Lakelands Academy joins 3-18 Education Trust
The 3–18 Education Trust has today welcomed Lakelands Academy as the eleventh school in its growing community of Shropshire schools.
Lakelands Academy is a thriving secondary school at the heart of Ellesmere, where it has served its local community for generations. With over 580 students, the school is widely recognised for its strong pastoral care, broad and balanced curriculum, and extensive enrichment opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver Awards.
Notable former students include Luke Preston, Olympic judoka, and Frankie McCamley, BBC News Presenter and Correspondent, reflecting Lakelands’ tradition of nurturing ambition and achievement.
The school is also home to The Kettlemere Centre, a specialist resource provision for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, providing inclusive, personalised support.
Lakelands Academy is the eleventh school to join The 3-18 Education Trust, a Shropshire based multi-academy trust driven by its vision ‘to ensure every individual is in a great school’. United by shared values, the Trust’s schools provide a high-quality, aspirational education journey from early years to post-16, supporting children to thrive from nursery and primary school through to secondary, sixth form and boarding.
David O’Toole, CEO at The 3–18 Education Trust, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Lakelands Academy into our Trust community. Lakelands has a strong reputation for its commitment to pupils, staff, and the wider community, and we are excited to begin working together. By joining our Trust, Lakelands will be able to build on its existing strengths while benefiting from shared expertise, collaboration, and support across our schools – all with the shared aim of securing the very best outcomes for children and young people.”
Mark Hignett, Headteacher at Lakelands Academy, added: “We are absolutely delighted that Lakelands Academy have joined The 3–18 Education Trust. From the very beginning of our search through to the extensive due diligence we carried out, it has been clear that our ethos, vision and values are deeply aligned — a shared belief in aspiration, inclusion and the relentless pursuit of excellence for every young person, all delivered with empathy and compassion.
"This partnership strengthens our ability to provide an exceptional educational journey, and we look forward to the exciting opportunities it will bring for our students, staff and wider school community, as well as the support that we can provide for other Trust schools and communities.”
