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CET News

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Stramongate Primary School Latest Ofsted Report

16th June 2025

Stramongate Primary School, part of Cumbria Education Trust (CET), is celebrating after their recent Ofsted inspection resulted in the school receiving a ‘Good’ rating in all five areas: The quality of education Behaviour and attitudes Personal development Leadership and management Early years provision. The Ofsted report is full of glowing comments about the school, who has recently transitioned to CET. The inspectors noticed the collaboration and positive outcomes of this move already, stating “Together, the trust and the school have a shared vision. The best interests of pupils lie at the heart of any changes that are made.” Throughout the inspection, the school was able to showcase the quality of education, with inspectors noting, “The school and the trust have

CET Schools Recognised for Outstanding Attendance – Spring Term FFT Awards

11th June 2025

Once again, Cumbria Education Trust schools have been recognised nationally for their outstanding attendance, as part of the FFT Attendance Awards for the Spring Term.

Mental Health Awareness Week

16th May 2025

Since 2001, the Mental Health Foundation has been leading Mental Health Awareness Week – bringing the UK together to focus on good mental health. This year, the week took place from 12th to 18th May 2025 and the theme was ‘community’. Our schools have been celebrating the power and importance of community as being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities remind us – we are not alone. Communities can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us a sense purpose. The CET community is strong. We champion positive communities whilst raising awareness of the risks of harmful spaces

Celebrating VE Day

14th May 2025

Celebrating VE Day Across Our SchoolsOur schools came together to commemorate Victory in Europe (VE) Day with creativity, reflection, and community spirit. With wartime-themed displays and remembrance activities, pupils honoured this historic day in thoughtful and inspiring ways. Explore the gallery below to see how each school marked the occasion.

Trainee teacher talks: from veterinary science to teaching science

12th May 2025

Article from Ambition Institute. Teaching has always been part of Ellie Sutton’s life, even before she stepped foot in the classroom. Eight months into her initial teacher training with Cumbria Education Trust, she explains why she’s retraining to teach science and what she loves about it. A teaching mindset, right from the start “I’ve always liked working with children and in education,” says Ellie. “And I really enjoy teaching because it’s so interesting. But when I was growing up, it was implied that because I was very bright I should want to do more than teach.” So when she left school, Ellie studied for a veterinary degree. “It’s a fantastic science degree,” she says. “Even if you don’t want to be a

Longtown Celebrating Latest Ofsted Report!

2nd May 2025

Longtown Primary School, part of Cumbria Education Trust (CET), is celebrating following their recent ungraded Ofsted inspection, after the inspector concluded that “the school may have improved significantly across all areas.” Their last inspection in May 2019 rated the school as ‘Good’, therefore, based off the inspector’s comments, if they were to be fully inspected, it is likely each of their ‘Good’ ratings would be upgraded to ‘Outstanding’. The Ofsted report was full of praise for the significant school improvement journey the school has been on since joining CET. This was reinforced by the inspectors, who stated “the school builds highly positive relationships with parents and carers from the start of their children’s learning journey. This helps children, including those

INSET Day – April 2025

23rd April 2025

Following a well-deserved Easter break, our schools came together for a valuable opportunity to regroup and refocus during our April INSET Day. Traditionally, this day is dedicated to professional development across the trust – and this year was no different. Spread across our five secondary schools, staff worked within departments to network, collaborate, and share best practice. Each session was tailored to the needs of the attendees, ensuring everyone made the most of their time. Secondary School Staff Staff in our secondary schools convened onsite armed with a packed agenda full of useful and engaging sessions. Each school began the day by revisiting current priorities for the remainder of the academic year and looking ahead to improvement plans for 2025/26.

Annual Governance Conference 2025

4th April 2025

This year’s CET Annual Governance Conference 2025 brought together over 90 dedicated Members, Trustees, Local Advisory Board (LAB) members and school leaders for an afternoon of insightful discussions, strategic planning, and shared learning. The event, in which representatives and LAB members from all of our schools were in attendance, served as a crucial platform to explore the ever-evolving landscape of education governance and its direct impact on student outcomes. The conference opened with a fantastic performance from The Queen Katherine School students, with a medley from ‘Grease the Musical’. The performance showcased the reason that governors give up so much of their precious free time – to give all students across Cumbria the best opportunities available to them. Lorrayne Hughes,

NPQ Celebration Event 2025

3rd April 2025

Cumbria Education Trust (CET) proudly celebrated the success of its latest National Professional Qualification (NPQ) graduates at the NPQ Celebration Event on Monday 31st March 2025. Held at the North Lakes Hotel, Penrith, in partnership with Ambition Institute, the event honoured the achievements of educational professionals from across Cumbria and the Northwest of England who have successfully completed their NPQ with CET. This special occasion highlighted the dedication, expertise, and impact these qualifications have had on both personal and professional development, as well as their role in driving school improvement and positive outcomes for young people. The event also recognised the invaluable contributions of CET’s Visiting Fellows, who have played a key role in delivering these programmes. NPQs are nationally

New Leadership Appointments

2nd April 2025

New Leadership Appointments at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School and Castle Carrock Primary School Following a thorough assessment and selection process, we are pleased to announce two key leadership appointments within our schools. Kirkby Stephen Grammar School (KSGS) Nic Tweddle has been appointed as the new Head of School at KSGS, effective from 1st September 2025. Nic is well known within CET, as she is currently the Assistant Headteacher at Workington Academy and is part of CET’s Central Team, where she played a key role in leadership development and student events. Since November 2024, she has also been actively supporting KSGS as CET Deputy Headteacher, providing her with valuable insight into the school’s community and strategic direction. She will be supported