FOUR primary schools have applied to convert to become academies and join the Moorlands Learning Trust, which allows them to work together in close partnerships to help their pupils.

Ashlands Primary School, Burley Oaks Primary School, Menston Primary School and Silsden Primary School are all set to join the MLT as the founder-member primary schools of the group.

MLT was formed on July 1 2017, when Ilkley Grammar School converted its single academy trust to multi-academy trust (MAT) status, and The Skipton Academy joined as the first academic partner two years later.

Helen Williams, CEO of Moorlands Learning Trust said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be moving forward with this partnership project with local primary schools.

“MLT has always been focused on working with and supporting local schools and communities and as our work is already heavily focused in the Ilkley, Wharfe Valley and Craven areas, this new partnership with local primary schools is the perfect next step forward for us all.

“We can’t wait to get started on the next phase of MLT’s work and know that over the coming years, with the addition of these new schools to our Trust, MLT will continue to go from strength to strength, and will be able to make an even more positive impact on our local communities and beyond.”

The Trust allows schools to work together while respecting schools’ individual identities and where all schools share a similar ethos. It means that every school can benefit from close partnership working within a multi-academy trust, whilst still retaining their own unique characteristics and educational offer.

The vision of the MLT is to “enable all our students to succeed and excel, equipped with the knowledge and skills to make a positive difference not only to their own lives, but also to the lives of others.

“Put simply, our goal is to enable every student within our care, from whatever background and starting point, to receive an exceptional education and achieve their very best.”

The MLT believes the best way to do this is for schools to work in partnership. It says: "MLT partner schools share the same wider moral purpose: to play a key role in the development of our region and its future generations. MLT partner schools cater for students in their communities from all cohorts and demographic backgrounds, in order to ensure that individual context does not affect a student’s life chances.”