Haberdashers' Advantage
The Company’s purpose is to empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential. Haberdashers’ Advantage identifies the added benefit that is felt by pupils at our schools.
Welcome
to the Haberdashers’ West Midlands Academies Trust
Our History
The Haberdashers’ Company has been trustee of Adams’ Grammar School for over 350 years. In late 2006, Abraham Darby School in Telford was in special measures and the Governors of Adams’ were approached to see if they would be prepared to create an Academy at Abraham Darby School with the backing and brand name of the Haberdashers’ Company.
Our History
The Trust was incorporated as a Company limited by Guarantee in 2007 and the then existing school was closed on 31st August 2008. The new Academy opened, in the same school buildings, on 1st September 2008.
At that time, Adams’ Grammar School was still a state-maintained grammar school, so a “loose” Federation was formed between the two schools. The existing Governing Body of Adams’ became governors of Abraham Darby. Also, in June 2008, the new Funding Agreement was signed, which provided that monies would be provided to Telford & Wrekin Council to build a new school on the Abraham Darby site under the Building Schools for the Future scheme. The Governors were heavily involved in the approval of the plans and selection of the builders and architects.
Following the passing of the Academies Act in 2010, the directors of the Federation, in conjunction with the Haberdashers’ Company, agreed to apply to the Department for Education for Adams’ Grammar School to be converted into a “new style” Academy and to amend the Federation so that the two schools became combined into the ownership of HAFT. Adams’ Grammar School converted in September 2011.
In January 2018 the schools’ Haberdasher identity was incorporated into their names as they became Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby Academy and Haberdashers’ Adams.
In September 2023, Castle House Preparatory School joined the trust as an associated member.
Our Governance
Day to day and operational running and management of the academies is led by the Headmaster, in the case of Haberdashers’ Adams, and the Principal, in the case of Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby, in each case together with their respective senior leadership teams and staffs.
