On 1st May 2020 Peterborough’s Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) joined the Thomas Deacon Education Trust (TDET) and was renamed the Richard Barnes Academy. 
Olive Academies was invited by the Department for Education to support TDET on this new project. It marks the first time two multi-academy trusts have worked together to launch an alternative provision academy. Olive Academies will be working with TDET, sharing our expertise in alternative provision and our experience of working with excluded children.
This partnership marks an important fresh start for the children aged 4 to 16 who have been excluded from a mainstream school and attend one of the three centres which form part of the new Richard Barnes Academy.
TDET’s highly regarded family of academies (which include nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools) in Peterborough support over 4,500 pupils. The Richard Barnes Academy will be the first alternative provision school to join their Trust.
Olive Academies has begun by working with TDET to develop an inspiring, specialist curriculum based on purposeful, active learning; a curriculum which will engage their pupils and meet their individual needs. Olive Academies will be supporting Richard Barnes Academy staff over the next two years, helping them to deliver the best support possible to the children and young people at their academy.
Mark Vickers, Chief Executive, Olive Academies said, “Our partnership with TDET is groundbreaking and exciting. It has come about because our two trusts share the same values. We are both committed to ensuring that those children and young people who face the greatest challenges in their education and home lives receive the best teaching and learning opportunities possible. An inspiring alternative provision curriculum is at the heart of our shared vision for the Richard Barnes Academy.”
Julie Taylor, Chief Executive, TDET said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the PRU into our trust. We are excited to work together to create an academy that offers enriching experiences for young people struggling to succeed with their education, using highly creative ways of teaching that will encourage pupils to develop the confidence, skill and knowledge to believe they can lead successful lives and make a positive contribution to society.”
You can find out more about TDET and Richard Barnes Academy at https://www.tdet.education/
