Transforming post-16 education at Goodwin Academy

A three-year journey of growth, culture change, and student success

Over the past three years, Goodwin Academy has undergone a significant transformation in its Sixth Form provision. What began as a small cohort of 45 students has expanded to 86 learners, with ambitions to reach 100 in the coming year. This rapid growth reflects a deeper cultural shift driven by strategic leadership, improved academic standards, and a renewed focus on student experience, aspiration, and community confidence. 

How has the school steered this growth? 

1. Leadership that drives change 

The arrival of Hilary Mercer, now in her third year as Head of Sixth Form, marked a turning point. With previous experience as Careers Lead and a strong vision for post16 education, she was given the autonomy to implement meaningful, sustainable change, supported by school and trust leaders. 

Key leadership contributions include: 

• Appointment of specialist subject teachers, such as Michelle Greenstreet and Hayley Trickey, ensuring high quality delivery across academic and BTEC pathways. 
• Introduction of a student leadership programme, empowering learners to represent the Sixth Form at open events, leading tours, and serving as role models for the lower school. 
• Building a safe, inclusive and supportive environment, where every student feels valued and acknowledged. 
• Embedding structured study skills, delivered through PSHE, to help students learn how to revise, organise themselves, and build academic independence. 

This combination of high expectations and personalised support has visibly improved morale and engagement. Students enjoy coming to school, and attendance has improved as a result. 

2. Raising academic standards and outcomes 

Goodwin Academy has now proudly achieved its best results since 2019. The strengthened academic culture has had far-reaching impact: 

• Improved teaching quality through specialist staffing. 
• A broader curriculum, offering both BTEC and academic routes to suit diverse learner needs, reflective of the school’s student population. 
• Structured independent study periods, with reverse learning approaches to support preparation and retention. 
• Clear expectations, with every student placed on probation until October half term to monitor attendance and academic progress. 

The raised academic standards have also boosted the school’s reputation, leading even local grammar school students to transfer into Goodwin’s Sixth Form. 

3. Broadening experiences beyond the classroom 

To expand the horizons of students and help them understand future pathways, the Sixth Form offers a wide enrichment programme, including: 

• University visits and guest speaker events. 
• End of Year 12 work experience, enabling students to explore industries that may shape their next steps. 
• Enrichment activities such as trips, proms, celebrations and “cooking on a shoestring,” which has become popular and helped shift the culture of the Sixth Form, preparing students for university life. 
• Improved facilities, including a dedicated common room, quiet study areas, and social spaces. 

These experiences have helped build a Sixth Form identity that students want to be part of and something younger year groups can clearly see. 

4. A dramatic shift in student destinations 

Perhaps the most powerful indicator of progress is the transformation in student destinations: 

• 59% of students progressed to university last year, compared with none just two years prior. 
• Every university bound student was a first-generation applicant, marking a shift in aspiration for our students and their families. 
• Students now receive clear guidance around their next steps, with Hilary embedding a culture of possibility and ambition. 

This transformation shows how far the Sixth Form has come in nurturing confident, independent young adults with a strong sense of what is possible for their futures. 

5. Building a reputation: internally and externally 

Goodwin Academy’s Sixth Form is now recognised across the local community as a place where students feel supported, challenged, and inspired. Growth has been fuelled not only by outreach, including workshops and talks with St Edmund’s students, but also by influential word-of-mouth, as younger students observe the positive experiences of current Sixth Formers. 

Annual questionnaires for Year 11 help shape subject planning, while newsletters and student voice features help strengthen the Sixth Form’s identity and celebrate success. 

Looking ahead, how do we sustain momentum?  

Goodwin Academy aims to continue building on its strong foundation, by: 

• Growing the cohort to at least 100 students. 
• Increasing monitoring and targeted interventions. 
• Developing student independence further through structured study, trust-based privileges (such as early sign out), and high expectation culture. 
• Maintaining minimum class sizes of 15 to ensure viability and choice. 
• Enhancing the reputation of the Sixth Form among both internal and external audiences. 

The journey is ongoing, but the school is confident in the systems now embedded and in the culture that is now taking root.