Frequently Asked Questions
Parents - FAQs
Will East Wichel still be able to make its own decisions if it becomes part of Lift Schools?
Yes. While joining a multi-academy trust does mean being part of a wider network, East
Wichel will keep its unique identity and make decisions based on what’s best for its
students. Mrs Phillips and the school leadership team will continue to lead the school,
with added support from the education team at Lift Schools, who will offer guidance and
help when needed.
I have heard that other schools have lost their focus on inclusion and increased
exclusions once they have become an academy. Will this be the same if the school joins
Lift Schools?
Just as there are many different ways to run a school, there are many different ways to
run a network of schools or academies. Lift Schools is committed to inclusion and runs a
number of special schools also within our network. We are proud of our reputation of
being an inclusive group of schools. Across our London secondaries, we have seen year on
year reductions in suspensions and exclusions. We are committed to having high
standards but ensuring that we also meet the needs of all pupils, including those with
more complex needs. It is important that we keep pupils in education, in school and
learning.
Mrs Phillips and the team at East Wichel run a school with high expectations and a truly
inclusive approach. This will not change. The school’s ethos and values are aligned with
those of Lift Schools and this is a strength of the school that we are committed to
enhancing and protecting.
Will staff and leaders at the school remain the same?
Yes. All staff will continue in their roles when the school becomes part of Lift Schools.
Their pay, pensions, and employment rights are protected by law. At Lift Schools, all
staff—leaders, teachers and support staff—are highly valued. We are confident that staff
will transition across successfully and want to continue working at East Wichel and be
part of Lift Schools.
Mrs Phillips will remain the Principal at the school and teachers and support colleagues
will continue to work at the school. Lift is committed to keeping and supporting the
talented staff at East Wichel.
Will the curriculum at East Wichel change?
There won’t be major changes. All Lift Schools follow a core curriculum that is closely
aligned with the National Curriculum, so the subjects your child studies will stay familiar.
All Lift Schools use the Read Write Inc phonics programme, which is backed by research
and helps children read at their age level. This is a programme that East Wichel already
runs very successfully.
Will the school have to follow Lift Schools policies?
All schools in the trust follow key legal policies like those for safeguarding, data
protection and complaints. For areas such as attendance or behaviour, Lift Schools
provides a general framework policy which is then adapted by each school to suit its
community. East Wichel will continue to tailor its approach to reflect its own values and
students’ needs.
What is Lift Schools' relationship with staff unions?
Lift Schools has strong, positive relationships with all major education unions. The trust
regularly meets with union representatives to ensure staff are supported, listened to, and
treated fairly.
Will the name or logo of the school change?
The school name would be updated slightly to show it's part of Lift Schools—so “East
Wichel” would become Lift East Wichel. As part of this transition, over time we will work
with the school community to refresh the school’s branding, ensuring that the colours
and identity of the school are retained. The school’s logo will be updated to allow it to
have a similar feel to other schools within the trust but we will work with stakeholders to
ensure that it retains the identity of East Wichel.
Will the school uniform change?
Not immediately. Over time we will gradually introduce an adapted version of the existing
school uniform, with the refreshed name and school logo. Pupils who join the school from
Year R in September 2026 or who join the school in another year group from Autumn
2026, will only be able to purchase uniform with the revised school name and logo.
Existing students can continue to wear their current uniform and over time as items need
replacing, these can be replaced with uniform items with the updated name and logo.
All schools within the Lift network are moving towards reducing the number of branded
items to allow for the cost of school uniform to be reduced. This is something which we
will also work with the team at East Wichel on, to ensure that uniform revision allows for
the cost of items to be as low as possible.
How will Lift Schools support East Wichel as a school improvement partner?
Each school in the trust has a Regional Education Director who works closely with school
leaders to provide support and advice. There’s also a national education team made up of
experts in areas like teaching, safeguarding, attendance, and special needs. If extra help
is needed—for example, in a subject area or with reading support—specialists will work
alongside staff in school.
Staff across our trust are also paired with colleagues in other schools to collaborate,
share ideas, and improve teaching and learning.
Will the school still control its own budget?
Yes. East Wichel’s leadership will continue to set and manage its own budget, with
support from a dedicated finance partner from Lift Schools. The school’s funding will be
spent based on its own priorities.
Lift Schools also brings benefits like better deals on supplies and services by working
across a large group of schools, which can free up more money to spend on the quality of
teaching in the classroom.
What are the next steps?
We will be holding meetings with parents and staff to make sure we understand your
views on the school joining Lift Schools.
We are keen to meet you and hear from as many parents and staff members as possible.
We are looking forward to your feedback and suggestions as we develop plans alongside
the team at East Wichel. Ensuring the success and happiness of pupils at East Wichel is
always at the forefront of our decision-making.
We have a number of opportunities for you to learn more about the proposal for East
Wichel to join Lift.
We will soon write to all families with details of our Public Stakeholder Event, which will
take place in the coming weeks at East Wichel. This will be an opportunity for you to hear
from governors and leaders at the school about the proposal and to hear from
representatives from Lift Schools also. We are currently finalising a date for this event
and will update all families in the next few days.
There is also an opportunity for parents to book a 30 minute appointment to speak with a
colleague from Lift Schools and a member of East Wichel’s leadership team, to discuss the
proposal.
The available dates for these appointments are:
- Wednesday 25 June (between 10:00 and 17:00)
- Wednesday 09 July (between 10:00 and 17:00)
- Monday 14 July (between 09:00 and 14:00)
Please note, that these are by appointment only, if you wish to attend please email:
please follow the links on the previous page. Please include when booking - your name and connection to the school
My name is Jane Smith and I am a parent of a Year 4 pupil, Tom Smith who attends the
school.