MP praises 'excellent progress' at Hastings school

Ms Hart visited Flagship, a special school for children aged six to 16 who are neuro-diverse or have SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) needs, to meet headteacher Alastair Burnett, his team and Beckmead’s Chief Executive, Dr Jonty Clark OBE. Together, they toured the school and spoke with many students and teachers. Ms Hart heard from the students about their experiences in education as well as how they are benefiting from the new improvements across the school.

The Flagship School was rated Inadequate by Ofsted after an inspection last year. The Beckmead Trust, which leads successful schools in nearby Hailsham (the Ropemakers Academy), was brought in by the Department for Education to help address the school’s weaknesses. The school formally joined Beckmead in March 2023.

As part of the school’s improvement journey, new governors were appointed and Mr Burnett became Headteacher in May 2023, bringing with him a wealth of experience having worked in schools for more than two decades. Mr Burnett was previously Headteacher at a similar school and improved from an Inadequate rating from Ofsted to a Good judgement in just 15 months.

Ms Hart, MP for Hastings and Rye, said: “I was absolutely delighted to visit The Flagship School and see first-hand the excellent progress that has been made since it joined The Beckmead Trust. I was so impressed by the students and staff and am excited to see the school maintain its hugely positive upward trajectory.”

Alastair Burnett, Headteacher of The Flagship School, said: “I was delighted to welcome Ms Hart into school and show her all the work we have been doing to secure meaningful and impactful improvements. As our MP, Ms Hart works closely to support our community and it was a fantastic opportunity to show her how we are working to provide the best possible education for our young people.

“We are dedicated to ensuring our students leave the school prepared for their lives as young adults and our staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support them to achieve the best possible outcomes so they can acquire key skills and qualifications to lead happy lives.”

Dr Jonty Clark OBE, Chief Executive of The Beckmead Trust, added: “It was fantastic to meet Ms Hart and discuss the transformation at The Flagship School. While there is much more we want to achieve, it was great to see Ms Hart impressed with the progress we are making.”

The school is now looking forward to moving into a new purpose-built school which will offer a wide range of specialist facilities for all its young people to utilise and benefit from.