High school to be part of academy trust
ST CHAD’S High School in Runcorn is joining other secondary education establishments across the Liverpool City Region (LCR) to form a Catholic academy trust.
St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust is being launched this term with an initial six member schools, with more to sign up in summer and next year.
The trust is to be run in partnership between the Archdiocese of Liverpool and the Diocese of Shrewsbury in collaboration with the Church of England Dioceses of Chester and Liverpool.
A St Joseph spokesman said it aims to provide “transformative educational opportunities for children and young people in the North West of England”.
He said the project will allow staff to share best practice and access wider training and development opportunities as part of efforts to ensure pupils receive “great teaching and learning” amid “high standards in all areas of school life”.
Schools that join St Joseph are expected to leave the trust in two or three years to join other Catholic or Church of England academy trusts as their permanent home.
St Chad’s Catholic and Church of England High School, on Grangeway in Runcorn, was placed in special measures in 2019 following a damning Ofsted inspection that graded it “inadequate”.
A recent monitoring visit found school leaders and governors were taking “effective action” to lead it to recovery.
Ann Connor OBE, St Joseph trust’s chair of the board of directors, said the project was an “exciting opportunity”.
Read More Search Council Notices in your area She said: “I believe that schools flourish when they are part of a family of schools - and St Joseph, as a multi-academy trust, that is also part of Diocesan education, will provide the best of both worlds.
“We want the work of the trust to have a real impact on all the academies, so that they are able to leave the trust transformed.”
Andrew Truby, St Joseph academy trust chief executive, said: “I am very excited that we are under way and to be working with the schools and their staff, as well as the parents and most importantly the children.
“All of the schools due to join the trust have different strengths and each will be able to learn from one another and drive further progress.
“In my career I have been committed to transforming children’s lives through a world-class education and this underpins all my work.
“This aligns perfectly
Joseph’s mission.”
The first six schools are: St Chad’s Catholic and Church of England High School, Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in Sefton, St Ambrose Primary School in Liverpool, St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School in St Helens, St Nicholas’s Catholic Primary School in Liverpool and The Trinity Catholic Primary School, also Liverpool. with
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