Joint statement from Cumbria Education Trust and The Queen Katherine School
Cumbria Education Trust (CET) has further expanded their Trust, welcoming The Queen Katherine School (QKS), a secondary school based in Kendal. QKS is a strong school, with a Good Ofsted rating in 2022 and close-knit community links within the area. They become the fifth secondary school to join the Trust, along with ten existing primary schools and a joint sixth form.
This continues the creation of CET’s Southern Hub model, which consists of a network of schools within the Westmorland and Furness area. This hub joins the Western Hub and Northern Hub to create a large collaborative network of schools within Cumbria. Each hub receives dedicated support from CET’s Trust Services team, allowing schools and their staff to focus on the important things – the young people in our care.
Jon Hayes, Headteacher at QKS, commented on the transition: “We conducted extensive research into various trusts in Cumbria before deciding to join CET. We chose CET for many reasons, including their respect for the unique character of individual schools, which is something we are very proud of here at QKS, as well as their honesty and transparency throughout the process.
“CET’s proven track record in school improvement, closely aligned values, and clear child-centred approach all solidified our decision to become a partner school. Additionally, their vision for developing 2-18 education and shaping children’s educational journeys for the better – such as removing barriers and artificial transition points – was a significant factor for us.
CET’s moral purpose of supporting all children, not just those within the Trust, aligns closely with our vision as a school. I look forward to a truly collaborative future for the benefit of children of southern Cumbria.”
Lorrayne Hughes, Chief Executive of CET, added: “QKS is a fantastic school that we are excited to welcome officially into the CET family. They have high standards, considerable expertise and a wonderful community network and I look forward to deepening our partnership”.
As a member of CET, QKS will continue to uphold its distinctive identity and core values while gaining access to CET’s collective expertise, governance support, and shared resources. This collaboration aims to enhance students’ learning journeys. The Southern Hub is to expand further, with two Kendal primary schools joining CET over the next few months.
