SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
Grace Academy Darlaston I 1
Darlaston
Grace Academy Darlaston are part of the Tove Learning Trust –a highly successful and growing multi-academy trust
Tove Learning Trust
Tove Learning Trust was established in 2016 with a mission to create a collaborative network of schools that inspire education that lead to outstanding outcomes. Since May 2019, Grace Academy Darlaston has proudly been part of the Tove Learning Trust family.
“Our aim is to make each school a safe environment for our students, equipping them with the confidence they need to be successful, resilient and respectful members of society” Jamie Clarke, CEO - Tove Learning Trust.
The trust family of schools includes primary, secondary and alternative provision education. We work across two regional hub areas in Northamptonshire & Milton Keynes and the West Midlands. These schools share best practices with each other to strengthen their skill set, deliver outstanding teaching and learning, and enhance the outcomes of students.
The trust recognises that each school has its own unique personality, values, and ethos. They support and nurture this individuality, ensuring that their core beliefs remain unchanged. www.tovelearning.org.uk
Darlaston 2 I Grace Academy Darlaston
Headteacher’s Welcome
Dear Parents, carers and students,
Welcome to Grace Academy Darlaston, an 11-18 school that serves the community of Darlaston and the surrounding areas in and around Walsall. We are incredibly proud of our Academy and our community. We are proud of our happy students and staff, both of whom work together to achieve excellent results. Our mission is ongoing yet immensely rewarding. We work tirelessly to provide an excellent education for our students, with a focus on high standards and high aspirations.
Whilst our Academy is not a faith school, it does have a unique Christian Ethos based upon or five core values: Grace, Respect, Integrity, Excellence and Potential. We strive to uphold these values in all that we do and we are determined that our attitudes and actions reflect these each and every day.
We are proud recipients of the ACE School of Character Quality Mark, which credits the wider academy life outside of the classroom. We have a focus on learning and fun through a variety of extra-curricular activities and enrichment clubs, vast rewards, and broad trips and visits for all. Our core set of values ensures that every student is given the opportunity to develop into confident, successful and happy young adults, ready to face the future.
We look forward to meeting prospective students and their families in the future.
Henry Holland
Henry Holland Principal
Darlaston
Our Character and Values
Our vision is to develop well educated, considerate and caring citizens with a strong sense of values who will succeed in and contribute to modern society.
Our Personal Development and Character Curriculum is well embedded with an aim to ensure that our students know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal, and social lives in a positive way.
Grace Academy has a unique Christian ethos based upon our five shared values of Grace, Respect, Integrity, Potential and Excellence.
We believe that all of our students and staff have the limitless potential to succeed; and with a positive attitude of mutual respect, genuine integrity and amazing grace, they can strive for intentional excellence. At Grace Academy our aim is for everyone to work together to demonstrate our Christian ethos through our shared values
As part of our commitment to character education, we have a vision to develop citizens who make a difference; we engage students and staff to outwork our values through participating in the work of a dedicated Ethos Team, sponsored by Grace Foundation. This ethos is designed to be inclusive to those with different faiths or those who have no faith at all.
As a school with high numbers of students with additional needs or identified as being disadvantaged, we recognise our responsibility to provide an effective Character Curriculum.
Studies find that a values and character-based education improve student and teacher wellbeing and relationships, accelerate academic motivation and diligence, transform the teaching and learning environment, and support the engagement of families and the wider community. As we focus on values, students gain confidence, self-esteem and self-worth; their behaviour improves, they become more willing to get involved with decision making, they become more engaged with the school, and they learn better self-control.
Our Grace vision puts our values and character habits at the heart of our Christian Ethos as well as being the golden thread through subject curricula. We believe these values create the right environment and culture for our students to develop their character to succeed in their academic and personal aspirations.
GENUINE INTEGRITY
Honesty and doing the right thing are what count
INTENTIONAL EXCELLENCE
Success doesn’t happen by mistake
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL
Achieving so much more than we think we can
MUTUAL RESPECT
Everyone deserves to feel valued and important
AMAZING GRACE
Life is better with fresh starts and second chances
Darlaston
I was the only student from my school starting at Grace Academy, and I was really worried about making new friends, but I came to an event before the main Transition days, and this was for students like me who didn’t know anyone, and it was a really fun day and I made friends. Now I have quite a few friends and it is really great!
“
Academy Darlaston Student
Grace
A Broad and Balanced Curriculum
We believe that academic excellence is just one aspect of a well-rounded education. Equally important is the development of character, talent, and independence.
We emphasise these qualities through our core values: potential, respect, integrity, grace, and excellence. By offering a range of extracurricular activities, including Sport, Drama, and Music, we foster an environment where these values thrive and flourish, making Grace Academy Darlaston an inspiring place to learn.
Our curriculum has been designed to be inclusive for all students, and the specific needs of individuals are catered for in every lesson to ensure everyone is able to access a high quality and engaging learning.
“
Our aim is to develop and deliver a curriculum that prepares our young people for the 21st century: one that enables our teachers to become facilitators of learning. We provide a broad and varied selection of subjects, and our teachers encourage independent learning which helps our students to become successful and self-sufficient lifelong learners.
It was an absolute pleasure delivering the Resilience sessions to your Year 8, 9, and 10 students. Their engagement, curiosity, and willingness to reflect made the experience incredibly rewarding for both the students and myself. External provider, J. Ambalu
“
KEY STAGE 3
(YEAR 7 - 9)
This stage lays the groundwork for each child’s success. The transition to secondary education is marked by the shift to subjectspecialist teaching staff. In Key Stage 3, students will study:
• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Art
• Citizenship
• Computer Science
• Technology
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Drama
• Physical Education
• Religious Education
• A foreign language
The curriculum has been designed so that pupils can build upon their existing knowledge to extend and secure their understanding, which in turn enables pupils to achieve their maximum potential.
Subjects are taught in both streamed and mixed ability sets, and where setting occurs this is continually monitored and updated to meet the needs of our learners.
KEY STAGE 4 KEY STAGE 5
(YEAR 10 - 11)
Pupils start their Key Stage 4 courses in Year 10, and students have the option to study both vocational (BTEC) and GCSE pathways. All students will follow a ‘core curriculum’ consisting of English Language; English Literature; Mathematics; Science, & Physical Education.
Alongside the core curriculum, students will be asked to choose from a range of ‘option’ courses. Allowing each young person to find their own individualised route to personal achievement. GCSE and BTEC option courses:
• Art
• Business
• Citizenship
• Engineering
• Food Technology
• Geography
• German
• Health & Social Care
• History
• IT
• Media
• Performing Arts
• Psychology
• Religious Education
• Spanish
• Sociology
• Sport
• Statistics
• Textiles
• Triple Science (Biology, Chemistry & Physics choices)
Pupils in Years 10-11 will also complete biweekly CR lessons, which cover key areas of learning in Religious Education, Citizenship, Relationships, Sex and Health Education.
(YEAR 12 - 13)
Here at Grace Academy Post 16, we strive to provide the best curriculum offering that meets the needs of our learners whilst ensuring that their social and emotional needs are cared for and supported as we begin to prepare them for life beyond school. We pride ourselves on developing the ‘whole’ person, and treat every student as an individual, striving to meet their needs and encouraging them to aim for excellence in all that they do.
Our varied curriculum is designed around preparing students for the world of work, apprenticeship, further and higher education. Students choose 3 subjects to study over the two-year course.
Pupils in Post 16 will also complete CR lessons covering key areas of learning in Religious Education, Careers, Citizenship, Relationships, Sex and Health Education. Students receive bi-weekly lessons for CR.
We offer a range of extra-curricular opportunities for students to enhance their learning from being involved in a thriving Post 16 Committee, to supporting their younger peers around the school.
In addition to this course list, students are given the opportunity to re-take their GCSE Maths or English qualifications if they do not reach the required grade 4 national standard.
Inclusion – SEND and Pastoral Support
Continuous monitoring by our Learning Support Team and Pastoral Team ensures that emerging issues are addressed promptly, and appropriate interventions are implemented throughout the academic journey.
Each student is assigned a form tutor who provides daily support, offering guidance on academic progress, personal development, and overall wellbeing. Our form tutors play a vital role in monitoring students’ welfare, acting as the first point of contact for any concerns and ensuring that every student has a trusted adult they can turn to.
We uphold high standards and work proactively to help students develop positive attitudes towards learning and personal growth. With a balance of high challenge and high support, we are committed to developing individual students who take pride in their uniform, school work, and wider contribution to academy life.
At Grace Academy Darlaston, we are dedicated to creating an environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to achieve success.
Darlaston
“ “
When I started secondary school, I was really nervous, especially about getting lost, but I had lots of support from staff, and SEN in particular who really helped me with my worries, and put lots of things in place for me, and now I am helping support other students, and have even helped to get other students to their lessons.
Grace Academy Darlaston Student
Transition
The move from primary to secondary school is a significant one. Teachers at both schools are committed to help students and their families adjust to the move and prepared for the next steps. We work closely with our local feeder schools to familiarise students with our academy ahead of them applying for their secondary place through sessions run by the academy.
Our Welcome Evening, which takes place before our transition days, will give our new families the chance to come along to Grace Academy to meet key staff members, including Head of Year, Head of Key Stage and Form Tutors and to find out more about secondary school life. There will also be the chance to ask any questions you may have. We will also discuss the details regarding your Transition days.
Transition days are a great way to get a feel for your new school. This will give you the chance to get to know the building, the layout, some of our staff, the subjects you will be studying and most importantly, meet new friends. You will even get to sample the culinary delights in our canteen. This is a great chance to find out information and ask questions before starting in September.
In addition to our standard transition timetable, we also offer supplementary days for our SEN students and students who are may be the only one joining us from their primary school. We are proud of our transition process to give our new students the extra time and support to ensure that the transition period is a smoother and more comfortable process.
10 I Grace Academy Darlaston
Trips and Visits
Trips and visits are a key supplement to Academy life, providing opportunities to experience meaningful encounters, build character and important life-skills, as well as, growing students’ cultural capital. Our broad opportunities for trips and visits mean that ALL students can and will access such experiences during their time at Grace Academy Darlaston. Some examples of these include:
• Residential trips to experience outdoor/adventure activities
• Reward-based trips to celebrate and recognise students’ character and effort (and not just their academic progress)
• Social Action experiences such as community litter picks, visiting the local town hall and volunteering in local community events.
Extra Curricular
• Theatre Trips to enhance academic comprehension as well as experience something new and different for many.
• Educational visits to museums, for example, the Holocaust Museum, or local religious places of worship.
• University and Employer visits to raise student aspirations and provide students with an insight to the opportunities available to them that they may not have previously thought were possible.
This programme is one of the many crucial strands to our character curriculum as we continually strive to develop students’ cultural capital, social cohesion and personal experiences. These encounters will support students in fostering positive communication skills, healthy and professional relationships and their own sense of values.
Our extra-curricular programme is vast and varied to provide students with opportunities to grow their character and confidence. From sports, performing arts, and music, to horticultural and STEM-bases, our rota of after-school and lunchtime activities are open to all.
Grace Academy Darlaston I 11
Darlaston
Careers and Enterprise
We are dedicated to ensuring that all students leave with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their aspirations. Our comprehensive careers education supports students in discovering their strengths, preparing for lifelong career.
Key Stage 3
Students are introduced to the world of work through a variety of experiences, including assemblies, curriculum subjects, and tailored sessions with external organisations. These opportunities expose them to a wide range of career options, including visits to employers such as International Motors Group and Morgan Sindall. Careers lessons, integrated into the PSHE programme, further help students explore future career possibilities, while individual or group careers discussions with the academy’s Enterprise and Careers Co-Ordinator provide tailored support. Students also have the chance to experience potential careers within the academy, such as forensic science and hairdressing/ barbering, giving them a deeper insight into different industries.
Sixth form
Key Stage 3
Students continue to engage with professionals from both academic and vocational backgrounds, such as Think Forensic, the Royal Navy and Morgan Sindall. They participate in taster workshops with local colleges and universities, such as the University of Wolverhampton and the University of Birmingham, alongside CV writing sessions with employers to prepare for post-16 progression. Year 11 students benefit from oneto-one careers advice, where parents are invited to discuss future options. As with Key Stage 3, students are encouraged to identify transferable life skills and understand how these abilities apply to both their academic work and career aspirations.
Students gain further exposure to career pathways through activities such as university taster workshops, apprenticeship and employability sessions, and mock interview sessions with employers to prepare for post-18 progression. Support for UCAS applications and personal statement writing is also provided. Year 12 students undertake valuable work experience, developing soft skills such as confidence, initiative, and a deeper understanding of workplace expectations. Our aim is to equip every student with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed in their future careers.
12 I Grace Academy Darlaston
Darlaston
12 I Grace Academy Darlaston
“ “
We have lots of enrichment opportunities that really helped support me with my studies and prepare for my exams. This has been reflected in the results I achieved in the summer which meant I could come back into Sixth Form to complete my A levels Grace Academy Darlaston Student
Community
At Grace Academy Darlaston we value the importance of maintaining positive relationships with parents and carers, this is vital for students progress and retaining a positive attitude to learning.
We have good communication system in our school app, plus email and phone calls when appropriate. We continually share our students successes and community project work on social media also.
We have close links with our primary schools which our children attended prior to Grace Academy Darlaston, thus enabling a positive transition for all students.
As well as wanting our student to succeed academically, we provide plenty of opportunities for our students to develop their whole character. We have multiple opportunities for students to partake in volunteering around the community and all students will be a part of our Social Action and Character Day.
Our vision is to develop well-educated, considerate and caring citizens with a strong sense of values who will succeed in and contribute to modern society”.
Here at Grace Academy everyone is working together to demonstrate our Christian ethos through our 5 core character values of Grace, Respect, Integrity, Excellence & Potential. We embed these values throughout students 7 years here at Grace Academy as we will then see students flourish academically and personally.
Admissions
Working with our feeder schools, we place a high importance on making sure the transition from primary to secondary school is handled sensitively and effectively.
Applying for an in-year place:
The Academy is well respected and popular, and preference numbers are increasing year on year. For September 2025 Admissions, a total of 457 preferences were expressed and offers assessed on distance from the home address to the school were made to children living up to 1.126 miles from the school.
Grace Academy is part of an inter - LA coordinated admission scheme, If you live in Walsall, the online application must be completed by the 31st of October, via Walsall Admissions.
The link for this application is below. You can apply for schools in other local authorities. www.go.walsall.gov.uk/ secondary_school_admissions.
If you live outside of Walsall, you should apply through your local authority listing all of your preferred schools.
The national offer date is the 1st of March, or the next working day whichever is soonest.
For a Mid -Year admission:
Here at Grace Academy, we look after our own Mid-year admissions therefore to apply for a school place that is not a Year 7 primary to secondary transfer, you will need to apply to us direct.
To do this you must complete an Admission form, these are available either from our school’s website, or you can pop into the academy and pick up a copy from our school reception. Please note to remain on our waiting list a new application must be made at the start of every term.
We use admissions criteria to decide which children we can offer a place to, and we will make any offers in order of priority. If we do not have a place available your child will be placed on the appropriate year group waiting list, according to our criteria. For more information, please take a look at our Admissions Policy which is available on our website. If your child has an EHC plan, you should contact Walsall Council’s SEN Team or the local authority that issued their statement or plan.
e: Enquiries@darlaston.graceacademy.org.uk t: 0121 568 3300 www.darlaston-graceacademy.org.uk
