SCHOOL PROSPECTUS
Huxlow Academy is 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 September 2022, Huxlow Academy 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 OBE, 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
Welcome to Huxlow Academy
Dear Parents and carers,
Choosing a secondary school is an exciting step, and I am delighted to introduce you to Huxlow Academy, a place where every student is encouraged and supported to thrive.
As head teacher, my mantra is very clear, if it is not good enough for my own children, then it is not good enough for yours.
In May 2025, Ofsted recognised our Academy with a Good rating for our behaviour and attitudes, leadership, personal development, and sixth form provision. This reflects the pride, commitment, and ambition that define our school community.
Our students achieve outstanding results. This year’s GCSE results were among the best in our history. These successes are a result of our high expectations, strong relationships, and the personalised support every Huxlow student receives.
At Huxlow, inclusion is at the heart of what we do. Through our ‘Huxlow Way’, we ensure every student feels valued, supported, and able to be themselves. Respect is one of our core values and we care deeply about wellbeing and belonging, celebrating each student’s unique strengths and achievements.
School years are precious, and we are committed to ensuring that every student grows in confidence, develops character, and reaches their full potential, both in and out of the classroom.
I cannot wait to welcome you to our Huxlow community and support you on your journey to “Thrive through Excellence.”
Best wishes,
Kim Isaksen Headteacher
Thriving Through Excellence
Thriving Through Excellence
At Huxlow Academy we create the opportunities to enable everyone that walks through our doors to ultimately achieve our vision of “Thriving Through Excellence”. Our mission is to achieve this by building an exceptional learning community of aspirational and responsible citizens.
Huxlow is an inclusive school where every student matters. Students come to Huxlow Academy from a variety of backgrounds and quickly become a part of the Huxlow family. Alongside high-quality teaching, we provide a wide variety of effective support. Our success is achieved by knowing every student as an individual and caring for them personally and academically. Students are prepared to successfully navigate the many opportunities and challenges that are presented by the modern world.
To fulfil our mission we work, study and collaborate by placing a focus on three core values:
AMBITION - We strive hard to achieve the very best in all that we do, and we celebrate achievement and excellence. We enable our students to fulfil their academic and personal purpose.
RESPECT - We pride ourselves on being a school that fosters relationships in an atmosphere built upon empathy, mutual respect, dignity, equity, diversity and fairness.
PRIDE - Pride in all we do, both from within school and across the wider community, is at the core of our actions. Our students go on to become successful adults and we enable our students to develop the pride and character we need them to have in the future.
The school’s curriculum is ambitious
Ofsted, May 2025 “ “
Our Curriculum: Ambitious, Engaging and Inclusive
At Huxlow Academy, we are committed to delivering an ambitious, engaging, and inclusive curriculum that enables every student to succeed. Across all subjects, we identify and prioritise the essential knowledge and skills that form the foundation for deep, meaningful learning. These are carefully mapped from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5 to ensure a seamless and coherent learning journey.
Our curriculum is designed as a spiral, meaning that key knowledge and skills are revisited and developed over time. This approach helps students build confidence, deepen their understanding, and apply their learning in new contexts.
We place a strong emphasis on the explicit teaching of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development (SMSC), as well as British Values, are woven throughout our academic curriculum and personal development programme.
Careers education is integrated across academic subjects, PSHE, and the wider personal development curriculum, ensuring students are well-prepared for their futures.
At Huxlow Academy, our curriculum is designed to inspire ambition, foster engagement, and embrace the diversity of every learner.
The school has transformed pupils’ experiences of school so that they have more opportunities to be successful Ofsted, May 2025 “ “
KEY STAGE 3
KEY STAGE 4 KEY STAGE 5
(YEAR 7 - 9) (YEAR 10 - 11) (YEAR 12 - 13)
This provides the foundation for any child’s achievement. The transition from Primary to Secondary education is marked by a move to subject specific teaching staff.
All students study English, mathematics, science, design technology, information and communication technology, history, geography, religious studies, modern languages, music, drama, art and physical education. Initially, all students are taught in mixed ability groups
At this stage, all students follow a core curriculum of mathematics, English, science, modern foreign language and physical education. In addition, students take a range of options which allow them to pursue individual interests and strengths.
Vocational subjects can be studied alongside more traditional subjects. This versatility in the curriculum is intended to allow each young person at Huxlow Academy to find their own pathway to personal achievement.
Our sixth form combines the strengths of the two schools; Huxlow Academy and Rushden Academy who work together post-16 to offer a wide range of courses and opportunities to all students in the East Northamptonshire area.
We have an excellent tradition of examination success in A-Level, BTEC and Applied courses. However, we strongly believe that being in the Sixth Form is not just about gaining academic qualifications. All our students follow a wide-ranging PSHE, careers, and enrichment programme, with an option to study core maths and EPQ as additional qualifications. This enables all our Year 12 students to play an active role in the community.
DH Y10 student “ “
We make positive progress due to consistent teachers, high expectations and staff who care.
Extra-Curricular and Enrichment
At Huxlow Academy there is a strong commitment from staff to offer our students an inclusive and enriching educational experience, both within the curriculum and through a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.
An exciting array of clubs, activities and trips provide a springboard for developing key life skills. There really is something for everyone! Inspiration is achieved through our many day and residential trips. These include:
• Duke of Edinburgh expeditions
• Paris, Poland Holocaust Memorial Trip, Iceland - Cultural trips
• Year 7 Activity Residential
• India - Salt of the Earth Charity
Students have the opportunity to visit places of interest in the UK, including theatres, university campuses, science conventions and careers establishments. They are able to experience visiting speakers, authors and theatre groups during their time at Huxlow.
We are also extremely proud of our sporting achievements. Huxlow students have repeatedly achieved excellent results at District, County and National level. Many team and individual sports are run as clubs and activities by our motivated and competitive Physical Education team. Alongside this Huxlow Academy runs an extensive and inclusive sports leadership programme.
Ethos Team
At Huxlow Academy we have partnered with Grace Foundation who are working with us from the inside out to support the aspirational, relational and spiritual needs of students and their families through the work of our Ethos Team. Our Ethos team work onsite full time and consist of an Ethos Leader, Youth Worker and Family Support Worker and they work to create and implement the Ethos Programme.
Our holistic vision is designed to support the aspirational, relational, and spiritual needs of students and their families.
The work helps students thrive and is structured around the following learning outcomes
• raising their aspirations
• fostering respect
• building resilience and hope
• empowering them to grow by serving others
We help students to learn to value themselves and enable them to identify the qualities of healthy relationships.
“ “
The school’s ‘ethos team’ provides pupils with tailored learning that boosts their self-esteem and develops their understanding of healthy relationships
Ofsted, January 2025
Inclusion and Pastoral Care
We believe that both pastoral and academic support are fundamental to the wellbeing and overall success of each of our students. Our pastoral system is a key part of our strong Huxlow community where every individual matters. Form Tutors know their tutees well and a range of support systems are available at every stage of their school life.
We are committed to providing the highest standards of care and support for all through our excellent teachers, SENDCo, a wide team of learning and behaviour support assistants, family support workers and in-school counsellor. We work with the aim of assisting our students to become aspirational, happy, confident and well-rounded young people. For those with learning needs, we have a highly qualified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team who ensure they are supported and encouraged to achieve personal excellence.
Student leadership, including our Prefects, Transition Ambassadors and House System provide a range of opportunities for students to experience and give young people a voice as we work together on the continuous improvement of our school.
Huxlow is a true community and our ethos is founded on mutual respect where the contribution of each individual is valued. The personal development curriculum, careers and student voice programmes are important aspects of creating and reinforcing this ethos.
It is important that the additional needs of each student are catered for within and beyond the academic and PSHE curricula.
Education Support Centre
The Education Support Centre has excellent facilities to provide students identified with higher needs with all the support they need to realise their full potential. It provides a safe environment for any student who is experiencing difficulties in their academic life and offers guidance and support.
The Education Support Centre is situated at the heart of the school. It opens daily and many students visit the Centre to discuss the forthcoming day and ensure they are prepared for their lessons with equipment and completed homework. Often, it just provides a quiet place to be. For some students, the Support Centre is the most important place in the school and these young people feel a deep affinity with their support staff.
The Education Support Centre is a place of refuge, safety and support for vulnerable students. It has become a “hub” for these young people and is a lively, vibrant part of the school.
SEND
Every student is treated as an individual. Huxlow Academy will support students with a wide range of needs and particularly through our universal offer in the classroom. Student wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do and we are proud to have been a pilot school for the Mental Health Support Teams who have been supporting student wellbeing. This mental health and wellbeing support is now embedded into the school offer to students.
Ofsted, May 2025 “ “
Pupils learn in purposeful classroom environments and work with staff who are highly ambitious about what they can achieve
Preparation for the future
During their time at Huxlow Academy, students are inspired and nurtured to achieve their full potential. They are supported and prepared to take their place in society as aspirational and responsible citizens.
For many of our students, university will be the next stage in their education. Staff at Huxlow Academy are highly experienced in guiding students towards the choices that are right for them as individuals. Careers advice and guidance is available at all key stages through our PSHE programme and external partners to support and advise students through the transition to higher education or to employment.
Apprenticeships
University
Higher Level Apprenticeships
Degree Apprenticeships
Employment Gap
Sixth-form students, in particular, are well prepared to make decisions about their lives beyond school “
Community
At Huxlow Academy, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom - it’s about fostering a strong sense of community, belonging, and mutual respect. We take pride in our diverse and inclusive environment, where every student is valued and supported.
We have communication between home and the School via My Child At School (MCAS), where we send messages and letters, where you have online access to the information about your child’s education, view progress reports and monitor behaviour.
We have a good partnerships with local organisations, feeder schools, and families to help us create a nurturing network that encourages pride, respect, and ambition
Through enrichment programmes, community events, and student-led initiatives, we empower our young people to make a positive impact both within the school and in the wider community.
Pupils understand the ‘Huxlow way’ and demonstrate pride, ambition and respect “ “
ASDAN qualifications
Remembrance Service
Transition to Huxlow
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.
We pride ourselves on the level of care we take for each child, making sure that everyone settles quickly and happily in their new surroundings. As part of the preparations for secondary school life, primary school students have the opportunity to participate in two taster days, as well as meet key staff and student Transition Ambassadors in their own primary schools. They will have lots of opportunities to ask questions. Our aim is to make sure our new Year 7 students know their new school and tutor by the time they join us in September and that they are looking forward to joining our school community.
How to apply
To apply for a place at Huxlow Academy please visitwww.northnorthants.gov.uk/secondary-school-places/ apply-secondary-school-place
Ofsted, May 2025 “ “
The school has transformed pupils’ experiences of school so that they have more opportunities to be successful
