We work to support the pupils, staff and community across each of our schools while respecting its unique character and context
Why joining Hollingworth Learning Trust could be the right choice for your people
Who are we?
Hollingworth Learning Trust was formed in 2020 following a successful partnership between Hollingworth Academy and Newhouse Academy.
In 2024, we were delighted to welcome Heap Bridge Village Primary School into our Trust.
We have prioritised a thoughtful approach to expansion, focusing on the establishment of robust systems and processes that facilitate sustainable progress.
Our Mission
Our Mission Statement is the focus of everything we
do: We are here to make a positive difference to the lives of our children, providing the very best education in an environment that supports, values, and recognises our people. “ “
How do we work? Our 1,2,3 approach ..
1)
People First
The success and wellbeing of our children, staff and families drives everything we do.
2) Trust Third
3)
Academies Second
The local academy is where this happens. The Headteacher is the professional responsible for leading a great team of colleagues to achieve this.
Our role as a Trust is:
To support and challenge the Headteacher, academy, leadership and staff in school improvement and in providing a high quality inclusive education.
To support each academy to develop a strong, unique identity serving its local community. In turn, for each academy to become part of the HLT family and bring capacity to our Trust.
To develop the very best leaders, teachers and support staff.
To create an outstanding infrastructure for success through high quality, rapid and responsive educational, financial, HR and IT support.
Our Vision
Our Trust exists to support school improvement and share innovation across our academies in order to raise standards, improve provision and unlock potential.
The purpose of each academy is to improve the life chances of each child regardless of ability, gender, social background, or ethnic origin.
Ambitious Positive Resilient
Reflective Principled
What do we do?
We are clear that our role as a Trust is to provide the Headteacher and each academy with the support and challenge necessary to drive the success and wellbeing of our children, staff, and families. We have a trust central team who work closely with colleagues in each academy to achieve this.
Education
We have an experienced education leadership team across the trust including a NLE and a LLE. We provide significant support for our Headteachers through the CEO, School Improvement Advisor and specialist contracted external staff (for example, experienced Ofsted lead inspectors).
We directly broker strong collaborative practice where identified between schools both within and beyond the trust. We employ a highly experienced Safeguarding lead to quality assure provision.
IT Services
We provide IT services for all Trust academies and several primary schools who contract our expertise. We have been able to improve services, reduce costs and ensure a higher performance of systems. Our team will work with you to ensure safeguarding, website function and compliance; improve system speed and reliability; ensure best value in terms of broadband, copiers and printers, telephones and hardware purchases and support you to develop a strategic approach to IT management.
Human Resources, Staffing and Public Relations
We have a Human Resources team who are highly experienced in supporting recruitment, retention, and staff wellbeing. We manage all staffing issues with both rigour and compassion.
We have strong design and print expertise across the Trust and an experienced public relations lead.
Governance
Our Governance and compliance lead tracks and ensures that all policies are fully compliant. We centrally fund a retainer with a law firm specialising in education law so that we can provide rapid and clear advice, when needed, on a range of compliance, legal and employment issues. We fully support local governing bodies in their vital roles of challenging and supporting their leadership teams.
Finance
Our annual external audits are always extremely positive about the systems, financial decision making and risk management in the Trust. We manage school finance, funding, pensions, payroll, support risk management and budget planning.
Facilities Management
We support schools with Facilities Management and health and safety compliance through our trust, and work with schools to prepare a planned preventative maintenance (PPM) programme which is monitored at a school and trust level. We actively seek funding available for capital projects to expand the potential of our estates, and to provide facilities that enhance the learning experiences of our children.
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Each academy in our Trust has a unique context and works to best meet the needs of its pupils and local community.
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We do not believe in a standard ‘one size fits all’ approach or the development of ‘identikit’ schools. Hollingworth Learning Trust develops a bespoke relationship with each academy dependent on where it lies on its improvement journey and supports this development while respecting its unique character and context.
Why Join us?
We are confident that we can work in partnership with you to:
• Enable stronger support for school improvement.
• Create rich opportunities for impactful collaborative practice.
• Secure highly effective, safe and highly reliable IT provision.
• Ensure timely and robust support for staffing, finance, buildings and resources.
• Strengthen compliance and support for Governors.
We are clear that our role as a Trust is to provide the Headteacher and the leadership of each academy with the support and challenge necessary to drive the success and wellbeing of our children, staff, and families.
Proven Track Record
We make long term commitments and provide long term stability while having impact. Newhouse Academy is now one of the most improved schools in the country. Hollingworth Academy has achieved the World Class Schools Quality Mark.
Our Primary school affiliate programme works with 7 Primary schools. All are engaged in collaborative practice involving training, auditing and improving each schools’ provision for pupils with SEND.
Three primary schools from this programme have chosen to contract their IT services and support from us because of work with our expert team. In all cases we have increased system reliability and service, significantly improved safeguarding, and also saved the school money.
We have great leaders and managers across all areas of the trust. Educationally we have experienced Headteachers who are NLE, LLE and a longstanding Ofsted Lead Inspector. All Trust support staff are highly qualified.
Our Values
Our behaviours define who we are. We are committed to acting in a way that is:
Our Culture & Ethos
As a Trust we believe that developing a strong learning and school improvement culture across our schools will be most successfully achieved by:
Promoting School Autonomy: Our schools are encouraged to research best practice, develop ideas, and share expertise through strong networks of collaborative practice.
Freedom for Tailored Approaches: Schools should have the autonomy to develop ways of working suited to their specific context, staff training needs, and the unique requirements of their pupils and families.
Collaboration for Continuous Improvement: Through collaboration, our schools will create practices informed by effective strategies within the Trust and research from national and international sources.
Support and Challenge: The Trust facilitates collaboration, identifies best practice, and offers support and challenge to our schools, aiming to drive improvement and highlight strengths.
Differentiated Support: We recognise that some schools will need varying levels of support to ensure high-quality and inclusive education for all pupils.
Our Members and Trustees
Andrew Moon
Strategic leadership, governance, Member & Chair of Trustees Finance & Business HR
Kathryn Keenan
Primary and Higher Education, SEN, Member Safeguarding and Charity Sector
Stephen Lowe
Leadership and Governance Experience Member (for Primary and Secondary education) Public Health Health and Safety Building
Sarah McDowell
Strategic Leadership Member Board advisor on legal requirements for CEO’s, Trustees and Members
Experience of Trustee role for a MAT 15 years experience working with boards on growth
Darren Randle
Education Specialist, NPQH, MA, NLE, Trustee, CEO School Finances, Strategic leadership, school accountability & governance, school vision and ethos, staffing recruitment, change context, teaching and learning
David Clarkson
Facilities Management, Buildings, Health & Trustee Safety and Asset Management
Kate Connolly
Education Specialist, School Finances, Trustee Strategic Leadership, school accountability and governance, school vision and ethos, staffing recruitment, change context, teaching and learning, special provision
Vicky Hutchins
Strategic Leadership, Facilities, Risk Trustee Management, community links and HR
Karen McCarthy
Companies House, Director of own company, Trustee Employment Law, Safeguarding, FE, Social Worker/Residential Work, Education Social Work, Educational International Links, Strategic Leadership
Jacqui Mellor
Government policies, Ofsted requirements, Trustee governance, education, Finance, HR, H&S, teaching schools and safeguarding
Mark Ogden
Finance (CMA, CGMA & AAT), finance Trustee planning and strategies, School Governance, recruitment
Louise Sweeney
Safeguarding, SEN, Child Development and Trustee Community Prevention
