Following a successful consultation period, Portland School and Specialist College is excited to announce that they have joined the Shaw Education Trust.
As of 1st February, the Stoke-based special school joined the trust’s family, which already has a number of schools in the area offering provision for primary secondary and college-aged students.
Acting Headteacher of the school, Joanne McKinney, said: “We are determined to make our school the best it can be and joining Shaw Education Trust will help us to achieve this.
“Their values are well aligned with ours and the opportunities they are able to provide our staff and students is unparalleled, so we are excited to embark on this journey of development together.”
Specialising in provision for students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, Portland School supports students throughout their learning journey, with their two campuses catering for students from key stage one to key stage four.
By joining Shaw Education Trust, the school will be able to further assist their students in overcoming barriers to learning, increasing their students’ chances to experience success.
Mrs McKinney continued: ““We are really looking forward to the relationship we will develop with the Trust, and together we will work towards achieving great outcomes for each and every one of our fantastic students.”
Ofsted recently praised the school for their ‘confident, knowledgeable and passionate’ staff, as well as the high standard of reading they have fostered across all key stages. Now, with the support of their new family of schools, Portland School will build upon their success and focus on areas of improvement, such as curriculum development, to ensure their students receive high quality provision.
As part of Shaw Education Trust the school will be able to access numerous staff and student opportunities, such as training courses, collaborative work with other schools, and the sharing of resources and facilities, further broadening the learning experience of their students.
The Trust, which currently has 28 schools and an Institute of Education, which provides ongoing professional development to staff members, is excited to welcome Portland School into its family and looks forward to further developing the aspirations and achievements of students at the school.
CEO of Shaw Education Trust, Jo Morgan, commented: “We are delighted that Portland School are now part of our family and together we will do much to enable all our young people to fly.”