CONSIDERING OUR FUTURE

Thank you for your interest in the future of the Pennine Alliance Learning Trust (PALT).  

A great deal has been achieved over recent years. We have a family of Good schools, with some being praised for having Outstanding provision. Over the last twelve months, we have grown in size and collectively we have made some real and tangible progress.

However, we also remain a relatively small Trust - with around 1,800 children across our five schools. While we are proud of all that has been done to support these schools, we also recognise that education is an ever evolving world, and we have to continually look to how we adapt to best support our children, staff and communities.

Just since September, for example, the Government has announced the outcome of its Curriculum Review, Ofsted's new inspection framework has been released and the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is being implemented. 

On top of this, we are also considering our more local response to changes in birth rate, the Trust's leadership and our funding.

Having considered a number of potential avenues for what the future may look like for PALT, Trustees have spent some time considering what a merger with another local Trust may look like. In short, we want to ensure we have the capacity and resources to continue to improve. 

As part of this consideration, Trustees have been reviewing a number of local Trusts - and one has started to stand out as being a possible partner.  This MAT is Trinity - a family of schools including a sixth form and six secondary and four primary academies. 

What really has stood out for us is not only Trinity's commitment and resources to support teaching and learning excellence, but also that each school is recognised as being a unique part of its local community, with its own individuality and character.

I want to stress that while we see this as our preferred option for PALT at this stage, nothing has yet been formally agreed. 

In fact, we are at a very early stage of what is known as the due diligence process. It is immediately clear that we share a very similar ethos and set of values with Trinity, but we want to explore the potential benefits for all members of our community before proceeding.

As part of this, we want to give you the opportunity to hear more, ask questions and share your views - which is why this microsite has been created. So, please do engage with us and let us know your thoughts.

Kathryn Loftus

Chair of Trustees