How Holyrood Academy is bridging gaps and building futures in Chard
In the heart of Chard, South Somerset, Holyrood Academy is redefining its role in the community.
Nestled in one of the most underserved areas of the country, the school has faced persistent challenges—from generational unemployment to widening educational gaps. Yet, under the leadership of headteacher Dave MacCormick, Holyrood Academy has embraced a bold vision: to be a catalyst for systemic change, not just for its pupils but for their families and the wider community. By reaching ‘down’ to feeder schools and ‘out’ into the local community, Holyrood Academy is creating an ecosystem of change that aligns with cradle-to-career (C2C) principles and delivers tangible results.
NB: The information included in this post is based on research carried out by The University of Exeter in the spring/summer of 2024 and is not indicative of the current progress of the C2C model, school or community context.
How it all started
Dave MacCormick’s leadership journey at Holyrood Academy began in early 2020, just as the world faced unprecedented upheaval. Determined to turn the school’s fortunes around, Dave sought inspiration from successful schools across the UK. He drew particular lessons from the Reach Academy in Feltham, where the C2C approach had transformed lives by addressing the broader contextual challenges faced by pupils.
Despite securing a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating and stabilising the school, the gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils continued to grow. This realisation sparked a deeper commitment to engage with the community as a vital resource for change.
Reaching ‘down’ and ‘out’
Holyrood Academy’s leadership recognised that building strong relationships at every level was key to its mission. This began with a dual strategy of reaching ‘down’ to feeder primary schools and ‘out’ to the wider community:
Reaching ‘down’
By fostering educational coherence and relational capital, Holyrood Academy strengthened its ties with 12 feeder primary schools. An Assistant Head for Community and Participation was appointed to lead this work, ensuring Year 6 pupils and their families felt supported during transitions. Listening exercises with feeder schools provided actionable insights, helping to address gaps early.
Reaching ‘out’
The school prioritised listening deeply to community stakeholders. These efforts led to the creation of the Community Leaders Breakfast—a regular convening of representatives from local government, healthcare, education, and civic organisations. Together, they identified shared priorities, such as Early Years provision, food poverty, and transportation, and co-developed solutions. Holyrood’s partnership with the Chard Community Hub has further amplified these efforts, securing funding for initiatives like a Centre Manager role and enhancing food poverty outreach.
Headteacher, Dave MacCormick, opening Chard’s 9th ‘Community Leadership Breakfast’ in May 2024
Building change together
Dave’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: when people come together in a room—transformation begins. The Community Leaders Breakfast exemplifies this belief, catalysing community-led action and addressing critical challenges collaboratively. For example, the partnership with the Chard Community Hub has enabled:
Hiring a former Holyrood Academy pupil as the Hub’s Centre Manager, focusing on Early Years provision.
Establishing a men’s mental health group based on community feedback.
Strengthening food poverty initiatives, ensuring no family in Chard goes unsupported.
Chard Community Hub’s new, larger premises (image via Chard & Ilminster News)
Within the school gates
Holyrood Academy’s commitment to community extends to its internal practices. Recognising the drivers of disadvantage—attendance, literacy, and behaviour—the leadership team implemented targeted changes:
Leadership structure: Senior leaders now have defined community-focused roles, such as directing the local youth club and the Chard Community Hub.
Listening exercises: Regular feedback sessions with pupils identify areas where students feel disconnected, enabling timely interventions.
Relational culture: Staff are encouraged to flatten hierarchies, engage families with compassion, and conduct more home visits to build trust and understanding.
The transformative power of relationships
Reflecting on his C2C journey, Dave credits the power of relationships as the foundation of Holyrood Academy’s transformation.
By engaging relationally—with staff, pupils, families, and community leaders—the school has fostered partnerships that benefit everyone. A key example is the renewed collaboration with the local authority, which now supports provisions for children with additional needs and funds an Area Champion to sustain the community work.
Key takeaways
Dave MacCormick’s experience at Holyrood Academy offers invaluable lessons for other school leaders:
Leverage convening power: School leaders hold significant civic influence. Use it to bring stakeholders together and drive collective action.
Make the ask: Holyrood Academy’s outreach efforts have created a financially sustainable ecosystem where school, community, and local authority priorities align.
Balance school and community work: Achieving the right balance requires active listening and adaptability. Ensure staff feel supported and aligned with the vision.
Working to convene across a community to bring about positive change isn’t easy, but Dave is clear that this work is built on relationships—rather than a school doing things alone. By using the power of relationships and convening everyone around the same issues, Dave and his team are leading transformational change across the cradle-to-career spectrum within Chard.
If the challenges presented in this post resonate with you and your school’s context—and you’re interested in developing a C2C approach as part of your school or trust’s development—we invite you to explore how our Cradle-to-Career Partnership could support you in this work. Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss what this might look like for you.
by Anna Bosher
Data & Impact Lead
The Reach Foundation
