A number of Wigan Catholic secondary and primary schools are to loosen ties with the council to join a new academy trust
Two prominent Wigan high schools plus their feeder primaries are the latest local educational establishments set to bypass council support and get their funding straight from government.
Orrell St Peter’s and St John Fisher High at Beech Hill, along with 11 associated primary schools, will be joining a newly established Catholic Multi-Academy Trust (CMAT).
It was in April that Archbishop of Liverpool John Sherrington announced a new academisation strategy for schools.
Wigan schools will be invited to become part of Our Lady of Lourdes North West Catholic Academy Trust, newly created to “support collaboration and strengthen Catholic education in the region.”
The Wigan schools are currently scheduled to join in the first wave of transition – this will not be as early as the start of the new academic year in September, the Church says – although timelines may be subject to change.
The St Peter’s feeder primaries involved are St Bernadette’s in Shevington; St Cuthbert’s in Pemberton; St James’s in Orrell; St Marie’s in Standish; St Teresa’s in Up Holland and St Joseph’s in Wrightington.
The St John Fisher primaries are: Sacred Heart in Springfield; St Jude’s in Worsley Mesnes; St Mary’s and St John’s in Wigan; St Patrick’s in Scholes; and St William’s at Ince.
Catholic schools in Knowsley, Halton and Warrington will also be invited to join the academy trust.
The invitation for direct funding from Whitehall came largely during the Conservative-Lib-Dem coalition government of 2010-2015.
Academies and free schools have specific freedoms that have enabled them to innovate and improve student outcomes. These include the freedom to not follow the National Curriculum, hire unqualified teaching staff, set teacher pay and vary their timetables.
There have been teachers’ union objections, not least because there has been evidence of staff being paid less.
But more and more Wigan schools have followed the academy route, sometimes because an institution that is struggling can be mentored by a more successful one under the system, sometimes because they want more freedom.
The new Our Lady of Lourdes trust has been registered with Companies House and recruitment for a chief executive officer has begun.
At the launch, Archbishop Sherrington said: “Our Catholic schools are vital to the educational mission of the Church. They bring the Gospel alive to young people, staff and parents with Catholic Social Teaching at the heart.
“The proposal to build the academy framework is a means of protecting our schools for the future to ensure that we can continue to offer excellent Catholic education to the future generations.
"I believe we are better together, working together to serve the mission, having greater support for staff and keeping control of our educational system for the future generations of Catholic children and others.
“Together, we are a constellation of stars offering hope in our Archdiocese.”
Joan McCarthy, director of education at the Archdiocese of Liverpool, added: “This strategy has been developed to help our schools support one another and flourish together, ensuring that every child across the archdiocese has access to a high-quality Catholic education
“It ensures all our schools can benefit from excellent resources and outstanding learning opportunities for both pupils and staff, while building on the archdiocese’s long-established tradition of educational excellence.
“Our approach is firmly rooted in preserving the local identity of schools within their Catholic communities. A hub-based leadership model will allow us to achieve this balance.
“We are also committed to maintaining our excellent relationships with key stakeholders and partners, particularly local authorities. At the heart of this process is working in collaboration with others.”
Cath Pealing, director of education and inclusion at Wigan Council, said: “Wigan borough already has a number of academies that, while operating independently, all remain part of a strong family of schools working together to deliver high quality education for our children and young people.
“We’re pleased that Wigan’s Catholic schools will retain their strong links as part of the same multi-academy trust, and we will continue to work closely with the archdiocese and school leaders to achieve the best outcomes for future generations.”