The South Craven Learning Trust
Developing partnerships for vibrant 14 to 19 programme, with
particular emphasis on increased attainment and participation for
post-16 students.
South Craven School is a single school trust, a large 11 to 18
technology and engineering school in North Yorkshire, situated near
Keighley, serving urban and rural areas. It has been a
foundation school since April 2006 but acquired trust status in
June 2008.
Partners: Craven College, University of Bradford, Leeds Trinity
University College, Leeds College of Music, Airedale NHS Trust, The
Ogden Trust and Bradford Metropolitan District Council.
There were a number of reasons for the choice of partners.
It was important
for them to support the school’s aims of improving students’
employability and their participation in further and higher
education. The school had already established positive links
with Craven College and The Ogden Trust; the latter had sponsored
the school’s specialist status. Links with partners are
supporting aspects of the school. Its specialist areas of
technology and engineering are supported by the University of
Bradford and The Ogden Trust and its creative areas are benefiting
from links with Leeds College of Music, whilst teaching staff are
able to pursue Masters Degrees through working with Leeds Trinity
University College.
The trust is having an impact in a number of areas:
- When it adopted foundation status, the school indicated that it
was outward looking; trust status has given an impetus to the
changes that were already taking place.
- The school had already seen improvements in examination
results, the achievement of specialist status and introduction of a
wider range of student options.
- Trust status has created more opportunities for students, for
example, through the opening of a new 14 to 19 skills centre in
2009.
- Students have been provided with more extra-curricular
experiences and the school feels that parents are more confident in
its vision of the future.
- There has also been an increase in the number of students
progressing to level 3 courses.
The school and its partners have undertaken a review of the
impact of trust status in 2009. Plans for the future may
include changes in governance as well as the involvement of other
schools. The school feels that the trust has provided an
additional dimension to its development – ‘Trust is not about
baking the cake, it is about putting the icing on the top’,
Andrew Cummings, Headteacher at South Craven School.