Reddish Vale Trust
Trust looks to raise standards by active collaboration with its
stakeholders - students, parents and the local
community.
This is a single school trust formed in August 2008 and based on
the Co-operative model of governance. Reddish
Vale serves the areas of Reddish and Brinnington in
Stockport, areas socio-economically mixed with pockets of
deprivation.
Partners: Co-operative Society, Stockport College,
Stockport Local Authority and Manchester Metropolitan
University.
The choice of partners was deliberate. The school wanted to
have an inclusive, democratic model with high stakeholder
involvement. The Co-operative model was adopted and the
Co-operative Society became a major partner. Other local
partners joined who shared a belief and commitment to raise
standards through better community empowerment. By working on
the extended school’s concept and the co-operative
model good local community cohesion and inclusion would
be attained. The notion of the trust would address the issues
of community accountability, collective responsibility and the
management of cross institutional work.
Current examples of the trust’s impact are :
- The completion of a Children’s Centre extension supporting the
development of a learning community.
- Partnership with MMU in formulating a strategy for a
national research programme on ‘Impact ofTrust Schools’.
- Building of international links.
- Year 7 curriculum day sponsored by partner
- The development of the ‘Student Voice’
- Several individual projects to bring the trust notion
into being with its stakeholders
The main priorities for 2009/10 are:
- Evaluation of the impact of the trust as regards the ECM
agenda
- Further development of creative and innovative networks
supporting the removal of barriers to learning
- To look for community benefits based on social enterprise
- To develop and expand membership
The school intends to keep its present partners, although it
would welcome other partners, particularly local primary
schools.