Welcome to James Marks Academy
Thank you for taking an interest in our website. Our brand new free school the James Marks Academy opened to just 45 pupils in September 2024. Our new Academy joins Roman Fields and Forest House as the third provision in our small trust.
Prior to the completion of the building the JMA was granted permission to open on our sister site, Roman Fields for the 2023/24 academic year.
Going forward in 2025, the roll will increase further to 60 pupils, which was originally considered capacity. However, such is the demand for places at our new academy the DfE have agreed that pupil numbers can be further increased in 2026 to 72.
The first intake for the JMA included pupils in years 7 and 8 and 12. In 2024, our second year of operation we now support pupils in year 9 and 13. We currently don’t have pupils in years 10 and 11. In 2026 we will have pupils across all year groups between 7 and 13.
Please note, because this is a brand new free school, we will not have an Ofsted report available to share with you until the beginning of the third year of operation which is September 2025. I would like to reassure you, however, that our small ethical Trust has the expertise and commitment to ensure the JMA is equal to our other successful provisions. Please find the link to the Trust founder school rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in June 2024.
In September 2024, a new Headteacher was appointed to Roman Fields, so I could move with the JMA pupils and experienced colleagues to our new school as its Headteacher in these early formative years. I will of course, as a very ‘hands on’ Executive Head continue to be actively involved in all our provisions.
When HCC originally wrote their bid for the free school, which was obviously successful and received the DfE approval, leaders clearly outlined their priorities for the proposed school. We, as a small Trust, have worked with the DfE to meet this brief. HCC had three major priorities:
1. To increase quality SEN provision within the LA, to support its residents and families.
2. To address a gap in provision for ‘those pupils with ASC and SEMH needs for whom a traditional SEMH school would be inappropriate as a result of the intended cohorts’ high anxiety, communication and mental health needs’.
3. To even out the current in-balance through the provision of a school in the East that is similar to Roman Fields in the West.
We have worked hard to provide this and this is not only reflected in the copious amounts of planning we completed in advance of opening, but also in the building itself. The DfE have worked with us on every stage of the design process so the layout/ provision within the school and grounds is very different than you would see in a traditional SEMH school and reflective of the highly anxious cohort the JMA is designed to support.
HCC wrote in their specification in 2019 when they approached the DfE for funding ‘there is a gap in provision for those pupils with ASC or a social communication difficulty, higher academic ability, but significant anxiety, mental health issues, and gaps in their education and associated underachievement’. Adding ‘a school with a designation for complex needs, as identified above is required as these pupils do not fit well within an SEMH provision, due to the nature of their needs. The impact of combining typical SEMH pupils and this group is that pupils' anxiety increases, which impacts on their school and attendance a progress.’ This clearly outlines the profile of the pupils the school is designed to serve.
OUR APPROACH
We strive to create an environment where each individual can flourish irrespective of their previous difficulties. We take a holistic approach to developing our pupils, from support for families, to bespoke educational programmes leading to successful onward transition.
Our success is built on a genuine collaborative partnership between Members, Trustees, staff, SEN professionals, parents/carers and our pupils; a partnership that has high aspirations for all and places the pupils in our care at the heart of every decision. Visitors to our sites are immediately struck by the respectful, calm and considerate atmosphere, which mirrors the pride and commitment both our staff and pupils have in our community. Trust, mutual respect, the delivery of quality first teaching and holistic support are key to building the kind of relationships that have driven our early success at the Roman Fields Academy, which has been replicated at Forest House. We know from the first year of operation that the James Marks Academy delivers the same vision and ethos.
In 2023 Roman Fields was awarded ‘Specialist Advanced’ by the National Autistic Society following a comprehensive review of our practice.
Please read these reports, as I feel the comments from the assessor, parents and pupils accurately reflect the committed colleagues I am privileged to work alongside.
MISSION STATEMENT
Is simply, ‘ambitious for those with diverse needs’. We are proud of the fact that Ofsted and NAS recognise our ‘never give up attitude’ and ‘child centred approach’. This is a universal principle, shared by all our dedicated colleagues, some of whom are now able to access the next step in their careers within our growing trust. Which means we retain these quality practitioners in Hertfordshire, and a greater number of vulnerable pupils and their families consequently benefit from their expertise. Our intention is to share our knowledge and experience within the county by continuing to forge strong partnerships with local schools, colleges and businesses. Colleagues within the trust are therefore ready and willing to embrace this change and replicate the practice we have developed at RFA over many years, and Forest House more recently.
VISION
Unlock a positive future for all our pupils and their families, by building strong relationships, enabling pupils to believe and value themselves, and have high expectations
To ensure all pupil needs are understood and shared with interested stakeholders, and identify when these needs evolve and change and adapt our approach to meet declining, or emerging needs.
Provide a holistic education that allows pupils with mental health issues to recognise their difficulties and develop coping strategies that will enable them to view their own needs ‘not as a disability, but as a different ability’.
Ensure that academic challenge and social & emotional support hold equal value to optimise the opportunities for long term success.
Ensure core values are intrinsically interwoven in our practice.
Ensure all pupils transition successfully from us and develop into successful happy and economically active adults.
Collaborate closely with a range of professionals, schools and colleges to share good practice and experience, thus supporting the local authority to achieve our shared goal of providing high quality special education locally.
"The school and trust are relentless in their efforts to ensure all pupils succeed academically and socially." - Ofsted, 2024
"The local authority correctly judges the school’s performance as outstanding." - Ofsted, 2019 (earlier report)
QUALIFICATIONS
The flexible and creative nature of our provisions allows us to re-engage and motivate pupils, placing them on bespoke timetables that build on their strengths and interests and provide access to accreditation from a variety of awarding bodies. We offer functional skills, vocational qualifications, GCSE and A Level. Please see our examination results (from our partner schools) as we are very proud of our pupils and their achievements.
REFERRALS
Referrals to the JMA are made through Hertfordshire’s SEND process for requesting a place at a special school.
"Pupils’ specific needs and difficulties are carefully addressed through personalised plans. As a result, their outcomes are outstanding." - Ofsted, 2019
OUR CORE VALUES ARE:
Aspiration
Respect
Community
Integrity
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BRITISH VALUES
British Values should be at the centre of everything that we do within schools.
British Values are at the core of our offer. We support the DfE guidance which states that schools should, "create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.’ At the JMA, these values are reinforced regularly in the following ways:
Democracy
Opportunities in lessons allow our pupils to have a say in what we do on a day-to-day basis. For example, they are able to vote on key issues such as how rewards are used within the provision. In subjects such as PSHE and ethics, they learn about our democratic system and are encouraged to use their own voices to offer opinions.
The rule of law
Through our PSHE curriculum, pupils are educated about the laws that must be followed in our society. Key areas are covered such as how laws govern and protect us, the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. Our pupils are encouraged to engage with the public, through regular trips and visits and, as a result, understand the correct and appropriate ways to conduct themselves in such situations.
Individual liberty
The JMA is a safe and supportive environment which allows pupils to feel valued and make individual choices. Staff help them to make safe choices through our PSHE programme, where students receive guidance on e-safety, safe behaviours and relationships. Pupils are given the freedom to make a wide range of choices, such as attending enrichment activities and trips during school holidays.
Mutual respect
Respect is at the heart of all we do. We actively promote respect, so that our pupils understand that it underpins the framework of a tolerant and inclusive society. We expect all staff, visitors and pupils to treat each other with respect in all their interactions. Through our Autism Enrichment Programme, pupils are encouraged to engage with, and respect people from different backgrounds.
Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
The JMA is an environment where pupils are encouraged to learn from each other by sharing and celebrating their different faiths and cultures. For example, through sharing their experiences and beliefs with each other during our shared break and lunchtime. PSHE lessons help pupils to make sense of the multifaceted and multicultural world we live in, increasing their knowledge in a safe environment where they can ask questions and challenge misconceptions, leading to a more tolerant and inclusive school.
Large print and paper copies of all the information on this website can be obtained by contacting the school office.
