Cumbria Education Trust (CET) proudly marked ten years of educational excellence with a special celebration, CET@10, held at The Garden at Eden. The event recognised the journey of each school and the impact the Trust has had on pupils, families, and communities across Cumbria.
Founded in 2015 with just three schools, CET has since grown into a thriving network of twelve primary and five secondary schools, supporting over 6,500 pupils, 1,000 staff, and 150 governors. CET@10 showcased this decade of achievement and innovation, with a programme that placed students firmly at the heart of the celebration.
The evening began with a performance by William Howard School’s orchestra, welcoming over 300 guests – including award-winning pupils, their families, staff, governors, key partners, and local dignitaries. Expertly compered by four Sixth Form students, the event unfolded through a lively and inspiring programme.
Chief Executive Lorrayne Hughes opened the evening by reflecting on CET’s first ten years, drawing on highlights from the Ten Year Impact Report and reaffirming the Trust’s core values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience. Looking ahead, she shared CET’s new mission: From Good to Great.
The centrepiece of the evening was ‘The CET Journey’ – with four pupils from each school sharing their personal stories of growth, opportunity, and community impact. Each school also contributed a decorated tile representing its identity, which was proudly showcased on stage.
The programme celebrated student creativity and talent with a dance performance from Longtown Primary School, a musical theatre piece from William Howard School’s production of Newsies, and a powerful drama performance of Anansi from The Queen Katherine School.
Guests also heard from keynote speakers who have been part of CET’s ten-year journey, reflecting on its achievements and educational innovation. Dan Barton, Deputy Director for Learning at Leeds City Council, was previously the Assistant Director for Education and Skills in Cumbria. Within his speech, he said, “It’s important to acknowledge that all of the work that has been achieved hasn’t been done in isolation, as partnership and system leadership is the only game in town. It’s just been an amazing journey that the Trust has been on”.
We received a special message from Sir David Carter, who served as National Schools Commissioner from 2016 to 2018. He reflected on CET’s journey, “When we were looking for a new sponsor for The Whitehaven Academy, I had no hesitation in talking to Lorrayne and her team in taking it on. I made that decision based on three things. One, was their track record of improving schools; Lorrayne and her team’s leadership and the reality of working on the turnaround of school improvement; and the third being the strength of governance in the Trust. Producing better outcomes for children is what it’s all about and I’m delighted to be able to share in the celebrations and I look forward to seeing what happens over the next ten years”.
We welcomed Professor Julie Mennell, Vice Chancellor at the University of Cumbria. CET’s growing partnership with the university is a key part of CET’s strategy moving forward, as Julie mentioned, “Wow! I’m blown away this evening, not just by what I’m seeing but the why and the how – and the absolutely phenomenal journey of CET. Like the Trust, we are here as the University of Cumbria to impact on young people, places, community and the economy. We have the future of Cumbria in our charge, to ensure they can be the best they can be. I look forward to forging our relationship with CET for the benefit of our young people and the generations to come”.
Both local authorities were present on the night, and we invited Isobel Booler, Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion at Westmorland and Furness Council, and Councillor Elaine Lynch, Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Development at Cumberland Council to say a few words.
The event further highlighted CET’s growing trust-wide opportunities by recognising the student events that are held annually. Nic Tweddle, Head of School at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, spoke about the opportunities available to all of our students and the wide array of events the whole Trust participate in.
We welcomed the winners of the CET Innovate competition 2025 – The Tyre Tamers from Workington Academy, and the overall winners of the Student Excellence Awards. All students were presented with a trophy to commemorate their achievement.
The evening concluded with a rousing whole-school performance of Come Alive, choreographed to include every school in the Trust. With soaring vocals and vibrant energy, it perfectly captured the essence of CET’s first decade: creating opportunities and experiences for pupils that would not otherwise have been possible.
Lorrayne Hughes commented on the event, “I was incredibly proud to witness all that we have achieved at CET@10, and to hear from colleagues and friends who have supported and guided CET throughout its journey. The highlight for me was watching the outstanding performances from each of our schools and seeing the impact we can offer to young people across Cumbria. They are the reason I am driven every single day to ensure all pupils have the very best experiences.”
Heather Ridley, Partnerships Manager at Ambition Institute, who attended the event added, “The whole evening was such a fantastic representation of everything that CET is about – partnership, community, excellence and, most importantly, children at the heart of everything you do. A special well done to all the pupils involved; I am in awe of their confidence, creativity, and enthusiasm. All their teachers must be very proud. Ambition Institute is honoured to be a part of CET’s story and look forward to our continued partnership.”
The event captured the very best of what CET has achieved over the past decade. You can read more about our journey in our article Cumbria Education Trust – 10 Years of Impact along with CET’s Ten Year Impact Report.
We extend our thanks to everyone who joined us, to the pupils whose performances wowed the audience, and to our staff for creating such a heart-warming and memorable evening. We now look forward to all that the next ten years of CET will bring.
Photographer: Molly Matcham Photography
Event AV production management company: 1 media Ltd
