Highfield Leadership Academy Joins Trust

Highfield Leadership Academy in Blackpool is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with capacity for around 1,200 students. On 1 April 2016 it becomes part of Star Academies, a multi-academy trust that operates schools across the country. Since joining the trust, Highfield focuses on aspiration, self-belief and the raising of standards in every aspect of school life.

The school applies a structured, data-driven approach to learning. Each pupil has an individual plan designed both to challenge and to support. Attendance, behaviour and progress are monitored with precision, and interventions follow quickly when concerns arise. Parents share in this responsibility. Detailed report cards are issued every half-term, and families attend review sessions where realistic but ambitious goals are set, creating joint ownership of pupil progress.

Highfield operates within one of the most modern educational facilities in Blackpool. The campus is built through the government’s Building Schools for the Future programme and holds a BREEAM “Excellent” environmental rating. The three-storey, 12,800 square metre building represents forward-thinking design. At its heart stands a vast atrium, linking learning spaces with light and connection.

The facilities reflect the Academy’s ambition. Eight fully equipped science laboratories sit alongside specialist classrooms and suites for creative and performing arts. A 350-seat theatre, drama studio and music suite with recording rooms place performance at the centre of school life. Design and technology workshops provide practical training, while a well-stocked library, a restaurant-style dining area and a full-sized sports hall create breadth, offering spaces for enrichment and community as well as academic pursuit.

Much of the mechanical and electrical work is carried out by Blackpool-based firm Ameon, with Eric Wright Construction serving as main contractor. Together they deliver more than a school building: they provide a comprehensive educational environment for a diverse student body. Highfield Leadership Academy stands as a place where high expectations meet practical reality, rooted in Blackpool but preparing its young people for futures far beyond the town itself.