CET News

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CET News

You will find all of CET’s latest news stories below.

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Workington Academy appointed as a lead school for national attendance and behaviour programme

12th November 2025

Cumbria Education Trust is pleased to announce that Workington Academy has been designated as a lead school in the roll-out of a new national attendance initiative. The government’s Department for Education (DfE) will shortly issue all schools with ‘attendance baseline improvement expectations’ – minimum attendance targets informed by artificial-intelligence analysis of each school’s context (including location, pupil needs and deprivation). While these targets will not be published or used directly by Ofsted, schools that do not meet them will be referred for support through the regional RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards & Excellence) behaviour and attendance hubs. Workington Academy will play a leadership role in this agenda, helping to guide best practice, support other schools in the region and raise

Amazing Attendance – Again!

10th November 2025

Our schools have – once again – achieved outstanding attendance recognition from FFT. FFT collects daily attendance data from thousands of schools nationwide. This information helps schools track, monitor and compare attendance on a weekly basis. The FFT Attendance Awards celebrate schools ranked in the Top 10% and Top 25% nationally, as well as within similar school groups (based on the percentage of pupils eligible for Free School Meals). We’re delighted to share that the following schools have been recognised for their excellent attendance during the Summer Term 2024/25: Kirkby Stephen Grammar SchoolTop 10% NationalTop 10% Similar Workington AcademyTop 25% Similar Castle Carrock Primary SchoolTop 10% NationalTop 10% Similar Castle Park SchoolTop 25% National Hensingham Primary SchoolTop 25% Similar Longtown

A Special Space for Reflection and Wellbeing

17th October 2025

A new Safe Space has officially opened at Longtown Primary School, providing pupils with a calm, comforting environment where they can reflect, regulate, and feel supported. The Safe Space was created as part of Cumbria Education Trust’s ongoing commitment to supporting emotional wellbeing and positive mental health. It offers pupils a peaceful area to talk, share their feelings, or simply spend time grounding themselves through calming activities and sensory resources. To mark the opening, we welcomed some special guests who have played an important role in bringing the Safe Space to life, including the Learning Provision team at the school, parents, grandparents, children and other key members of the community. Artist Jonathan Hunter, who created the beautiful wall murals, shared,

Four Golden Apple Awards 2025 Winners!

14th October 2025

The spotlight shone brightly on excellence as the Golden Apple Awards 2025 celebrated the very best of Cumbria’s education sector. Held on Thursday 9th October at Carlisle Racecourse, the prestigious ceremony honoured the outstanding individuals, teams and institutions shaping the future of education across the region.The awards recognise talent, resilience and innovation across all areas of education – from passionate teachers and dedicated support staff to inspiring schools and groundbreaking engagement projects. This year, CET was proudly represented across multiple categories, with several winners taking home top honours, including taking home both Best Primary School and Best Secondary School titles. Winners Longtown Primary School – Best Primary School William Howard School – Best Secondary School Andy Smith (The Whitehaven Academy)

CET@10 Event – Celebrating 10 Years of Cumbria Education Trust

8th October 2025

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

Cumbria Education Trust: 10 Years of Impact

6th October 2025

10 Years of Impact September 2025 signals ten years since Cumbria Education Trust (CET) was established – and what a decade it has been for the Trust. Starting with just three schools, the Trust now has twelve primary schools and five secondary schools. From Brampton to Kendal, the Trust’s community spreads far and wide across Cumbria with over 6,500 pupils, 1000 staff and 150 governors. CET has always had one key focus – that every decision made is for the benefit of our pupils. It has been a journey of school improvement, staff development, pupil enrichment and community building. We have had many accolades over the past ten years with numerous school, student and staff awards – recognising the dedication

Northside Primary School Continues to Shine in Ofsted Inspection

12th September 2025

Northside Primary School is celebrating after its most recent Ofsted inspection confirmed it remains a ‘Good’ school. Inspectors praised the school’s high standards, strong pastoral care, and commitment to pupils’ personal and academic success. The inspection, carried out on 1st July 2025, concluded that the school has “taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.” The published report is filled with positive reflections about the school’s work, with inspectors highlighting: “The school has high expectations for pupils’ social and academic achievement. Pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).” “The pastoral support for pupils is a strength of the school.” “Pupils are central to the decisions that trust and school leaders make.”

Welcome to our ITT Trainee Teachers 2025-2026!

11th September 2025

A brand-new academic year has begun, and Cumbria Education Trust (CET), in partnership with Ambition Institute, has welcomed its latest cohort of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) trainees to both internal CET schools and local partner schools. The new trainees began their ITT journey with a comprehensive five-day induction programme designed to provide a solid foundation for a successful teaching career. The week kicked off with a warm welcome and an introduction to the Trust, led by Dr Jo Daulby, ITT Lead, followed by an overview of the ITT programme. Across the week, trainees engaged in a series of focused clinics covering core aspects of teaching, including: Classroom culture and behaviour – creating conditions for learning, presenting emotional consistency, setting and

Starting the Year Strong – INSET Day 2025

2nd September 2025

Yesterday, we welcomed back colleagues from across Cumbria Education Trust (CET) for a day of collaboration, reflection and focus on the year ahead. Our mission this year is clear: From Good to Great. At CET, we exist to advance education for public benefit. We want every student and staff member to Be the Best They Can Be, guided by our values of Respect, Resilience and Responsibility, with inclusion at the heart of our strategy. This year’s INSET expanded on our new hub model, bringing together schools from the Northern, Southern and Western areas to strengthen relationships across our Trust. Following a welcome introduction, each hub explored the Trust Improvement Plan (TIP), aligning staff in shared goals and priorities for the

Celebrating GCSE Results Day 2025

21st August 2025

Following the success of our A Level students last week, we are delighted to welcome back our GCSE students across all five of our secondary schools to celebrate their exam results. Finishing their mandatory educational journey, our Year 11 students have worked hard to achieve their GCSE results, opening up their future prospects as they move into Sixth Form, or other educational options. Des Bird, CET Director of Secondary Improvement, commented, “Receiving GCSE results is always a significant milestone for our students, and it is wonderful to see their hard work and commitment rewarded. I would like to thank all of our staff for their dedication to providing high-quality teaching and learning throughout the years. I look forward to seeing