Staff and parents at St. Leonard’s C.E. First School have welcomed the news that the school is now a member of the family of academies which make up Staffordshire University Academies Trust (SUAT).

Staffordshire University has a long and proud history of providing high quality, progressive and inclusive Higher Education for people from across Staffordshire, the region, the UK and the rest of the world.

By joining the large and growing family of schools within the Trust, the learning community at St. Leonard’s now has access to an increased range of training and development opportunities for staff and enrichment activities for pupils so it can offer an outstanding education to each pupil.

Executive headteacher, Tracey Parton, said: “At St. Leonard’s everyone is passionate about fostering a love of learning among both our staff and pupils, and by joining Staffordshire University Academies Trust the educational environment we offer will continue to blossom.

“As a small first school with Christian values we already offer a strong family atmosphere and exciting opportunities for our pupils to discover and explore.

“We’re delighted to now join a bigger family which has a solid reputation for learning excellence with all of the communities that it supports throughout Staffordshire and also with the Department for Education.”

The key driving force behind the Trust is to improve the quality of educational provision for children within the academy’s catchment and to create firm foundations for their future learning and success. As a member of the largest, and fastest growing, Staffordshire based Multi Academy Trust in the county St. Leonard’s will receive an extensive programme of support from SUAT, at their expense, which will include:

  • Support from their Director of School Improvement, who is an ex-headteacher and local leader of education
  • Support from a School Improvement Partner who is an Ofsted lead inspector
  • Support from the Chief Executive Officer who is a former Executive Headteacher, Headteacher of an outstanding school and National Leader of Education
  • Support from the consultants that SUAT employs
  • Support from the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer, Finance Director and Operations Manager, who by supporting the business function will enable the senior teaching staff to focus on their core purpose of teaching and learning
  • Visits, for staff and pupils, to the university’s main campus in Stoke-on-Trent
  • Support for the growth of the nursery at St. Leonard’s
  • Access to a network of twenty good and outstanding schools for sharing ideas, expertise and resources.
  • Training for staff through a very significant programme of training and development.
  • Access to the expertise at the university’s Education Department.

Chief Executive Officer of Staffordshire University Academies Trust, Keith Hollins, said: “We’re delighted to welcome St. Leonard’s C.E. First School into the Trust and we look forward to supporting their future development and growth.

“Now that St. Leonard’s is a member of the family of schools that comprise Staffordshire University Academies Trust (SUAT) the school will receive a very significant level of support.

“SUAT is a large Trust and within their family of academies they have an extensive knowledge of school improvement. They also have a very strong link to the Education Department at Staffordshire University, with all its very significant resources.

“The school staff already make an amazing difference to all of the young people they teach, and we hope that by working together in partnership our schools will be at the centre of educational transformation to improve the life chances of all our young people.”

Any parents interested in finding out more about St Leonard’s C.E First School can go to www.st-leonards-dunston.staffs.sch.uk and are welcome to book a headteacher tour by booking direct via the school office on 01785 712488