Academy trust to triple in size in three years

A YORKSHIRE academy trust has announced its plans to expand the number of schools under its control.

Wellspring Academy Trust, which runs 15 academies including seven schools in Leeds, has 12 more schools in the pipeline across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The trust has announced proposals to expand within three years to a network of about 45 academies in all sectors of education.

Leeds-born Wellspring CEO Mark Wilson said: ‘We have a fabulous team and doing our very best for young people is our absolute priority.

“We are excited about our expansion in the region, driven in the main by schools who want to be part of an ambitious, valuesdriven movement for excellence in education.”

The Wellspring network includes schools in all sectors of education including secondary, primary, special and alternative.

Wellspring’s newest school in Middleton, Leeds, will open this September with 60 places in its reception classes.

Elements Primary Academy has been developed by Wellspring under the Free Schools programme, and the school will have 420 pupils when it reaches full capacity.

Elements headteacher Sarah Horsbrough said: “My top priority as an educator is to instil pride, passion and confidence. I want our children to be passionate about their school and passionate about life in South Leeds”.

Mr Wilson, who was the former headteacher at Robin Hood Primary School, said: “Our aim at Robin Hood was to create a school where children went to learn to be giants.

“That has remained my aim as an educator ever since.”