Local MP visits Uplands Academy to mark our Trust securing £1.7 million funding 

We are delighted to announce that MARK Education Trust has successfully secured £1.7 million from the government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) to support essential building improvements across our schools. 

This year, only seven projects in East Sussex received CIF funding, and remarkably, four of those were awarded to MARK Education Trust. This outstanding result reflects the strength of our applications and our commitment to maintaining safe, high-quality learning environments.  The funding will directly benefit Beacon Academy, Uplands Academy and Hailsham Community College, which will become Hailsham Academy when it officially joins the trust on 1 September 2025.  

The awarded funds will be used to carry out vital roofing, heating and fire safety upgrades, helping to ensure that the schools remain safe, warm, and fit for purpose. 

These works will have a positive impact, not only on current and future students and staff across all three schools, but also on the many families, organisations and partners who are part of our wider school communities. For example, among the works is a significant boiler upgrade at Uplands Academy, which will enhance comfort for students and staff and improve community use of the Sports Centre in Wadhurst.  

Planning for these improvements is already underway, with works due to begin in Term 6 and continue throughout the summer holidays, aiming for completion by the end of Term 2 of next academic year. 

This latest round of funding builds on previous successful CIF bids which supported ongoing safeguarding and fire compliance work at Uplands Academy. The impact of these projects has been widely felt and appreciated by students, staff and the wider community. 

We are incredibly grateful to Nus Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald for her vital support and to celebrate this achievement we were delighted to welcome her to Uplands at the beginning of June. She met with our executive headteacher and MARK Education Trust CEO, Anna Robinson and our headteacher Chris Connor to see the progress of the works being delivered as a result of the funding. During the visit, our student ambassadors also had the opportunity to ask Ms Ghani questions about her role and responsibilities as the local MP and Madam Deputy Speaker, debate local issues and international affairs, and discuss ways of getting involved in politics and public service. 

Ms Ghani said, ‘Uplands Academy is a fantastic local school and I’m grateful to the leadership team and teaching staff for everything they do to continue providing excellent education for local students. I was delighted to support the Academy in securing additional funding from the Department for Education, which helps to ensure that students can thrive in a safe and improved learning environment. Getting our young residents interested in the workings of our democracy is a vital part of my work as an MP. It was a pleasure to take some insightful questions from the Student Ambassadors on all things politics. I look forward to welcoming them to Parliament for a first-hand experience of our democracy.’ 

For more information about the Condition Improvement Fund, visit the DfE website.