Re-engagement

In 2010–11, the 59 young people attending the Academy gained 99 qualifications. These included BTEC Level 2 Work Skills, BTEC Level 1 Sport and Active Leisure, City & Guilds Level 1 Building Studies, Introduction to Hair and Beauty, Skills for Life literacy and numeracy, City & Guilds Level 1 Horticulture, Open College Network Soccer Coaching Level 2 and BTEC Level 1 Performance Arts.

For some students these were the only qualifications they gained before leaving school. For others they helped them reach five A*–C GCSEs. Academy staff saw re-engagement with education as the single greatest impact.

A Day at the Academy

The report described an ethos built on “experiential teaching”. Courses included construction skills, hair and beauty, bicycle repair, horticulture, sports leadership, fashion and retail, and performing arts. Alongside these:

• Circle Time – a daily personal, social, health and citizenship session that built a sense of community
• Student voice – three peer mentors sat on an Academy council that met every morning
• Healthy lunches – eaten in the gym café with adults, where students learned manners and how to talk with adults; shaking hands was encouraged
• Exercise – around two hours of sport a day, starting each morning

The brand here is bigger than postcode, bigger than any gang.The amateur boxing coach, quoted in the IOE report (2012)

Six Features Behind the Academy’s Success

Adult Role Models

Students spent time with a wide range of adults – teachers, coaches, gym members and professional boxers. The report found that relationships with staff were the key factor for students, many of whom lacked positive role models elsewhere.

Vocational and Experiential Learning

A broad choice of subjects meant most young people found something to engage with, with English and maths built into the vocational work.

Highly Personalised Programmes

Staff got to know every student quickly and set graded targets, rather than treating everyone the same.

Fitness and Exercise

Starting the day with boxing, fitness or running became normal. Staff reported that students ate better, slept better and grew physically during their time at the Academy.

A Culture of Enterprise

Students bid for real contracts such as cleaning and horticulture, agreeing terms and being interviewed. Repaired bikes were sold, the hair and beauty salon had real clients, and the TV team aimed to sell its services.

Rooted in the Community

Students were encouraged to give back, through sponsored events, volunteering on local ecology projects and fundraising for other charities.

What Students Said

A survey of 39 Academy students in June 2012, included in the report, found:

• 93% rated the quality of teaching excellent or good
• 95% rated the quality of care excellent or good
• 60% felt a lot more motivated about their future
• 58% felt a lot more confident about learning

Could the Model Be Repeated?

The report concluded that the Academy’s success came down to two things: an established community centre and extraordinarily dedicated adults. It suggested the model could work elsewhere if built on an organisation already rooted in its community.

Given these two essential features in place, there seems no reason why a similar and equally effective model cannot be built.Institute of Education report, Brian Creese (2012)

At the time, the Academy had been accepted onto the Free Schools Development Programme, with plans to become an alternative provision free school.

Read more about the Academy or hear from young people in our student interviews.