Our outcomes

It has been another very successful year for the Dixons Academies Trust maintaining the very high standards we have set in previous years, but now during a period of significant growth.

Only Trusts with three academies for more than three years appear in the Department for Education's (DfE) Multi-academy Trust (MAT) performance tables. We currently meet these criteria for KS4 and KS2 results.

In 2019, we maintained our position as the second-highest performing Multi-Trust nationally (DFE MAT Performance Tables) and have now been in the top three for each of the three years we have qualified for these tables.

At Key Stage 4 in 2019, we again significantly out-performed national averages against all six measures, out-performing the previous two years overall and maintaining our very high standards:

In line with our mission, the performance of disadvantaged students was especially strong, and again drove our success this year. This was all achieved with an unapologetic focus on the EBacc: we transform lives and open up opportunities by delivering a predominantly academic curriculum with higher-end grades in high-value qualifications.

"It's a great credit to our students and staff to be the second highest performing Trust in the country. Even more pleasing, we have been in the top three for each of the three years we have qualified for these tables." Sir Nick Weller, CEO

Our primary academies demonstrated again that they can close the significant attainment gap on entry within EYFS and KS1. With starting points for four-year-olds in Bradford well below those nationally, this begins with Reception classes who finish the year much nearer the national measure (Good Level of Development). We are especially strong in curriculum areas where cultural capital is less significant and where excellent teaching makes the most difference: we again out-performed the national average in the Year 1 Phonics Test, for example.

It is taking time for this improved performance lower down the school to feed through to Year 6, but both Dixons Marchbank and Dixons Manningham Primaries improved their Year 6 results this year, both of which were inherited from predecessor Special Measures schools with very low attainment. The first Year 6 cohort of Dixons Music Primary free school performed well above the national standard. Together, they produced by far our best performance at KS2 so far.

At A Level, our students again averaged a grade C, very close to the national average despite the more demanding nature of the Maths and Sciences which our students predominantly choose.

Despite even more students taking up A Level options, the Average Point Score (APS) on entry for Applied General courses was very slightly up. Progress in both academic and applied general courses dipped, however, reflecting the challenges of demonstrating value added at Post 16 as KS4 results rise. Our new Sixth Form Academy, which opened in September 2019, has the task of building better on the improved foundation at KS4.

Overall, 2017/18 was again a very successful year for the Dixons Academies Trust. School improvement is strong across the Trust, and we are currently benefitting from our early anticipation of and work on curriculum change, especially at secondary level. At Dixons we shall continue to do all we can to serve areas of significant social and educational disadvantage effectively, transforming life chances and improving social mobility.

MAT performance tables can be found here.