Heavers Farm Primary School is consulting about whether the school should become an academy within The Pioneer Academy.
The consultation runs from 13th April until 8th May 2026 – please have your say!
If the proposal is taken forward it is anticipated that Heavers Farm Primary School would become an academy on 1st January 2027 or as soon as possible afterwards.
The reasons for the proposal
The ethos of both Heavers Farm Primary School and The Pioneer Academy is that children come first, with learning central to everything.
Joining The Pioneer Academy will provide Heavers Farm Primary School with better access to support and expertise to drive continued improvement and increase resilience. Heavers Farm Primary School joining the Pioneer Academy will also help to build capacity across all the schools within the trust. This larger educational family provides opportunities for professional development and developing and sharing good practice for staff across the trust. This collaboration improves classroom practice, and that benefits all our pupils.
The Pioneer Academy is well established and has a track record of success. A Bromley based multi-academy trust, it was established by Stewart Fleming Primary School in 2011, and Belvedere Junior School joined in April 2013. Since then, it has grown steadily and sensibly and now includes twenty-two schools with Coombe Road Primary School potentially joining in September 2026, and ourselves potentially joining in January 2027. The Pioneer Academy only includes primary phase schools – 17 primary, 3 junior and 2 infant school currently.
What would happen if Heavers Farm Primary School does join The Pioneer Academy?
If Heavers Farm Primary School does convert to academy status and join The Pioneer Academy, Heavers Farm Primary School would:
- Keep the name ‘Heavers Farm Primary School’;
- Keep the same school day;
- Keep the same school uniform;
- The number of places in Reception each year would reduce to 30 places in line with need in the area;
- Benefit from increased opportunities for staff across The Pioneer Academy to work together to develop and share good practice, undertake staff development, build expertise to support groups of pupils with particular needs, and enhance resilience to staff changes.
One area that will change is:
- The admissions over-subscription criteria for Reception entry would remain as now with the exception that The Pioneer Academy would propose adding a ‘children of staff’ criteria. This would need to be consulted upon in Autumn 2027 and would – if approved – take effect for Reception entry in September 2029 onwards.
One area that may change in the future is:
- The school holidays at Heavers Farm Primary School. We may consult in the future to align with those at the other schools within The Pioneer Academy, with the school matching the pattern of the other schools with the autumn term starting immediately after the August bank holiday and including a two-week October half-term.
What is an academy and how is it different?
An academy is an independent state school, funded directly from central government rather than through London Borough of Croydon. An academy has several differences from a community school, including:
- Being responsible for its own admissions policy.
- Being responsible for its land and buildings.
- Setting its own term dates.
- Being the employer of its staff.
However, becoming an academy will mean that the school will be funded directly from the Department for Education and have greater freedom from the requirement to follow the National Curriculum.
The Pioneer Academy will use its experience to ensure that Heavers Farm gains the most advantage from being an academy.
The Board of Trustees of The Pioneer Academy is responsible for all the schools within the Trust. School Boards provide local governance, and support and challenge to the Headteacher and leadership team and include parents and staff.
Where can I find further information? How can I have my say?
More detailed Questions and Answers are available below.
You can have your say by:
Emailing your views to office@heaversfarm.croydon.sch.uk – the Governing Body would particularly welcome your views about what you think the advantages of joining The Pioneer Academy would be, any concerns that you might have, and any areas that you would welcome further information about.
Parents/carers, staff of Heavers Farm and other local stakeholders at Heavers Farm are also being consulted.
The consultation closes on 8th May 2026. Please have your say!
What happens next?
The Governing Body will consider all responses to the consultation.
If the proposal proceeds, it is anticipated that Heavers Farm Primary School would become an academy and join The Pioneer Academy on 1st January 2027 or as soon as possible afterwards. If the proposal does not proceed, Heavers Farm Primary School would remain a community school within London Borough of Croydon.
