Basildon Academies appoint new Director of Sixth Form (From Southend Standard)

Basildon Academies appoint new Director of Sixth Form

9:10am Friday 22nd March 2013 in Echo News By Luke Lambert

THE new director of Sixth Form at the Basildon Academies says he aims to continue from where his predecessor left off.

Mike McCall has taken up the post, stepping up from the Lead Head of Faculty in Design & Technology, replacing Ginny Parry, after we revealed she would be stepping down as director at Easter.

Mr McCall, 37, was educated at the University of Southampton before arriving at Chalvedon School, which merged with the Barstable School, Basildon to make the Basildon Academies in 2009, in 2001. He has risen through the ranks at the school and is now pushing forward with the aim to make the sixth form a leading point for furthering education in the borough.

Since Mr McCall took over two weeks agohe has looked to address how students focus on their studies in free periods - with individual student programmes for all pupils.

He said: “The kids are enjoying their studies here and we want their future to be the priority. We need to introduce a little stability for all those here and build on that - making sure parents recognise this sixth form is the place to further their education.

“I have been at the school for a long time now and want to make it the best there is. The team has a solid basis now and recent AS exam results show the progress we have made.”

The academies sixth form was recently criticised by Ofsted who said it had ‘become an area of great concern’ due to lack of specialist teachers and the lack of stable leadership.

Principal Bev Bell says both of these problems have been resolved, with the school aiming to be out of special measures next year.

“I am not sure what Ofsted meant in regard to specialist teachers as we have one of those in every department but now we have Mike in place as well as a new vice-principal of the Lower Academy Susan Sharman. We are in very healthy shape.”