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Celebrating our successes

CET News

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

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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

Case Study: Inclusion in Practice

19th August 2025

Inclusion in Practice is a Department for Education (DfE) initiative which runs alongside the work of the Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, an independent advisory group providing expert advice to government on how to improve mainstream education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The work is supported by CST, Ambition Institute and a range of leaders across the education system, including Cumbria Education Trust. Tom Rees, Chair of the DfE’s Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, explained, “Inclusive education is a national priority – and a shared responsibility. While there are many challenges within the SEND system, schools and teachers across the country work every day to create environments where all children can succeed. “As I

A Day to Celebrate: A Level Results Day 2025

14th August 2025

Students across all five of our secondary schools are celebrating their A Level results today, marking another year of academic excellence and personal achievement. Our Year 13 students have shown resilience, determination and ambition throughout their educational journey – with many achieving the grades needed to secure places at their chosen universities, competitive apprenticeships, and exciting career opportunities. Des Bird, CET Director of Secondary Improvement, commented, “We are incredibly proud of all our students and the staff who have supported them. These results are a testament to their hard work and the high-quality teaching across our schools. Whether our students are heading to university, apprenticeships or straight into employment, they have proven they are ready for the next stage of

A Night of Student Excellence and Recognition: Inaugural CET Student Excellence Awards

17th July 2025

Quick Links The Winners Highlights Video Event Photographs Photobooth Photos A night of celebration, inspiration and pride took centre stage at the Cumbria Education Trust (CET) Student Excellence Awards, held on Thursday 10th July. The inaugural event, held at The Garden at Eden, recognised and honoured students who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating CET’s values. A central feature of this year’s CET Be the Best You Can Be Week, the evening saw 136 students from across all of CET’s 17 schools, celebrated for their incredible achievements, not just for academic success, but for their resilience, leadership, kindness, and contributions to school and community life. The evening recognised eight category winners from each school who were nominated for embodying

Be the Best You Can Be Week 2025

16th July 2025

Each year, we celebrate Be The Best You Can Be Week, as part of Cumbria Education Trust’s endeavour to create a stimulating environment in which our students can thrive. The purpose of this week is to give students and pupils in all schools across CET the opportunity to push, challenge and express themselves in as many different ways as possible – academically, physically, mentally and socially – while encompassing our CET core values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience. Everyone focused on the following areas: Be the best you can be by helping others Be the best you can be by helping the environment Be the best you can be by challenging yourself Be the best you can be in your

WHS Celebrates Positive Ofsted Report Highlighting Community, Character and Academic Ambition

14th July 2025

William Howard School, part of Cumbria Education Trust, is proud to share the findings of its latest Ofsted inspection, which took place on 24th and 25th June 2025. The final report celebrates the school’s strong sense of community, its commitment to academic excellence, and the outstanding personal development opportunities available to students. Inspectors praised the unique culture of the school, shaped by The William Howard Way – a shared set of values that underpin everything from classroom learning to wider school life. The report commends how students, despite coming from a range of areas and backgrounds, quickly develop a deep sense of belonging and mutual respect. “This report captures the heart and soul of William Howard School,” said Headteacher Kath

Newtown Primary School Celebrates Outstanding Ofsted Inspection Results

14th July 2025

Newtown Primary School, part of Cumbria Education Trust, is proud to share the outcome of a recent Ofsted graded inspection, which took place on 17th and 18th June. The two-day visit marked a significant milestone in the school’s improvement journey – and the results are cause for real celebration. Under the updated Ofsted framework, schools are no longer given a single overall judgement, but instead graded across five key areas. Newtown Primary School received two ‘Outstanding’ grades and three ‘Good’ grades: Quality of education – Good Behaviour and attitudes – Outstanding Personal development – Outstanding Leadership and management – Good Early years provision – Good These results reflect the significant progress made since the school’s last inspection in 2023, in

QKS Students Lead National RE Discussion at Westminster

9th July 2025

Cumbria Education Trust is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievement of students from The Queen Katherine School (QKS), who recently travelled to Westminster to lead a Roundtable Discussion on Religious Education (RE) with senior political and public figures. The visit, hosted by MP Tim Farron and introduced by Lord Singh, brought together a distinguished panel including MP Mel Stride and Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg. QKS students – part of the school’s impressive RE Ambassador programme – showed confidence, insight and maturity well beyond their years as they led a compelling conversation on the role and value of Religious Education in schools today. The group was accompanied by their RS teacher, Mrs France, whose leadership of the RE Ambassador initiative

Leading Together: CET Primary Heads Conference 2025

7th July 2025

On Thursday and Friday, primary Headteachers from across the Trust came together for a focused two-day conference dedicated to improving consistency, deepening professional practice, and strengthening leadership across our schools. The event centred around the development of systems and processes to support school improvement, with a clear focus on teaching and learning. Supported by Mark Gregory from One World, the conference provided a timely opportunity for leaders to align, reflect, and prepare for the year ahead. The first day focused on exploring the newly launched scope and sequence teaching and learning framework. Leaders engaged in a series of coaching activities, applying deliberate practice techniques to help embed consistent pedagogical approaches and drive improvement in classroom practice. The second day shifted focus