The ContinU Trust Partnership Worcestershire

Exists to improve the educational and training outcomes of all young people in the Trust area.

The Trust has created a unique national blueprint for collaboration built on common “Partner Principles”, local accountability, challenge and a conviction that more can be accomplished together than in isolation.  For the last 2 years the National Headteacher of the Year has come from the ContinU Trust reflecting the strength of the partnership.

This shared Trust opened 1st September 2008.  The schools are secondary ranging in character including high performing.
Schools: 

• Baxter College
  Bewdley High School
  Haybridge High School and Sixth Form and Stourport and
• Stourport High School.

 In addition there are three Associate members of the ContinU Trust: King Charles 1 School (VC), Wolverley Church of England High School (VC), and Hagley High RC School (VA).  These schools are Associate members because of their previously designated Foundation/Trust

Partners: Kidderminster College, University of Birmingham, University of Wolverhampton and Barnardo’s Charity.
Five schools, Stourport, Baxter, Haybridge, Bewdley and King Charles underwent reorganisation during 2007 and opened in September that year as “new schools”.  Previously the schools had been 13-18 and changed to 11-18.
Examples of trust impact include:

• The Trust was created not only to futureproof existing and new relationships but, crucially, to create the legal arm of the partnership in a changing LA/LSC climate.  The Trust has been contracted by Worcestershire Local Authority to deliver the Early Family Intervention Service for all 32 primary schools that feed into ContinU Trust Secondary schools (all 7).  We now have a team of 8 Trust Staff staff working alongside the Barnado’s Emotional Resilience team.  
• The Trust has developed an online Staff Audit tool with Wolverhampton which has now audited the training needs of 80% of staff.  The university are members of our Workforce Development Team with whom the tool was designed. 
• To fulfil its obligation to Community Cohesion (Life Skills) the Trust has commissioned a pilot programme based from Stourport School. This is now being rolled out for 2009/10 across the whole Trust.  Local Authority Integrated Youth Services are now exploring ways in which they can commission the Trust to deliver activity in this area. 
• The ContinU Trust is the official Sponsor for the new Kidderminster Harriers Youth Team (started September 2008 with our Logo on shirt and around the ground).  The premise was to target NEET learners by saying all squad members must be in Education and Training then working with Connexions to target and promote the squad.  
• The Trust is now exploring becoming an Accredited Schools Group provider for the DCSF

“The ContinU Trust has been fundamental to consolidating our belief in collective ownership and responsibility for the achievement of every Trust learner, irrespective of their particular Home School or of if they are currently NEET” –  Rob Chadwick, Director of ContinU and Trust Company Secretary

“The ContinU Trust has given what was a highly effective Consortium, the added confidence to explore new areas of service delivery using the support of our external partners” 
Liz Quinn, Head of Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre