Mill Field Primary Joins the White Rose Academies Trust and New Principal Appointed

The White Rose Academies Trust has welcomed Mill Field Primary as their first Primary school. Mill Field joins as a sponsored academy at the request of the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Department for Education.

The White Rose Academies Trust is a multi-academy trust that has an excellent track record of school improvement. In 2019, all three of its secondary academies were judged as ‘Good’ in all areas by Ofsted, with Leeds City Academy deemed to be ‘Outstanding’ for Leadership and Management.

Mill Field Primary was built in the 1930s and was previously named Potternewton Primary School, changing to Mill Field Primary School in 2007 after merging with another local primary school, Miles Hill Primary.

On joining the Trust, Mill Field Primary had an Interim Headteacher. A Trust recruitment process has now taken place, followed by the appointment of a new Primary Principal. As of week commencing Monday 4th January 2021, Mill Field Primary will be led Miss Kate Rhodes.

Kate’s teaching career began in Manchester at Old Trafford Primary in 2003 and as her career progressed, she moved across to Bradford. She has worked at Bowling Park Primary School since 2008 as an Assistant Head for Early Years Foundation Stage, Deputy Head and more recently Head of School. She has been an integral part of the Senior Leadership Team who transformed the school to be in the top 2% of schools nationally for progress.

When asked about her appointment as Principal, Kate said:

“I am thrilled to be appointed as Principal at Mill Field Primary Academy and I am excited to work alongside staff, parents and the local community to ensure the children get the very best start to the education they deserve and can achieve. Mill Field Primary has been given an exciting opportunity to develop primary education as part of a forward-thinking multi-academy trust.”

New Mill Field Primary Principal, Miss Kate Rhodes

“Committed to excellence”

Andrew Whitaker, CEO of the White Rose Academies Trust, commented:

“On behalf of the Trust board, I want to express our delight at the recent appointment of Kate as the new Principal of Mill Field Primary Academy; the first primary school to join the White Rose Academies Trust. From application through to the two day selection process, Kate performed to a very high standard and the Trust feel fortunate that Kate has agreed to join us in this next exciting chapter for both the Trust and Kate professionally.

“This is an exciting time for Mill Field Primary, its children and the local community. We are confident that they will find our Trust to be a caring and hardworking community of educational specialists, who place the aspirations and wellbeing of our children, staff and the wider community at the heart of everything we do. Our Trust is committed to excellence and implementing a world-class education. In September 2016, all three of our secondary academies were at risk of being judged as ‘Special Measures’ by Ofsted, but, through a rapid improvement journey, all three were judged as ‘Good’ in May 2019.

“As evidence of our high aspirations for our students and their communities, we have recently begun a strategic partnership with High Performance Learning (HPL) that will lead to all our schools being judged as world class in the future. It is important to highlight our belief that Mill Field Primary Academy will further transform the Trust in to a compassionate, highly ambitious and fun place for children of all ages.

“Commenting further on behalf of the Trust Board, for the staff at Mill Field, we are confident that they will benefit individually from the family ethos that runs through every plan and strategy relating to the ongoing development of our staffing body”.

The capacity of Mill Field primary is 420 students, with around 320 students currently attending. The school also has a nursery provision which can take up to 26 children.

During the work to prepare for the transfer of the school, the Trust identified many long-term maintenance issues with the building and has already secured a significant capital grant to address these issues. The planning and design work is well underway and work on this project is likely to commence in the spring term.

The Trust CEO, Andrew Whitaker and Trust Executive Principal, Christian Wilcocks presented to Mill Field colleagues after school on Tuesday 1st December, to welcome them to the Trust.

Following the presentation Mill Field staff shared the following comments with Trust Vice Principal, Chris Reynolds:

“I’m so excited to be part of such a friendly and supportive team” Emily

“I am looking forward to working with a Trust that has the staff wellbeing at its core” Simon

“Really looking forward to the new journey with White Rose, I really believe in the values and ethos of the Trust” Katie

“Being part of a Trust that supports staff with opportunity for growth is really exciting” Emma

The Trust now looks forward to enacting an improvement programme which will quickly implement proven practices to improve the quality of the education provided to the inspirational children and to also introduce development opportunities for the hard working staff at this primary school.

For more info visit: whiteroseacademies.org