Kirkby Stephen Grammar School is looking forward to a new chapter after joining the county’s largest multi-academy trust.
The school has been working with Cumbria Education Trust for more than 18 months and officially became its fourth secondary school this week.
School leaders said the development would bring a triple bonus for the 386-pupil school – with a renewed focus on pupil outcomes, investment in staff development and access to greater resources.
The move also signals the start of a new Southern Hub for the trust within the Westmorland and Furness Council area. Three more schools are set to join the trust this academic year.
Lorrayne Hughes, chief executive of the trust, said: “I am delighted to welcome Kirkby Stephen Grammar School into our family of schools. It is a strong school, and I look forward to nurturing the knowledge and expertise they bring to the trust.
“We have already established a productive, collaborative relationship and I am excited to see this grow, benefiting our entire community – staff, parents, students, and beyond.
Mrs Hughes added that by setting up a Southern Hub, the trust aimed to further its vision of providing an inspiring and enriching education for young people across the region.
Kirkby Stephen Grammar School was rated good in all areas by Ofsted in January when inspectors noted pupils learned from a broad, ambitious and well-considered curriculum.
Gary Hartley, headteacher at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, said: “The trust stood out with a proven record of success in supporting secondary schools, as seen in the remarkable progress made at The Whitehaven Academy and Workington Academy.
“Since March 2023, we have built a highly productive and collaborative working relationship with trust leaders and staff, benefiting from their expertise in safeguarding, teaching, learning, assessment, leadership, and professional development opportunities.
“I look forward to strengthening this relationship, not only to leverage the trust’s resources and capacity but also to share our strengths with the trust’s broader school community.”
While joining the Brampton-based trust, which also includes 10 primaries and a joint West Coast Sixth Form, Kirkby Stephen Grammar School will retain its individual identity, values and uniform.
