Two academy trusts, which between them oversee eight Bristol schools, are to merge. Following a wide ranging consultation with staff, parents/carers, governors, trustees and local communities, colleagues from Gatehouse Green Learning Trust (GGLT) and Excalibur Academies Trust (EAT) are delighted to share the news that the Regional Director’s Advisory Board has approved the joint application to merge the two trusts. A formal merger is hoped to be completed in time for the academic year 2023.
The Bristol schools affected by the merger are –
GGLT
Redland Green School (pictured above)
Ashton Park School
Ashton Vale Primary
Compass Point Primary
Luckwell Primary
Excalibur
Fairfield High School, Bristol
May Park Primary School, Bristol
Cabot Primary School, Bristol
The proposals to the Regional Director’s Advisory Board include a ‘hub model’, with the schools in each area collaborating on activities such as training, curriculum planning and supporting young people. Links between the two trusts are already starting to have clear benefits, with shared SEND expertise being one example.
This work will begin in earnest from next term, with a collective commitment to a set of joint values shared across all school communities. Meetings and activities to ensure people within the two trusts get to know each other, fully understand the merger and shape its future by informing trustees of what they value most, will also feature highly on the agenda.
A Shadow Board with fair representation from both GGLT and EAT will be established, although oversight for detailed planning will continue to be overseen by the joint merger steering group.
Margaret Simmons-Bird, OBE, Board Chair of Gatehouse Green Learning Trust, commented, “This is excellent news and will allow us to continue the next exciting part of our journey. I would like to thank everyone in our schools’ communities for sharing their voices and opinions in the consultation; we have spent considerable time taking each and every one on board, enabling us to change our plans wherever possible.”
Toby Watson, Board Chair of Excalibur Academies Trust, added, “We are delighted that our merger has been given the green light by the Regional Director’s Advisory Board. Much hard work went into the submission and now we can work more closely serving our young people, staff and communities.”