Academy trust sets itself goal of creating ‘self-managing’ schools in North

The Northern Education Trust (NET) is launching with four schools under its management, including one in Yorkshire, and hopes to run as many as 12 within a year.

Ryecroft Primary Academy in Holmewood, Bradford, is the first in the region to be run by the NET whose team have experience of working with schools in the city.

Discussions are underway with a further four schools in Lancashire, Yorkshire and the North East.

NET has been created from an education consultancy that has been providing support to schools across the North for the past 20 years.

The Trust’s chairman, Les Walton, said the trust was focused on working in the North as they had experience of the area and a knowledge of the challenges schools face.

He highlighted unemployment among young people and the link between poverty and low standards as key issues for schools to cope with in northern England.

He said: “Northern Education Trust will be managed by trustees who have decades of experience in school improvement, business and regeneration and additionally, have worked at the highest levels in education funding and policy.”

He added that the focus would be on creating self-managing schools, because they “make self-managing and confident students”.

“The ideal scenario is for us to achieve a situation where schools do not need us at all.”

The trust has agreed to work with Ryecroft after being approached by the Department for Education.

Mr Walton told the Yorkshire Post the trust only wanted to work with schools where it was wanted and where there was a “dynamic” school leadership.

Next Tuesday a launch event takes place at the school to mark it becoming an academy involving an outdoor sound system, rap songs and cakes baked by the pupils.

Head teacher Jayne Clarke said: “Our launch is a real celebration of the children’s talents. It’s loads of fun, enjoyable for everyone, and something all the pupils and parents will remember.”