Two Oxford secondary schools are joining one of the region’s largest educational trusts – and a third could do the same next year.
The Oxford Academy in Littlemore and Gosford Hill School in Kidlington will be joining River Learning Trust (RLT) after getting formal approval to do so.
Both schools have been receiving support from RLT for some time and on Sunday The Oxford Academy officially became part of the multi-academy trust, with Gosford Hill to join in a month's time.
The Oxford Academy
The confirmation that they will be part of RLT comes as the Community Schools Alliance Trust (CSAT) concludes a consultation into also joining RLT.
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CSAT operates Cheney School in Headington, as well as Bayards Hill and Barton Park primaries.
RLT is currently made up of 22 schools.
Its secondary schools include The Cherwell and The Swan in Oxford, as well as Wheatley Park, Chipping Norton and The Marlborough School in Woodstock.
The trust was called in to help The Oxford Academy after it was rated inadequate following an inspection by school standards watchdog Ofsted last year.
Nora Ward, headteacher of The Oxford Academy, said: “The support of RLT, alongside the hard work of our staff, has been instrumental in rapidly improving the school.
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“I particularly appreciate the collaborative contributions of RLT’s family of schools to ours.
“It is clear from their approach that the trust is committed to excellent education for all children in Oxford.”
RLT has also been working with the senior leadership team at Gosford Hill, particularly on the development of the curriculum and on approaches to teaching and learning.
The trust’s head office is already based at the Kidlington school.
Nigel Sellars, headteacher at Gosford Hill, said: “We have found great benefit in working with RLT over the last couple of years.
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"We have also found it incredibly valuable being part of a larger network of RLT secondary schools with whom we are able to share ideas.”
Paul James, chief executive of RLT
Paul James, chief executive of RLT, said: “We are privileged to have The Oxford Academy and Gosford Hill join our family of schools. Our schools are committed to serving their local communities and to providing the best possible education for our children and young people
“Time in school is precious, something we have all been reminded of so clearly in recent months, and our focus at RLT is to support schools in getting better faster than if they remained as standalone schools.
“The Oxford Academy and Gosford Hill are places with great young people and great staff, and we are determined that both will get the support they need on their journeys.”
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Multi-academy trusts (MATs) are groupings of state schools funded directly by the Department for Education.
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