Severndale academy to join the Learning Community Trust
Shrewsbury-based Severndale Academy, which specialises in educating young people with learning and behavioural difficulties, is to join Shropshire’s Learning Community Trust.
The Trust, which has been running since 2017, already has six other schools under its wing – Hadley Learning Community primary and secondary, Ercall Wood, Charlton, Queensway, and Wrekin View.
Since August, it has been working closely with Severndale to provide leadership and governance support, and a formal transfer is now expected to be completed early in the new year.
Severndale, based at Monkmoor with a second site in Pontesbury, is one of the largest specialist academies of its kind in the country.
Dr Gill Eatough, chief executive of the Trust, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to welcome Severndale into our family.
“This is a really exciting time; we are all really looking forward to working with the team.
“We are committed to providing the very best school for children where they are happy, safe and enjoy school every day.
“We want to ensure that their individual needs are met, and that they learn and make good progress during their years at the school, preparing them for life beyond school.
“Over the next few weeks we will be sending out information to parents and carers to keep them fully updated on progress, and there will be lots of opportunity to ask questions.”
Severndale caters for young people from the ages of 2.5 to 19 with a range of learning difficulties.
These include moderate, severe, complex and profound learning difficulties, those with autism, complex medical conditions and physical and mobility difficulties, and many have communication difficulties.
Sabrina Hobbs, principal of Severndale, said: “We are excited to be moving into the LCT as it is a multi academy trust that shares the same strong values of inclusion and achievement for everyone.
“This move will give Severndale greater support, stability, and opportunities for collaboration for our children, young people, their families, and our staff.
“Our community is positive about the move into this highly successful Trust, and we are all motivated to adding value to the organisation, as well as being supported by it.”
Dr Eatough added: “Our trustees voted unanimously for the transfer of Severndale Academy to LCT.
“We believe that LCT can offer a great deal of support and challenge to Severndale - but that Severndale can also bring many strengths to LCT.”
