3rd February 2020

The Department for Education formally transferred the three Devon academies, previously run by the Schools Company Trust: Central Devon Academy, North Devon Academy and South and West Devon Academy, to Cornwall’s Wave Multi Academy Trust in November 2018 following critical Ofsted reports.

Since then staff from Wave, recognised as the most successful trust in the country for providing high quality education for pupils who have been excluded from school or who are not in school for medical reasons, have been working closely with staff, parents and pupils to improve standards.

The three academies now have new names: Stansfield Academy, The Shoreline Academy and the River Dart Academy, new principals and have seen a significant improvement in educational standards and exam results, improved teaching facilities and strong support from pupils and parents.

Wave’s Devon ‘family’ has also been joined by Torlands, a new specialist medical provision, which opened in new premises in Exeter earlier this year. Glendinning House, a new special free school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those on the Autism spectrum, is due to open in Newton Abbott in September 2020.

“Every single member of the Wave team has worked very hard to ensure that we provide the same high quality education for pupils at our Devon schools as we are doing for pupils in Cornwall “ said Wave CEO Rob Gasson. “Our aim is to support pupils who are disengaged from education so they can integrate back into mainstream or special needs schools, the world of work or into further education. This means equipping children with the skills they need for both education and for life.

This has been a period of considerable change for staff, parents and carers and children at these centres. I have been delighted by the enthusiasm with which everyone has worked together to deliver improvements and the positive results are clear to see. We know there is more work to do but I am confident that we can build on this strong foundation to deliver our ambitious plans.”