Reflecting on another successful year for Lionheart Educational Trust, I am proud to present our latest annual report, which celebrates the achievements of the 2024–25 academic year.
Through a broad and balanced curriculum, this report shows just how we continued to deliver an outstanding and equitable education, providing pupils with enriching opportunities that promoted both academic excellence and holistic development. This commitment led to another year of strong examination outcomes, with many schools – from primary to sixth form – meeting or exceeding national averages, ensuring pupils were well prepared for their next steps in education or employment.
Beyond the classroom, we offered a wide range of extra-curricular activities, enabling pupils to explore interests and develop skills beyond the curriculum. Trust-wide initiatives such as oracy, dance and music performances brought staff and learners together, showcasing the collaboration at the core of our Trust.
For another consecutive year, we continued improving school estates and
IT infrastructure, to ensure modern and supportive learning environments for pupils and staff.
While this report reflects on our achievements, we also look ahead with a continued focus on excellence, innovation and inclusivity.
Together, as a group of schools ambitious for our young learners, we will empower every person to thrive and prepare confidently for the future, through provision of an excellent education.
Kath Kelly CEO of Lionheart Educational Trust
OUR MISSIONREVISITED
During 2024-25, we sought the input of Lionheart stakeholders – including staff, Governors, Trustees and leaders - to reconsider our mission statement, ensuring it was still reflective of the work we set out to do.
A key change became use of the phrase ‘every person’ so that our mission was reflective of the work we do not just for pupils, but for employees too.
Following further consultation, stakeholders agreed our revised mission:
EMPOWER
To every person from every background to
OUR SCHOOLS
At the end of the academic year, 17 schools across Leicester, Leicestershire and South Derbyshire made up Lionheart: six primary, one junior, nine secondary – including three with sixth form provision – and one sixth form-only.
6 The Cedars Academy, Hallam Fields Primary School, Highcliffe Primary School and Riverside Primary School
The Castle Rock School, The Newbridge School, Broom Leys Primary School and Greenstone Primary School
Mercia Academy and Newhall Junior School
BEAUCHAMP CITY SIXTH FORM
Associate Principal: Catherine Bartholomew South Albion St, Leicester beauchampcity.org.uk
BeaCitySixth beacitysixth 993 pupils from Year 12 to Year 13
Highlights from the academic year
63% of students achieved all grades A*-B and an overall average grade of a B at A-level.
A varied enrichment programme offered students 30 extracurricular clubs and 11 student-led societies.
72 Chemistry students and 84 Biology students took part in the annual science Olympiad competitions.
310 departing students submitted university applications with 23% securing places at top Russell Group institutions.
Over 350 Year 12 students completed work experience placements and a further 160 engaged in work-related group projects delivered by local employers.
BEAUCHAMP COLLEGE
Head of School: Alice King Ridge Way, Oadby, Leicestershire Beauchamp.org.uk Sixthform.beauchamp.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
BeauchampCollege beauchampcollege | beacollegesixth 2230 pupils | Year 7 - Year 13
A-level students achieved an average grade of B, with over 100 securing an A grade average and more than 40 achieving A*.
Awards and accreditations across the year included Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, IQM Inclusion Quality Mark, Music Mark Accreditation and AntiBullying Bronze Award.
GCSE Attainment 8 remained significantly above the national average for the third consecutive year.
Visits from Members of Parliament
Peter Kyle and Neil O’Brien.
Students successfully achieved 66 Bronze, 26 Silver and 10 Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
A wide variety of educational trips for all year groups, including to Madrid, China, Iceland and Borneo.
Participated in The Mantis Muse creative project with Turner Prize nominated artist, David Shrigley.
A record-breaking £13,000 was raised for charity.
BROCKS HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL
Head of School: Cathryn Shilling Howdon Road, Oadby, Leicestershire Brockshill.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
BrocksHillPrimary brockshill_primary 421 pupils from EYFS to Year 6
96.7% of Year 6 pupils achieved or exceeded age-related expectations in Reading, Writing and Maths.
93.2% of Year 1 children passed the phonics screening check, exceeding the national average by more than 10%.
Over £4,700 raised for local charities.
Platinum School Sports
and Music
Mark Awards
achieved, recognising the school’s commitment to holistic development.
23 educational trips held across the year, including a visit to the Houses of Parliament.
BROOM LEYS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Executive Headteacher: Robert Prior Broom Leys Road, Coalville, Leicestershire Broomleys.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
BroomLeysPrimary broomleys_primary 600 pupils from EYFS to Year 6
Academic outcomes exceeded national averages in key areas including Year 1 Phonics Screening, Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check and Key Stage 2 SATs.
A wide range of educational trips included visits to the Houses of Parliament, Warner Bros. Studios, Beaumanor Hall and Gulliver’s Theme Park.
Barclays awarded the Equal Access School Award for promoting equal football opportunities.
All Year 3 pupils learned a musical instrument, the 100-strong choir enjoyed performing concerts and all pupils were entertained by the Playground Proms.
A Year 4 writing project turned interactive walking trail – ‘The Completely Made-up History of Coalville’ – was nominated for a Leicester Comedy Festival Award.
The Gymnastics Team was named ‘Team of the Year’ at the North West Leicestershire Let’s Get Moving Awards.
THE CASTLE ROCK SCHOOL
Associate Principal: Roma Dhameja Meadow Lane, Coalville, Leicestershire
Castlerock.org.uk
Sixthform.castlerock.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
castlerocksch
thecastlerockschool
castlerock_sixthform
1129 pupils from Year 7 to Year 13
The sixth form performed best in the local area with a value-added score of+0.05, overall pass rate of 99% and 20% of students gaining A*/A grades.
£512 was raised for LOROS during December through a series of fundraising activities, including the Christmas Fair.
Enrichment visits included to Caterpillar, the National Space Centre, Twycross Zoo, Derby Theatre and Beaumanor Hall.
Two sixth form students achieved Gold Awards in the British Biology Olympiad.
Football victories included the Let’s Get Moving Awards for Year 7 girls, the County Cup for Year 7 boys and the annual CVL tournament for Year 11 boys.
Castle Rock excelled in the Seneca Schools Championships with total hours studied since the competition began placing the school in the top ten across the UK.
THE CEDARS ACADEMY
Associate Principal: James Rolfe Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicestershire Thecedarsacademy.org.uk Sixthform.thecedarsacademy.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
CedarsAcad cedarsmartin_sixthform 981 pupils from Year 7 to Year 13
GCSE results were strong and above the national average in Science, French, Sports Studies and Statistics.
Nearly £1,000 raised for charity and donated a minibus full of resources to Birstall Foodbank at Christmas.
Success in extra-curricular activities included Year 7 girls reaching the football County Cup Final and student musicians winning the Lionheart Battle of the Bands juniors category.
The sixth form achieved an impressive A-level value-added score of +0.6.
Educational trips included Berlin, Auschwitz, Normandy, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Peak District, De Montfort University and the Leicester Careers Fair.
Inspiring visits from Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, and local politician, Peter Bedford MP.
GREENSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Head of School: Natalie Yeomans Sence Valley Road, Coalville, Leicestershire Greenstone.org.uk
Greenstone Primary School was officially handed over to Lionheart in October 2024, with preparation then taking place to welcome its first EYFS cohort in August 2025.
The school hosted a series of open events, inviting the local community to explore its facilities, which were designed to promote outdoor learning.
In January, Deborah Taylor – Deputy Leader of Leicestershire County Council –visited the site, while towards the end of the academic year, prospective pupils attended ‘Stay and Play’ sessions, offering an early introduction to life at Greenstone ahead of the new term.
HALLAM FIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Head of School: Ifat Sultana Long Meadow Way, Birstall, Leicestershire Hallamfields.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
HallamFieldsPrimary hallamfields
201 pupils from EYFS to Year 6
Pupils exceeded national averages in key academic measures, including Year 1 Phonics
Screening, Year 4 Multiplication Tables
Check and Key Stage 2 SATs.
Eco-Schools Green Flag and the School Games Gold Mark were both achieved, reflecting success beyond the classroom.
Languages Day celebrated the diversity of languages spoken within the school community and welcomed parents and carers to join in.
Rob Paternostro, Head Coach of the Leicester Riders delivered an inspiring assembly on the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Colour Dash raised £2,381 for Lifting Children’s Hopes, to support the happiness and wellbeing of young people.
HIGHCLIFFE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Head of School: Simone Stewart Greengate Lane, Birstall, Leicestershire
Highcliffeacademy.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
HighcliffePrimarySchool
highcliffe_primary
405 pupils from EYFS to Year 6
92% of Year 1 pupils passed the Phonics Screening Check.
32% of Year 6 pupils achieved Greater Depth in Reading.
Over £4,700 raised for charities including £2,404 for LOROS and £311 for the Poppy Appeal.
Trips included the Houses of Parliament, Bosworth Battlefield, Tamworth Castle, Pioneer Activity Centre and a whole-school visit to the pantomime.
Inspiring visits from guest speakers included Peter Bedford MP, Steel from Gladiators, author Steve Skidmore, poet Ash Dickinson and the Rock Kidz team.
HUMPHREY PERKINS SCHOOL
Associate Principal: Della Bartram Cotes Road, Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire Humphreyperkins.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
HumphreyPerkinsSchoolBarrow humphreyperkins.sch
844 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Highest-ever GCSE
results
since joining Lionheart, with strong performance across both academic and creative subjects.
The school hosted a poignant Remembrance Day event, with student cadets taking a leading role.
Ofsted inspection awarded GOOD in all four areas. Inspectors praised the “challenging curriculum.”
The first-ever ‘HP Fest’ was a resounding success, rewarding students with well-deserved downtime and attracting positive feedback from students, staff, parents and local residents.
Oversubscribed for places in Year 7 again, reflecting continued demand and confidence in the school.
JUDGEMEADOW COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Associate Principal: Alex Grainge Marydene Drive, Evington, Leicester Judgemeadow.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
JudgemeadowCommunityCollege official_judgemeadow 1330 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Over 800 food items were donated to Wesley Hall Food Bank at Christmas, supporting families in need.
The PE Department achieved the prestigious School Games Gold Mark Award.
Students enjoyed afternoon tea with the Lord Mayor at Leicester Town Hall.
44 trips and enrichment opportunities took place, including an unforgettable visit to Barcelona.
The fourth annual Culture Day provided a vibrant celebration of heritage and diversity.
The school’s student podcast team conducted exclusive interviews with the Leicester Tigers CEO Andrea Pinchen and local Member of Parliament Shivani Raja.
MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL
Associate Principal: Nina Smith Link Road, Anstey, Leicestershire Martinhigh.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
MartinHighSchoolAnstey 843 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Learners achieving a strong pass (grade 5+) in their EBacc subjects was 11% above the national average.
Over £3,500 raised for charity through initiatives such as Red Nose Day and Children in Need.
More than 700 learners attended school careers events, engaging with employers and universities to explore future pathways.
An exceptional 44 trips were offered to learners, including visits to Iceland, Berlin and Normandy.
Whole-school participation in the annual Bowloop walk around Bradgate Park raised £1,028 for student council initiatives.
Participation in extra-curricular events included Battle of the Bands, the Christmas Showcase, forest schools and science initiatives such as the BAE Systems roadshow.
MERCIA ACADEMY
Associate Principal: Nick Holmes Sunnyside, Newhall, Swadlincote Merciaacademy.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
MerciaAcademy mercia_academy
579 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Strong Key Stage 4 results were achieved in Art, Sports Science and Spanish.
Staff and students successfully transitioned into a new temporary building, quickly establishing strong routines and enjoying their new environment.
125,000 Reward Points were issued across the year, reflecting a positive culture of behaviour and attendance.
58 educational trips took place, including visits to the England national football team training base, and Eindhoven in Holland.
The Inclusion Quality Mark with Flagship status was achieved, highlighting a commitment to inclusive education and support for all students.
NEWHALL JUNIOR SCHOOL
Head of School: Clare Weaver Chesterfield Avenue, Newhall, Swadlincote Newhalljunior.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
NewhallJuniors
NewhallJuniors
284 pupils from Year 3 to Year 6
Newhall proudly earned the Gold School Games Award, the Silver Space Education Quality Mark and became a Thrive Ambassador School for supporting pupils’ emotional and social growth.
Academic
outcomes continued to improve, with 8% more pupils (than the year before) achieving age-related expectations in reading and 11% more working at a higher standard.
A wide range of trips included to Gulliver’s Kingdom and Lea Green Outdoor Centre.
The school raised £2,306 for Solving Kids Cancer, in support of Year 3 pupil Freya, through nonuniform days, cake sales, a bingo night and a raffle.
Community involvement included planting trees with South Derbyshire District Council, singing in care homes and performing at Proms in the Park.
RIVERSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Head of School: Rachel Roberts Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester riversideacademy.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
RiversidePrimarySchool riverside_primaryschool
419 pupils from EYFS to Year 6
Pupils were appointed Anti-Bullying Ambassadors as work toward achieving the Beyond Bullying Award.
Enjoyable trips saw pupils travel to Warwick Castle, the Pioneer Activity Centre, Warning Zone and the National Space Centre.
Over £300 raised for Children in Need through a spot-themed dressup day and cake sale.
Awarded the Green Flag with Merit from Eco-Schools, recognising commitment to environmental sustainability.
The first Lionheart primary school to be accredited with the STEM Learning I Belong programme, encouraging more girls to pursue computing.
Year 6 took part in a Careers and Enterprise Day, engaging with professionals to gain valuable insights into careers.
Pupils explored languages, traditions and cultural activities, during Culture Day, where they celebrated the diversity of the school community.
SIR JONATHAN NORTH GIRLS’ COLLEGE
Associate Principal: Helen Coles-Hennessy Knighton Lane East, Leicester Sirjonathannorth.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
SirJonathanNorth sirjonathannorth 1149 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Ofsted inspectors graded the school OUTSTANDING across all four judgement areas and said, “pupils thrive at Sir Jonathan North.”
Year 9 students undertook 1,275 hours of volunteering by organising 14 sports festivals for local primary school pupils.
74% of students achieved Grades 9–4 in GCSE English and Maths, improving on the previous year.
Year 7, 8/9 and 10/11 won athletics competitions for the 18th consecutive year.
Musicians from across Years 7 to 10 performed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Over 50 educational trips took place, including residentials to France and Spain and visits to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Conkers and Carsington Reservoir.
THE NEWBRIDGE SCHOOL
Co-Heads of School: Mike Gamble & Mick Rowbottom Forest Road, Coalville, Leicestershire Newbridge.org.uk
Highlights from the academic year
NewbridgeSch thenewbridgesch
813 pupils from Year 7 to Year 11
Ofsted Inspectors awarded GOOD in all areas and described the school as “caring and welcoming.”
Key Stage 4 results on the rise, with increased attainment for the third consecutive year.
Students experienced exciting residential trips including Bushcraft, PGL activities, Paris and skiing in Italy.
Over £3,000 raised for charity, including a 12-hour sponsored Christmas karaoke event for LOROS!
Badminton teams excelled, with Key Stage 3 girls crowned county champions and Key Stage 4 boys finishing second in the finals.
Student Leadership Board was launched, empowering students to help shape the future of the school.
Diversity was celebrated through Culture Day themed lessons, quizzes, games and a Mexicaninspired lunch.
ALTERNATIVE PROVISION
Some young people benefit from a different educational approach and through our range of alternative provision, every learner can continue their education and reach their potential.
Highlights across our alternative provision in 2024–25 included:
THE PIONEERS’ CENTRE
For young people in Key Stages 3 and 4 at risk of exclusion from mainstream school. Students benefit from an adapted curriculum delivered in smaller classes, alongside external agency support.
Every student achieved at least one Level 2 qualification and went onto further education or training.
Strong engagement with students saw attendance at Pioneers’ Centre over 10% higher than the national average of alternative provision settings.
THE BRIDGE
An onsite provision for students on short-term suspension from school, delivering restorative support to address behaviour and promote positive re-engagement with learning.
Over 700 days of learning delivered at The Bridge, as opposed to home suspension, ensuring students benefited from continuous education in a focused environment.
THE GREEN ROOM AND THE MEADOWS
Offering a therapeutic curriculum for students who benefit from some time away from mainstream school, its young people experience hands-on learning activities.
The therapeutic educational offer was extended to new subject areas, including cooking and construction. Learners strengthened practical skills in construction by designing and building go-karts.
ENDEAVOUR
A small setting on site at The Cedars Academy for students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Alongside national curriculum learning, the focus is on rewarding experiences and students gaining functional life skills.
9 pupils successfully participated in an overnight residential trip to London; a real achievement for many!
School attendance was significantly above the national average for specialist settings, at 92.9%.
EDUCATION
PRIMARY SCHOOL DATA
SECONDARY SCHOOL DATA
GCSE DATA
SIXTH FORM COLLEGE DATA
A LEVEL
Trust Curriculum
Lionheart curriculum leaders have been working on the shared approach to curriculum for a number of years, always refining the ambitious curriculum that is delivered through our schools.
A collaborative approach in 2024-25
Across the year, our work focused on collaboration—bringing teachers together to solve problems, share best practice and evaluate collectively, drawing on the expertise of staff from across Lionheart to help pupils make the best possible progress.
Collaborative sessions covered topics from using data to raise standards and track learning, to professional development on technology such as generative AI and adaptive practice, as well as evidence-based approaches to supporting pupils with additional needs. Our teaching and learning principles, grounded in cognitive science, provide a clear framework that guides these discussions on implementation and pedagogy.
Conceptual school improvement model
Informed by recent CST research and the Department for Education's (DfE) 2018 Sustainable Improvement in Multi-School Groups report, we introduced a new conceptual school improvement model. It focused on setting clear goals, building capability and capacity, and using evidence-led improvement cycles. It enabled horizontal improvement—sharing excellent practice, identifying common development areas, and providing targeted professional learning. As a result, curriculum leaders strengthened relationships with school teams and enhanced trust-wide collaboration. This work saw notable gains in pupil outcomes, including a 7% rise in Phonics at primary level and an average improvement of over one grade in subjects such as Geography and MFL at secondary level.
Lionheart schools involved viewed the strand work very positively, with feedback confirming that it supported them to drive forward priority areas and benefit from increased capacity.
Curriculum Diversity 45 GCSEs
Including home languages and a range of design and performing arts subjects
Including sociology, economics, psychology and further maths 29
17 LEVEL TWO VOCATIONAL COURSES
Including construction, hair and beauty and health and social care
8 LEVEL THREE VOCATIONAL COURSES
Including creative digital media, applied science and music technology
Global Issues Curriculum
Our Global Issues Curriculum extended the personal development of our pupils by exploring pressing global topics. Learners engaged with three selected areas – one per term – through classroom learning, discussions and social action, empowering them to make a positive impact. While focused on teaching secondary and sixth form year groups, some topics were adapted and delivered to upper primary year groups.
Autumn Term: The Impact of Misinformation
Students explored how misinformation spreads globally, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence. Lessons examined its societal impact and the harm caused in areas such as celebrity culture, culminating in discussions about how to combat ‘fake news.’
As a social action project, students created letters and leaflets for local MPs, raising awareness of misinformation and calling for greater public education on digital literacy.
Spring Term: Democracy Across the Globe
This topic focused on different forms of government and case studies of nations transitioning to democracy, including Brazil and Tunisia. Learners debated governance models and considered the challenges and benefits of democratic systems.
To bring their learning to life, students took part in a Mock Trial for Democracy, adopting courtroom roles to debate modern challenges and build persuasive arguments in defence of democratic principles.
Summer Term: Sustainability and Protecting the Future
Responding to student interest, the topic addressed climate change and sustainability. Learners examined practical ways to create a more sustainable world, building on previous discussions around COP26 and global attitudes to environmental issues.
Revision Support
Knowing the positive impact that families can have when supporting pupils’ revision at home, we produced a dedicated online revision resource aimed at supporting preparation for GCSE exams.
With pupils – and parents - sometimes overwhelmed with a plethora of information and unsure where to start, our online resource on the Lionheart website pulled together the best written guides, timetable resources, recorded lessons and videos on best practice revision techniques. The resource was launched to parents and students together with their latest data snapshot, to encourage targeted and focused revision.
Onward Destination
After receiving their A-level results in summer of 2025, many Lionheart students progressed to higher education, enrolling on a diverse range of courses at universities across the UK, including:
External Inspection
During 2024-25, four of our schools were visited by His Majesty’s Ofsted Inspectors, with positive results across the board. These were the first inspections undertaken since the removal of Ofsted’s single-word judgements.
November 2024
“The school and the Trust have markedly improved the curriculum and how it is delivered.”
January 2025
“Pupils thrive at Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College.”
April 2025
“It provides a challenging curriculum that is designed well to meet pupils’ aspirations.”
July 2025
“The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests.”
Attendance
High attendance is closely linked to strong academic performance, pupil wellbeing and belonging. We recognise and reward excellent attendance, while our systems – including automated communication and real-time monitoring – help ensure pupils are in school and ready to learn.
In 2024-25, attendance for compulsory school ages – for both primary and secondary – was above the national average.
93.4%
93.1%
Vs LIONHEART NATIONAL
HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT
While academic attainment is a key focus, we also prioritise opportunities that support pupils’ wider personal development. Across the academic year, we capitalised on the scale and diversity of our Trust and the collaborative opportunities for pupils that offered.
Cross-School Opportunities
In October, we hosted our first Careers in Sport Day, giving secondary students the chance to explore a range of career pathways within the industry, from community roles to elite-level opportunities.
Talented musical students rocked the stage at Battle of the Bands in January, while March saw the return of our secondary school dodgeball competition, followed by LET’s Dance competition in April, where students lit up the dancefloor.
In May, primary pupils had their chance to shine, taking to the stage alongside their older peers at The Y Theatre, where they delivered inspirational speeches as part of our Lionheart Speaks oracy initiative.
Alongside these larger events, smaller activities – such as Modern Foreign Language spelling competitions – also took place throughout the year.
Events like these highlight the benefits of being part of a Multi-Academy Trust. They give staff and pupils the chance to network, collaborate and enjoy healthy competition via the medium of a shared interest.
The Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) positively challenged our young people, enabling them to experience adventure and develop outside of the classroom.
We were proud to see a sustained high-level of engagement in 2024-25, with nearly 300 learners participating in the scheme. Year 9 students were offered the Bronze Award, Years 10 and 11 the Silver and Years 12 and 13 the Gold. Across the year, they undertook voluntary work, learned valuable life skills, completed a chosen physical activity and enjoyed expeditions to Rutland and the Peak District.
287 Lionheart students completed their D of E Award*
In March, we held our annual awards ceremony for Bronze and Silver participants, where students received their awards from John Chatfeild-Roberts, the High Sheriff of Leicestershire. Gold Award recipients visited Buckingham Palace in May to collect their awards.
* This excludes students from Mercia Academy, who ran a separate DofE programme during 2024-25.
INCLUSIVITY
We believe every young person deserves the chance to succeed, no matter their background. It’s also important to us that every child has access to an excellent education, even if it means how we deliver that is different for some. The ethos of ensuring an equitable environment carries through to our employees too.
Our curriculum and school environments promote diversity and inclusion, with respect and cultural awareness encouraged while celebrating festivals, awareness days and national campaigns that embrace difference.
Alternative Provision
We recognise that some pupils require a different approach to learning to help them achieve their full potential.
Across the year, experienced professionals at our varying alternative provision centres delivered different approaches to support pupils, ensuring every child had access to an education to help them achieve their potential.
The Pioneers’ Centre - a dedicated facility where students in smaller class sizes benefit from a curriculum with personalised intervention and therapeutic support – celebrated its first set of GCSE exams.
The centre’s very first cohort achieved excellent results that reflected their hard work and the inclusive environment that had supported their learning and progress.
Celebrating Faith
Across the year, our schools acknowledged key religious festivals from a variety of faiths celebrated by staff and pupils, which included Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Hanukkah, Christmas, Mahayana New Year and Eid. To promote understanding and celebrate others’ faiths, short educational videos were shared during tutor time and assemblies with pupils, and social media messages sent our greetings to the wider community.
For colleagues to celebrate with their peers, the Trust provided traditional foods in staffrooms – such as samosas and hot cross buns – for several faith celebrations across the year.
Diversity Calendar
Our Diversity Calendar was adopted by all schools across the Trust and gave suggestions for key religious festivals and awareness days to celebrate and educate on throughout the year - such as Dyslexia Awareness Week, Children in Need and British Sign Language Week – enabling schools to recognise and celebrate important occasions as part of their inclusive approach.
Inclusivity In Schools
Across the year, many Lionheart schools championed equality, diversity and inclusion through their own creative approaches. Several schools –including Judgemeadow Community College, Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College, The Newbridge School, Beauchamp College and Beauchamp City Sixth Form – hosted Culture Days, giving pupils the opportunity to celebrate their heritage; learners wore traditional attire and took part in a variety of cultural activities.
Elsewhere, schools marked special occasions with themed lunches; for example, Judgemeadow Community College organised a Black History Month lunch, Humphrey Perkins School served a traditional Christmas dinner and Brocks Hill Primary School celebrated Diwali with a special menu.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Our Central Teams worked hard throughout the year to enhance the systems and software used by Lionheart stakeholders.
Beehive
Built and maintained in-house, Beehive is an online platform for staff, students and parents/ carers. It supports a wide range of functions, including setting and viewing homework, creating classroom seating plans, managing media consent, sending key communications, processing payments and recording staff performance reviews.
In 2024-25 Beehive:
Was used by 25,969 people
Awarded 2,707,451 reward points
Issued 196,952 behaviour points
Processed 223,074 orders
In a constantly evolving digital landscape, we adapt our systems to meet changing needs and to ensure a positive user experience.
In 2024-25, updates to Beehive included:
Employee Resources - providing staff with easy access to important personnel information and support materials.
Childcare Booking - allowing parents and carers to book childcare services directly.
Assignments - enhanced tools for setting, tracking and managing pupil assignments more efficiently.
Behaviour Management - updated features to support consistent behaviour tracking and intervention.
Attendance Management - streamlined processes for monitoring and responding to pupil attendance.
Performance Upgrades - system-wide enhancements to improve speed, reliability and user experience.
Artifical Intelligence (AI)
With rapidly advancing societal changes, we actively embedded Artificial Intelligence into our working practices throughout 2024–25, supporting both staff and pupils.
Inset Day Training – January 2025
All Lionheart staff received an introduction to Artificial Intelligence, including a range of platforms such as Microsoft Copilot, exploring the fundamentals of prompt-writing and how they could be embedded into everyday working and personal life. The session demonstrated how these tools can help save time and resources across a variety of roles.
AI June
A month of after-school bitezise workshops delivered by experienced Lionheart colleagues in June, explored platforms such as Copilot, Canva and Aila, enabling staff to, among other things, create engaging lesson resources and analyse data.
Big Teach
Following extensive work to develop a bespoke AI-powered assessment tool in collaboration with external software developers, Big Teach was launched. Supporting teachers by analysing pupils’ work on both multiple choice quizzes and prose answers, it offers insights to teachers to enable more targeted and timely feedback, while reducing teacher workload. The insights allow for more tailored support for learners, with data informing teachers on knowledge gaps.
Chromebooks
A pilot project saw every student in Year 7 at Martin High School and Beauchamp College given a Chromebook device, funded by the Trust, to support with both in-school and home learning.
With digital literacy a critical skill that ensures young people are future-ready, we knew this was an important project to roll out.
Regular use of technology through Chromebook use not only enhanced students’ skills but lesson content too, including:
PE - students undertook footwork analysis of physical activity, understanding the science behind the action. Using the Chromebook added theoretical learning to practical lessons.
Maths – digital learning of some maths topics were much more visual and therefore engaging, helping students to grasp concepts.
History – students used their Chromebook to search sources for referencing in their work, gaining skills they’ll need for coursework later in their educational journey.
The project outcomes meant plans were made to roll Chromebook use out to further schools and pupils in the 2025-26 academic year.
FUNDING
By adopting a creative approach to generating income, we secured multiple funding streams that enabled investment in initiatives that supported the education of pupils across our schools.
Lettings
Venue hire across all Lionheart schools grew considerably in 2024-25, with many clubs, teams and individuals hiring the facilities for a wide variety of activities, including sports events, dance classes and weddings. This raised income of £1.2 million, with profits reinvested back into schools.
£1.2 million generated from facility hire, was reinvested back into our schools.
Grants
Grants were secured from a range of organisations to fund projects and initiatives designed to enhance the educational experience for pupils.
£6,540
Energy Sparks
£2,500
Leicester City Council
Funding enabled the redevelopment of an existing pond at Riverside Primary School into a dipping pond, creating hands-on science learning opportunities and improving emotional wellbeing and physical health through a connection with nature.
£4,000
Football Foundation
Through partnerships with local community football clubs, we secured funding to replace two sets of static goals with mobile alternatives at Martin High School This upgrade improved the quality of the school’s sports facilities, supporting a wider range of football activities for learners.
Aspire People
Aspire People kindly purchased tabards for all pupils and staff at Riverside Primary School. These ensure visibility and identification during off-site visits, supporting safety and safeguarding while enabling enriching experiences beyond the classroom.
Continuing our partnership with Energy Sparks, 12 schools received funding to maintain progress in reducing energy consumption. Savings achieved across the Trust were up to 17% for electricity and 23% for gas. These reductions supported our commitment to sustainability while helping schools to manage costs more effectively.
£17,280
Active Together
In the third year of our successful partnership with Active Together, funding enabled continued delivery of after-school and breakfast clubs across the Trust. Activities included tennis at Riverside and Highcliffe Primary School, as well as Boxfit sessions at Judgemeadow Community College, Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College and The Castle Rock School, providing pupils with opportunities to stay active and engaged beyond the classroom.
INVESTING
Creating positive learning environments within our schools remained a key priority for us across 2024-25. Guided by our dedicated Estates and IT teams, we delivered a range of upgrades throughout the year to enhance facilities and improve access to high-quality resources.
Estates
Completed in August 2025
Highcliffe Primary School Bungalow
A bungalow on site was transformed into a dedicated wellbeing centre, providing a calm and supportive space to enhance pupil development.
Completed in August 2025
The
Castle Rock School Drama Room
A classroom was converted into a dedicated drama space, supporting delivery of the school’s creative curriculum and enriching expressive arts learning.
Completed in August 2025
Mercia Academy Old School Building
Following the construction of temporary accommodation, demolition of the former school building began over the summer to make way for a new, state-of-the-art facility, due for completion in the 2027-2028 academic year.
Completed in August 2025
Humphrey Perkins School Resurfacing
Extensive resurfacing was carried out across key areas of the site to improve accessibility.
Completed in August 2025
Brocks Hill Primary School EYFS Area
The EYFS area was refurbished with new flooring, furniture and learning resources, creating a vibrant and engaging environment for the school’s youngest pupils.
Commissioned in 2024-25, with completion in October 2025
Newhall Junior School Temporary Building
In preparation for moving out of the current school to enable re-building of a brand-new school, work began on installing a temporary modular school building.
Commissioned in 2024-25, with completion expected Spring/Summer 2026
The Old House at The Castle Rock School
Restoration work began on The Old House, a 19thcentury listed building, which will become a Trust office and conference space, supporting collaboration and strategic development.
Device Upgrades
To ensure pupils and staff had access to modern technology, we:
Deployed over 1,000 Chromebooks as part of a 1:1 device scheme for pupils
Upgraded more than 6,000 PCs and laptops to Windows 11
Provided schools with 300 new laptops and 370 new PCs for student use in school, as well as upgrading 45 iPads
Supplied 300 new staff laptops
Estates and Expansion
Significant IT infrastructure was implemented at Greenstone Primary School ahead of its opening, ensuring the school launched with robust systems and modern technology.
Further Refurbishments And Upgrades
In addition to major developments, a wide range of improvements were delivered across the Trust. These included refreshed toilets, new flooring, upgraded catering facilities and modernised classrooms. Heating systems were improved, roofing repairs completed and fire safety resources enhanced. All this worked helped ensure that our learning environments were safe, efficient and inspiring.
Network and Security Enhancements
All school firewalls were upgraded to strengthen security, complemented by enhanced anti-virus protection across every device. A new staff VPN was introduced to support secure remote access, while multiple sites benefited from a full server infrastructure refresh.
Audio and Visual Facilities
To enrich teaching and learning:
184 new teaching walls were installed across classrooms
Existing AV facilities across various school sites were upgraded.
These improvements supported interactive lessons and high-quality presentations for both curriculum delivery and extra-curricular events.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Lionheart Teach
Lionheart Teach enjoyed another successful year training and supporting future and recently qualified teachers with the skills, experience and support needed to thrive in the classroom.
Well over 100 people were supported through internships, postgraduate teacher training (PGCE), on the job guidance and CPD for Early Careers Teachers and a Professional Learning Programme.
Internships
Our summer internship programme welcomed 25 undergraduates – specialising in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computing and Languages – to gain valuable classroom experience across our schools, strengthening our recruitment pipeline and inspiring future educators.
Teacher Training (PGCE)
Our partnerships with leading universities continued to drive and enrich our PGCE programme, training 51 aspiring teachers who undertook their placements in Lionheart schools. In 2024–2025, we worked with:
Support for our Early Careers Teachers (ECTs)
Our Early Careers package continued to provide strong support for new teachers. In 2024–25, we supported 66 ECTs and their mentors through the Early Career Framework, delivered in partnership with Ambition Institute.
Tailored ‘5 in 15’ CPD sessions, shaped by staff voice and led by Trust experts, along with learning walks across all schools, ensured ECTs were well supported and set up for success.
Professional Learning Programme
We delivered four full-day Professional Learning sessions aligned with our 3Ps, events which helped promote subject-specific collaboration and allowed our trainees to network with one another.
Complementing these sessions, we also ran a series of online courses to promote further personal development amongst our trainees. These courses focused on key areas such as SEND, KS2 transition, wellbeing SIMS/SISRA and assessment.
Lionheart Teach remains committed to excellence, innovation, and impact, celebrating the achievements of our trainees and staff as we continue to shape the future of education.
OUR PEOPLE
Heart Awards
For the third consecutive year, we delivered the Heart Awards to recognise the outstanding contributions of Lionheart staff whose work went over and above, linked to our 3P values ; positive, professional and pupil-centred. A record 324 individuals and teams were nominated, with nine winners crowned at the end-of-year celebration in July 2025.
324 individuals and teams nominated for a Heart Award in 2024-25
23 finalists
9 winners
Staff Development
LinkedIn Learning
To support ongoing professional growth, every Lionheart employee had access to a LinkedIn Learning licence, funded by the Trust, which gave staff access to over 20,000 online courses.
In 2024–25, staff viewed 5,659 videos, with popular courses including Excel Essential Training, Microsoft Copilot: The Art of Prompt Writing, Cybersecurity Foundations and A Beginner’s Guide to Video Editing.
The National College
A wide range of education-focused online courses and webinars were available to all Lionheart staff throughout the year via National College, to support professional development.
During the academic year, 83% of staff accessed National College to complete a variety of certificated courses, including SEND Code of Practice, Epilepsy Awareness, Understanding Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation and Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs.
Elevate Leadership Programme
Our bespoke training programme provided a group of Lionheart staff with the opportunity to widen their skillset and develop leadership expertise. 28 staff took part in Elevate, engaging in workshops, and undertaking further reading and project work to help progress their careers into senior leadership.
National Professional Qualifications (NPQ)
In 2024-25, 24 employees across the Trust were studying towards an NPQ; a professional development course that enables teachers and leaders to develop skills, progress careers and ultimately improve school outcomes.
Apprenticeships
We supported 22 employees undertaking apprenticeships in a variety of vocations, including:
Hospitality
Human Resources
Positive Workplace Culture
In support of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we launched a Dignity at Work policy, rolled out in the annual safeguarding training, to set clear expectations around respectful and professional conduct.
To further embed a positive workplace culture, we trained several staff as mediators, to help colleagues navigate disagreements and minor conflict.
Staff Benefits
Employees have access to a wide range of additional benefits which continued to be popular throughout the year, following work to raise awareness and understanding among colleagues to improve take-up.
Benefits include healthcare membership and salary sacrifice schemes for gym membership, technology and bicycle leasing/purchasing.
Across the academic year:
38 people joined Techscheme
47 people joined GymFlex
8 people joined CycleScheme
69 people joined Benenden Health
LIONHEART’S JOURNEY
April 2013
Lionheart Academies Trust founded as a single academy trust by Beauchamp College.
March 2014
Highcliffe and Riverside Primary Schools joined, and with Trust support achieved a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.
Lionheart became a multiacademy trust.
July 2021
The Trust changed its name to Lionheart Educational Trust to better reflect the breadth of work it undertakes in education.
August 2020
The Trust opened Beauchamp City Sixth Form, a new Post16 Free School in Leicester City Centre, focusing on a traditional academic A-level curriculum.
November 2019
In November, the ‘Outstanding’ Brocks Hill Primary School joined the Trust.
September 2022 August 2023
Three Coalville-based schools – The Castle Rock, The Newbridge and Broom Leys Primary Schools – joined Lionheart, with an ambitious and continuous improvement plan implemented from the very start.
The Pioneers' Centre opened to ensure quality alternative provision for Lionheart students where an alternative approach to education was needed.
March 2015
The Cedars Academy joined the Lionheart Trust and through the sharing of best practice and extensive collaboration, later achieved a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.
August 2017
The Trust opened Hallam Fields Primary School following the success of our other primary schools.
March 2019
Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College, an ‘Outstanding’ secondary school in Leicester, joined the Trust, working in unison with Beauchamp College to extend this top-tier standard of provision to all of our of schools.
October 2018
Humphrey Perkins School in Barrow upon Soar joined the Trust, extending our provision throughout Leicestershire. They later gained a 'Good' Ofsted rating and were awarded 'Leicestershire Live School of the Year 2020'.
September 2018
Martin High School joined the Trust, and formed the Cedars Martin Sixth Form in partnership with The Cedars Academy.
June & July 2024
Mercia Academy and neighbouring school, Newhall Junior, joined Lionheart following a period of support.
October 2024
The Local Authority completed the handover of Greenstone Primary School to Lionheart, in preparation for its first cohort of pupils in August 2025. A two-form entry school at the heart of Coalville’s Swinfen Vale housing development, Greenstone’s forest school ethos blends naturebased learning with a traditional curriculum.
GOVERNANCE
MEMBERS
TRUST BOARD
AUDIT COMPLIANCE & RISK
*LGB=Local Governing Body
Members
As founders of our multi-academy trust, the role of members is to ensure that the Board keeps core priorities - providing education for children and young people - at the centre of its work, and retains its stated ethos and values.
Lionheart members 2024-25:
Retired Primary Headteacher with leadership and educational experience.
Church Vicar with experience in community leadership.
Retired Head of Distributions and Chair of a local charity.
Solicitor with business and educational charity experience.
Former Chair of Governors with over 20 years of technical sales and marketing experience.
Diane Miller
Nigel Swan
Michael Rusk
Dushyant Tanna
Episcopalian
Retired
Pam Mar
The Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees provide strong strategic leadership, ensuring robust accountability for educational and financial performance. The Trust Board met five times during the academic year, with two meetings in the autumn, one in the spring and two in the summer term, inclusive of a Trustee strategy day.
Lionheart Trustees 2024-25:
Business owner, with experience in finance and business management, focusing on value for money for the Trust. Byron is also the Chair of the Finance Committee.
Financial Chartered Accountant and current business owner, with experience of local governance, joining a trust and holding senior leaders to account.
A retired HMI, with experience of holding schools and multi academy trusts to account. Dilip has extensive knowledge of education, safeguarding and governance, and is also the Chair of the Education and Engagement Committee.
Homeless Charity CEO with experience in driving social mobility and multi agencies. Mark is a link Trustee to Deprivation.
A retired engineer with experience of business management, premises and engineering. Ian supports with the Trust’s estates.
Portfolio of roles including leading an engineeringbased charity and advising on assessment of vocational learning. Experienced in governance, risk and health and safety management and assurance.
Kath Kelly
Executive Principal and CEO of Lionheart Educational Trust, with leadership and education experience.
Director of Finance at NFU, a non-for-profit charity. Farah has over 20 years of business experience implementing high-level, practical strategies to drive performance and improvement.
Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with extensive experience in education and leadership, including roles as teacher, senior leader, HMI, and executive director. Davinder has a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Byron Chatburn
Dilip Kadodwala
Sarju Raikandalia
Mark Grant
Ian Harris Farah Salah
Luise Vassie Davinder Dosanjh
The Trust board have three core functions:
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
Holding executive leaders to account for the educational performance of the organisation and its pupils, and the effective and efficient performance management of staff
Overseeing the financial performance of the organisation and ensuring value for money
To ensure that the Trust adheres to the governance framework outlined in the Academy Trust Handbook and ensure a high level of scrutiny, the Trust board delegates some responsibilities to committees. Committees are made up of Trustees with specific knowledge and experience who, with the exception of the remuneration committee, met three times during the 2024-25 academic year and reported back to the Trust Board.
The committees are:
Audit Compliance and Risk
Finance and Operations
Education and Engagement
Remuneration
Governance Vision Evening
This event enabled Lionheart to share the common values of the Trust with all Governors. Without Governors the schools would not have a critical friend, and the evening provided an opportunity for everyone to have a shared understanding of what’s important to our pupils, staff and communities.
We also hosted a School Improvement event in February which allowed the Executive Team and Senior Leaders to present updates on the new School Improvement Model strands. Governors and Trustees gained valuable insight into the model’s review processes and practical implementation.
Local Governing Bodies
Each school has a Local Governing Body (LGB), which holds the school to account for; the quality of teaching and learning; the experience of pupils, parents and staff; the processes to ensure safeguarding and informal links with the local community and businesses. LGBs ensure that school leaders are mindful of the school’s context and work within the overall vision of Lionheart Educational Trust. Each LGB governor links to a particular area of school life such as safeguarding, SEND or pupil premium.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Lionheart is led by an experienced Executive Team who drive the Trust’s commitment to academic excellence and holistic development.
Extended Leadership Team
The Executive Team is supported by a wider senior team whose expertise contributes to the effective running of the Trust.
Richard Heppell, Director of Data & Exams
Lauren Hackett, Head of Governance & Compliance
Oliver Willis, Head of Estates
Damian Tomkiewicz, Head of IT
Kath Kelly CEO
Jenny Piper Gale Deputy CEO
Ben Jackson Chief Operating Officer
Sian Kalidoski Director of Marketing & Communications
Sadie Pollard Chief Finance Officer
Alex Petrie Director of Curriculum
Anne Lamb Director of People
Roger Taylor Director of Estates
Kath Kelly CEO
Jenny Piper-Gale Deputy CEO
Ben Jackson Chief Operating Officer
Sadie Pollard Chief Finance Officer
Roger Estates Director of Estates
Alex Petrie Director of Curriculum
Anne Lamb Director of People
Sian Kalidoski Director of Marketing & Communications
FINANCES
Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 August 2025
Income
Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 August 2025
Other recognised gains/(losses):
Reconciliation of funds:
Balance
Sheet
at 31 August 2025
LIONHEART FINANCIALS 2024-25
£119.6m
£234.61m Fixed Assets 23 days
Lionheart Educational Trust had a strong financial year. It achieved a clean audit in the autumn term of 2024-25 following completion of the 2024-25 accounts process. Lionheart schools were supported and well managed in order for them to spend sensibly and prudently, with no schools falling into deficit.
A new primary school Greenstone joined the Trust in October 2024, opening to pupils in August 2025. Our accounts show the impact of the transfer of the additional school and we have recognised associated income of £12.7m.
The focus in the year was on developing better financial reporting as well as tight control on spend and budget management. The processes and management of finances flourished in the audited accounts and results, leaving the Trust in a healthy financial position.
The Trust continued to respond to a challenging financial landscape, with underfunded pay awards and lower than inflation increases in central government funding. The Trust actively managed budgets across the year, working closely with Headteachers and Operational leaders to ensure spending was kept within available funds. Alongside careful financial management, the Trust continued to invest in its people, the provision for students, and our capital and IT estate.
