Hook Lane Primary School in Bexley has become the eighth member of the Maritime Academy Trust, an educational charity serving primary pupils across London and Kent.

The move will provide Hook Lane, a mixed community school rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, with opportunities to collaborate with other Maritime schools across the South East, sharing good practice in teaching as well as a creative curriculum designed to inspire its pupils.

Headed up by Nick Osborne, CEO and National Leader in Education, Maritime Academy Trust (MAT) follows an entrepreneurial curriculum, designed to cultivate creativity and encourage pupils to adapt and succeed in the modern world, whilst focussing on the importance of great behaviour in every school.

By joining forces with Maritime, Hook Lane says it will be able to offer its pupils this unique ‘big outcomes’ curriculum that has been rolled out across all schools in the Trust. At its core, Maritime challenges pupils to find solutions to real-world issues, allowing their creativity and confidence to flourish. 

Hook Lane will also benefit from being part of a wider group by being able to share good practice in teaching and provide direct access to peer support for Headteachers, underpinned by strong back office support and a cohesive HR and Finance strategy.

Nick Osborne, MAT CEO, said: “We are delighted that Maritime’s strengths are being recognised in the borough of Bexley, extending our reach beyond our founding boroughs of Greenwich and Medway. Hook Lane joins us with a range of strengths, including supporting children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, as it has a dedicated unit for children with ASD. We are all very much looking forward to working with staff and pupils in Hook Lane.”

Hook Lane will continue to foster strong links with parents, keeping them informed primarily through pupils’ class teachers and senior leaders; in addition, parents will be kept updated on developments within Maritime through the termly newsletter.

Natalie Cummings, Headteacher at Hook Lane, said: “After meeting Nick Osborne and members of staff at all levels across several of the Maritime Academy Trust schools, we believe the Maritime Academy Trust shares the same core values and ethos that we currently have here at Hook Lane – where our school motto is ‘Encouraging Fearless Learners’.

“Working in partnership with other schools will enable us to flourish and ensure our children receive a high quality learning experience as we learn from each other and share best practice. Having a dedicated lead for Teaching and Learning across the whole trust is a brilliant idea as they can create links between schools as well as guide them in finding the best support.”