CET News

Celebrating our successes

CET News

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

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OBE For Chief Executive

15th June 2024

The leader and passionate driving force behind Cumbria Education Trust (CET), Lorrayne Hughes, Chief Executive, has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours, for her services to education. Lorrayne has led the Trust since its inception in 2015. CET is now responsible for the education of more than 5,000 young people, aged 2 to 18, across the county. We have been recognised in recent years for our strong track record on school improvement and the professional development of teachers and school leaders. Lorrayne said: “I am delighted to have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours; it is great acknowledgement of all that we have achieved at Cumbria Education Trust. “It has been my honour to serve so

Hensingham Primary School Receive ‘Good’ Ofsted!

6th June 2024

Hensingham Primary School (HEN), part of CET, recently received a visit from Ofsted and has officially been rated as a Good school across all categories. This is the first inspection that HEN has had since joining CET. The previous inspection was deemed inadequate overall so we are very proud to be able to showcase the journey HEN has been on. The school has been focusing on school improvement, attendance, behaviour and the curriculum, which has been recognised by the Ofsted inspectors. One comment the inspectors made was that “pupils are happy and proud to belong to their school” and that it is “welcoming and friendly”. The inspectors recognised that “the school expects all pupils to succeed academically” and that HEN

Superhero Sara!

9th May 2024

Over the last five years, several of CET’s schools have worked closely with Cash For Kids (CFK), a charity that supports children and young people affected by poverty, abuse, neglect, life-limiting illness and those who have additional needs. Sara Oldham, Fundraising Executive, spearheads the fundraising in Cumbria and works closely with Caldew Lea Primary School, Newtown Primary School, Petteril Bank School and Yewdale Primary School. Sara is an incredible woman; she works closely with our parents, our schools and the communities around them, to ensure every child received the help and support they need. Over the last five years, she has contributed to raising around £30,000 for our schools along with resources donated such as food vouchers for families in

Exciting London West End Opportunity!

3rd May 2024

Recently, Carlisle dance school, Razzamataz, starred in a performance on London’s West End. Two sixth form students from William Howard School, Dylan Rhodes and Elizabeth Cowell, was lucky enough to be part of the Razzamataz Theatre Schools gala performance. Dylan said, “I’ve been going to Razzamataz in Carlisle since 2015 and now I help out in drama classes for younger, intermediate groups.” At the Shaftsbury Theatre, the senior group performed a dance piece from the musical Wicked. The hit comedy musical Mrs Doubtfire is currently running at the Shaftsbury Theatre and Dylan commented, “The boys’ dressing room was normally used by one of the professional cast, so it was exciting to be in the same space.” Before their evening performance,

Annual Governance Conference 2024

30th April 2024

In an endeavour to continue our commitment to educational excellence, more than 70 Members, Trustees, Local Advisory Board (LAB) members and school leaders attended CET’s Annual Governance Conference. Held on Thursday 25th April at the University of Cumbria, this event provided a forum for collaborative discussions, strategic planning and the sharing of best practice. Each year, this conference aims to increase the effectiveness of our already well-established governance framework, through shared insights and collective efforts. The event began with a vibrant performance from Workington Academy’s Performing Arts students, offering a delightful preview of their upcoming production, ‘Seussical the Musical’. Following this, Des Bird, Director of Secondary Improvement, welcomed the attendees with a short introduction outlining the Trust’s strategic vision and

Caldew Lea Celebrates After A Dazzling Ofsted!

17th April 2024

Caldew Lea Primary School (CLPS), part of Cumbria Education Trust, is celebrating following their recent Ofsted inspection. The school has worked hard to drive improvements and this has been officially recognised within their Ofsted report. CLPS has officially been rated as a Good school, with two of the categories, ‘Behaviour and Attitude’ and ‘Personal Development’ rated as Outstanding, with a dazzling report to back up the results. Since CLPS joined Cumbria Education Trust in 2019, the school has been transformed, becoming unrecognisable from the school it was previously. There has been an influx of new students, and with a strong focus on school improvement and outcomes, the future of the school is bright. Key highlights from the report include: “Pupils

INSET Day – April 2024

16th April 2024

Before welcoming all of our pupils back to school today, staff from all 13 of our schools, along with the CET Central Services Team, came together yesterday for an engaging and informative INSET day. Spread across four of our schools, our staff partook in a series of sessions, specifically tailored to each group. From teaching staff, learning provision, HR, Finance, IT and much more, each session was designed to start collaborative discussions and share best practices, all to benefit our young people. Our secondary schools each attended their own school. At Workington Academy (WA), Lorrayne Hughes, Chief Executive, welcomed the teaching staff before they split into subject-specific groups. The Whitehaven Academy (TWA) and William Howard School (WHS) followed the same

Jo Wins Outstanding Teacher Award

28th March 2024

It is with great pride that we announce that Jo Fowler, Business, Creative Media & Computing Curriculum Lead at The Whitehaven Academy (TWA), won an Outstanding Teacher Award at the National Cyber Security Centre’s annual Cyber Security Education Ecosystem Conference. Jo, nominated by IN4 Group as their CyberFirst partner to represent teachers in the North West of England, has been recognized for her exceptional contributions to the field of cybersecurity education. The conference, held over two days at The Queens Hotel in Leeds, brought together key stakeholders from academic, commercial, government, and teaching communities. It featured a diverse range of formats, including talks, workshops, panel sessions, and hands-on practical sessions, encouraging collaboration and relationship-building within the cybersecurity education space. One of

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion

27th March 2024

CET Secondary Schools Safeguarding Awareness Week In a world where diversity should be celebrated, not just tolerated, our youth are leading the charge in understanding, appreciating, and advocating for equality. Last week, all CET secondary schools took part in Safeguarding Awareness Week, where students from The Whitehaven Academy (TWA), William Howard School (WHS) and Workington Academy (WA) delved into the characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act. The characteristics safeguarded by the Equality Act—age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership (in employment only), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation— were researched by our students, as they focused on learning about these characteristics and why they are important to protect and celebrate. Under the banner of

Celebrating Our NPQ Success

21st March 2024

Cumbria Education Trust (CET) proudly celebrated the success of all participants who have recently and successfully completed their National Professional Qualification (NPQ) with CET and Ambition Institute, at their inaugural NPQ Celebration Event on Thursday 14th March 2024. Held at the Castle Inn, Bassenthwaite, in partnership with Ambition Institute, CET recognised the achievements of all participants who have passed an NPQ with CET to date, which includes educational professionals working in schools and institutions right across Cumbria and the north west of England. The event highlighted the dedication, expertise and impact that these qualifications have made, in both the personal and professional development of our educational staff and their link to sustained school improvement and positive outcomes for young people. The