South Craven plans to join East Lancashire schools in new Trust

South Craven School in Cross Hills is consulting on proposals to join forces with five schools in East Lancashire to form a new Multi-Academy Trust.

The school has been an Academy since 2011 but is now looking to become part of a wider group of schools - including Pendle Vale College in Nelson and Colne Park High as well as three primary schools.

If the plans go ahead, the changes could take effect from Spring 2025.

The new organisation would also incorporate three primary schools - Blacko Primary, Laneshaw Bridge Primary and Lord Street Primary in Colne.

In documents released as part of a consultation with parents, the local community and other stakeholders, South Craven said: 

"By creating a larger organisation with The Pennine Trust and Pendle Vale College, we will be able to improve our provision even further as we work alongside two good strong secondary schools and three good or outstanding primary schools. The new trust will have the capacity and resources to support school improvement within the schools involved and across the wider area.

"The new trust will have a clear sense of purpose, to develop highly ambitious schools which will make a real difference for all the learners across our community. All the schools involved hold similar values and work to these in their day to day practice. This alignment means we can build a very strong organisation with a clear identity and approach matched to the community we serve."

The interim name for the Trust during the consultation period is “Northern Roses” but this is not a final decision and may change. The schools say the fact that they are all within around a 30-minute car journey of each other will make collaboration and sharing of resources "very realistic and achievable".

A consultation period has begun and runs until Thursday 16th May. In-person meetings are taking place next week at South Craven with both staff and parents, with the latter invited into school on Wednesday 8th May 6-7pm.

For more details see southcraven.org/stakeholder-engagement/21120.html