Brownhills Ormiston Academy celebrates a year of community partnership and student success

Brownhills Ormiston Academy is celebrating a remarkable year of community partnerships and student achievement as it reflects on the successes of the 2025/26 academic year, led by Principal Ross Doodson. 

Throughout the year, Brownhills has continued its work to engage with and give back to the local community through its strong relationships with families, partner primary schools, local business and the Brownhills Community Association with which the school has a long-standing partnership. These connections have not only provided students with enriching opportunities but have also helped to foster a strong sense of pride and belonging across the school. 

The academy’s partnerships with local primary schools have continued to flourish through hosting transition activities, shared learning sessions, sports festivals, book swaps and music initiatives. Highlights from this year included a mass choir performance that brought together more than 150 pupils from local primary schools and chess tournaments that allowed pupils to compete against others from across the country. 

The academy has also strengthened its links with the wider community. Families have been welcomed into academy life through reading mornings, performances, workshops and celebration events. Students have performed at local venues, supported local charities and welcomed community members, veterans and dignitaries to key events throughout the year. A particular highlight was the academy’s Christmas Fayre, which brought together 30 local businesses in a vibrant celebration of local enterprise and community spirit. Students also delivered a record-breaking 265kg donation to The Lamp Food Bank, the largest donation ever received from a school. 

Alongside its community work, Brownhills Ormiston Academy has invested significantly in its facilities to ensure students learn in a modern, inspiring environment. Improvements this year have included a new reception area, operations office and meeting rooms, enhanced safeguarding measures, a new Multi-Use Games Area and tennis courts. In partnership with the OurJay Foundation, the academy also installed a community-access defibrillator, providing an important resource to support the health and wellbeing of local residents. 

Student achievement has also remained central to academy life under Mr Doodson’s leadership. Brownhills students have excelled across English, Maths and Science, with a number of Year 11 students progressing to study A Level Maths, Chemistry and Physics. Beyond the classroom, students have continued to shine, from receiving glowing reviews of their performance of The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins at Lichfield Cathedral and performing at the prestigious Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Belgium to achieving success in national competitions, including a top-12 national finish in the Springboard FutureChef competition. Educational visits, including art trips to London, a ski trip to Italy, and a trip to Paris have further broadened students’ horizons and enriched their learning experiences. 

All of these efforts have been delivered alongside the introduction of a mobile phone-free school, which has already had a positive impact on student focus, behaviour and social interaction, supporting the academy’s commitment to providing the best possible conditions for learning. 

Brownhills Ormiston Academy is proud of everything achieved this year and looks forward to continuing to serve and strengthen the community it calls home. 

Ross Doodson, Headteacher at Brownhills Ormiston Academy, said: 

“This has been a fantastic year at Brownhills Ormiston Academy. It has been wonderful to see the school continue to strengthen its connections with the local community that we value so highly. I am incredibly proud of everything our students have achieved this year, both inside and outside the classroom. They live out Brownhills missions every day through their achievements, kindness and commitment to others, and it is inspiring to see them developing into responsible, caring young adults. I would like to thank our fantastic, determined staff who work tirelessly to support each and every one of our pupils, as well as our families and community partners for their continued support. I look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.” 

Rod Hughes, Education Director West and Other at Ormiston Academies Trust, said: 

“Brownhills Ormiston Academy exemplifies the power of strong community partnerships in supporting young people to thrive. Under Ross Doodson’s strong leadership, the academy has gone from strength to strength this year, continuing to build on its culture of ambition, belonging and community. The academy’s commitment to working collaboratively with families, schools, businesses and local organisations has created exceptional opportunities for students while strengthening the wider community. Everyone involved should be extremely proud of what has been accomplished.”