A SECONDARY school in the Test Valley has announced it will be taking on a brand new name and look.

Test Valley School will be transitioning to become Danebury School, with pupils returning in new colours in September. 

The change comes after Test Valley partnered with HISP Multi-Academy Trust in 2022 before officially joining the trust in February this year.

In October last year, Test Valley School was praised by Ofsted in a monitoring visit which found the school on track to being graded ‘Good’ within 18-24 months of the initial inspection in October 2022, when it was rated 'Inadequate'.

The school, near Stockbridge, has undergone a significant number of changes: strengthening the leadership team, teaching staff, pastoral team and non-teaching staff.

The school is just a stone’s throw from the famous Danebury Iron Age Hill Fort. After consultations with all stakeholders, the Danebury School name was chosen because of its local relevance within the community.

In September, uniforms will shift from green to navy blue - reflecting HISP’s blue colours and the school's partnership with the trust. 

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Head of school Nicky Goodridge said: “As a team we are very excited to be embarking on this new chapter in our school’s history. These changes reflect a reinvigorated commitment to achieving our vision - to build an ambitious learning environment where high expectations promote excellent learning habits and success is experienced by all.

“We are proud of the school’s heritage and will hold tight the nuances which make the school so unique. We are passionate about our values of kindness, excellence, resilience and empowerment. They underpin our culture and will not change. We look forward to building an even brighter future together as Danebury School.”

Executive headteacher Jo McKeown said: “We’ve been working with Danebury School over the past 18 months, and we have supported the school to rapidly make some key improvements.

“As Danebury School moves forward to the bright future which lies ahead, it will be doing so with a new character and a new look that really puts it on the map.” 

She added “Children at the school have been involved in our transition to Danebury school. Their next step is to co-create the ‘houses’ that will be part of our school.”

HISP Multi-Academy Trust currently works with eight schools across Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth.