Two education trusts are to combine into a single entity, it has been announced.
The South York Multi-Academy Trust and The Star Multi-Academy Trust have been given permission to merge by the Department of Education.
That will create the Yorkshire Learning Trust, a 17-school academy responsible for 7,000 students with 1,000 staff.
The South York trust comprises these schools:
- Archbishop of York’s CE Junior School
- Bishopthorpe Infant School
- Dunnington CE Primary School
- Escrick CE Primary School
- Fulford School
- Wheldrake with Thorganby CE Primary School.
These are the Star Multi-Academy Trust schools:
- Appleton Roebuck Primary School
- Brayton CE Primary School
- Kellington Primary School
- Kirk Fenton CE Primary School
- Monk Fryston CE Primary School
- Riverside Primary School
- Saxton CofE Primary School
- Sherburn High School
- Sherburn Hungate Primary School
- South Milford Primary School
- Tadcaster Grammar School.
The trusts put out this statement today: “Our aspiration is that our new merged trust is in place for the beginning of next academic year, but there is much to do.
“As ever, our most important focus through the transition to Yorkshire Learning Trust will be our continued focus on the education and wellbeing of all of our young people, though we will of course take opportunities to enhance this further through the new collaborations and partnerships our new trust family brings even before the formal merger date.”
The organisation added: “This is an exciting time for our trusts and schools and a fantastic opportunity for us to further strengthen our partnerships as a group of like-minded education providers by formalising the relationships between us.”
Work to transfer staff to the new entity will probably begin around June.
The merger follows a consultation last year.