Portslade Aldridge Community Academy
Portslade Aldridge Community Academy opened in September 2011, replacing Portslade Community College.
As a former pupil of the school, Sir Rod Aldridge was delighted that Aldridge Education was chosen as the academy’s lead sponsor, alongside Brighton and Hove City Council as the then co-sponsor, and the University of Sussex as Education Partner.
Since conversion to academy status the school buildings have undergone a £12.7m investment programme, seeing a new sixth form centre, a new science centre with separate dedicated physics, chemistry and biology labs, a new theatre, new ICT facilities, a new community library and Adult Learning Centre at the Chalky Road campus.
PACA’s vision is to support its students to develop the skills, knowledge, qualifications, character and ambition to create amazing opportunities and to be successful.
Students are encouraged to become leaders within the school and wider community. They take on a variety of roles such as mentors, prefects, peer support and charity ambassadors. It is seen as important that students develop a strong sense of social responsibility and make a positive contribution to the local and global community.
In June 2016 the academy won the Brighton Community School of the Year award from the Brighton Argus newspaper. PACA was recognised as Most Improved School of the Year at the 2017 Brighton Argus Youth In Action Awards, where Mr Dean Flynn, the Head of PSHCE & Student Leadership also won the Teacher of the Year Award.
In December 2016 the academy was rated Good on all measures by Ofsted. The academy has seen much improved GCSE results for students in recent years and in 2019 over 15% of all grades achieved were top grade 7s, 8s or 9s. Progress 8 scores were above the local average. Progress has continued in 2020 despite the pandemic.
In September 2018 Mark Poston became the academy’s new Principal.
