Bromyard schools agree Trust deal (From Hereford Times)

Bromyard schools agree Trust deal

8:30am Tuesday 15th June 2010 in News By Paul Ferguson

SEVEN schools around Bromyard are putting their trust in each other to safeguard their future.

Supporters of Queen Elizabeth Humanities College and its six feeder primaries have agreed to form a co-operative trust.

The trust would be the biggest rural co-operative of schools in the country, and could act as a model for other areas.

The idea was borne from 2008’s draft schools review which proposed the closure of QE and the merger of four primaries.

Fears of a repeat should be dispelled by the creation of a trust, which would see the group sharing staff and resources.

They would also be backed by a charitable trust, which would not sever links with the local authority.

QE and three primaries - Brockhampton, St Peter’s and Bredenbury - have agreed to pursue Foundation status.

They will be joined by Burley Gate, Pencombe and Whitbourne schools as equal partners in a Bromyard co-operative trust.

Trevor Hayes, leader of the consultation process, said the trust would benefit the Bromyard cluster.

“We want to draw on the expertise in the area to improve the schools and skills as a cluster,” said Mr Hayes.

“Bromyard is a town with a great deal of expertise and here is a way of drawing on that for the good of our students.”

The seven governing bodies agreed to the plans last week and will publish a Statutory Proposal in September. Trust partners would include Herefordshire Council, the Robert Owen Group and the South and West Co-operative Society.