The ContinU Trust Partnership Worcestershire
Exists to improve the educational and training outcomes of all
young people in the Trust area.
The Trust has created a unique national blueprint for
collaboration built on common “Partner Principles”, local
accountability, challenge and a conviction that more can be
accomplished together than in isolation. For the last 2 years
the National Headteacher of the Year has come from the ContinU
Trust reflecting the strength of the partnership.
This shared Trust opened 1st September 2008. The schools
are secondary ranging in character including high performing.
Schools:
- Baxter College
Bewdley High School
Haybridge High School and Sixth Form and Stourport and
- Stourport High School.
In addition there are three Associate members of the ContinU
Trust: King Charles 1 School (VC), Wolverley Church of England High
School (VC), and Hagley High RC School (VA). These schools
are Associate members because of their previously designated
Foundation/Trust
Partners: Kidderminster College, University of Birmingham,
University of Wolverhampton and Barnardo’s Charity.
Five schools, Stourport, Baxter, Haybridge, Bewdley and King
Charles underwent reorganisation during 2007 and opened in
September that year as “new schools”. Previously the schools
had been 13-18 and changed to 11-18.
Examples of trust impact include:
- The Trust was created not only to futureproof existing and new
relationships but, crucially, to create the legal arm of the
partnership in a changing LA/LSC climate. The Trust has been
contracted by Worcestershire Local Authority to deliver the Early
Family Intervention Service for all 32 primary schools that feed
into ContinU Trust Secondary schools (all 7). We now have a
team of 8 Trust Staff staff working alongside the Barnado’s
Emotional Resilience team.
- The Trust has developed an online Staff Audit tool with
Wolverhampton which has now audited the training needs of 80% of
staff. The university are members of our Workforce
Development Team with whom the tool was designed.
- To fulfil its obligation to Community Cohesion (Life Skills)
the Trust has commissioned a pilot programme based from Stourport
School. This is now being rolled out for 2009/10 across the whole
Trust. Local Authority Integrated Youth Services are now
exploring ways in which they can commission the Trust to deliver
activity in this area.
- The ContinU Trust is the official Sponsor for the new
Kidderminster Harriers Youth Team (started September 2008 with our
Logo on shirt and around the ground). The premise was to
target NEET learners by saying all squad members must be in
Education and Training then working with Connexions to target and
promote the squad.
- The Trust is now exploring becoming an Accredited Schools Group
provider for the DCSF
“The ContinU Trust has been fundamental to consolidating our
belief in collective ownership and responsibility for the
achievement of every Trust learner, irrespective of their
particular Home School or of if they are currently NEET” –
Rob Chadwick, Director of ContinU and Trust Company
Secretary
“The ContinU Trust has given what was a highly effective
Consortium, the added confidence to explore new areas of service
delivery using the support of our external
partners”
Liz Quinn, Head of Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre