In addition to these schools, the trust successfully bid for a new free school to be built on the Kettering East development. Therefore, the trust is, also, part of the planning and development stage of a new 11-16 free school – Hanwood Park School.
The ambition of the trust is that all schools will be ‘world-class’ in the eyes of all stake holders. Southfield School, the founding school, successfully received world-class status in July 2021. The trust believes that the key element of being a truly world-class school, is one in which all students have gained the qualifications and skills that enable them to succeed at the highest level possible as they move through their lives. Alongside these skills the trust believes that it has a responsibility to ensure that all young people leave understanding their responsibilities as an effective citizen, locally, nationally and globally. We believe that so many of those skills are developed and cemented whilst participating and leading a truly broad and wide curriculum, one that places significant weight on embracing an extensive enriched curriculum. Every student is entitled to a truly world-class school experience and it is this shared motivation that drives the relentless exceptionally high standards and commitment to excellence.
The trust believes wholeheartedly in a truly inclusive education and, with this in mind, has ambitions to grow and encompass all aspects of education within the community to include Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Special Schools and Alternative Provision. However, the trust believes that for the schools to work effectively together they need to be suitably geographically located in order for true collaboration to be effective.
The trust is very fortunate to have a broad, highly skilled and experienced board of trustees that provide an extensive range of expertise crucial to the successful leadership of a world-class organisation. The trustees have developed an innovative approach to governance that truly embraces the significant value of effective local governing boards in each school. The trust has an ‘earned autonomy’ approach to schools within the trust, particularly enabling full autonomy on areas such as curriculum, professional learning and parental engagement. The trust works from a default position of professional trust, we strive to remove toxic accountability and reduce anxiety in all our schools.
We are very excited to be at the early stages of our journey as a trust, particularly at this time and are keen to explore opportunities for growth with schools and trusts that share our ethos and core values. If you wish to discuss any such opportunities for future collaboration then please do not hesitate to contact us.
Steph Roberts