Benton Park School, on Harrogate Road, Rawdon, officially joined the Moorlands Learning Trust (MLT) as of August 1.
The school says joining the trust will allow it to keep its “unique identity” while benefiting from “the collective expertise and support of a wider network of schools” and is “an exciting new chapter for the school and its community”.
The MLT was formed just over eight years ago, on July 1, 2017, when Ilkley Grammar School converted its single academy trust to multi-academy trust status.
Benton Park School, in Harrogate Road, Rawdon (Image: Google Street View) Two years later, The Skipton Academy became the first partner academy, and during the 2023/24 academic year, Ashlands Primary, Burley Oaks Primary, Eastburn Primary, and Nidderdale High School joined.
Nicholas Skilton, headteacher of Benton Park School, said: “We are thrilled to be joining Moorlands Learning Trust.
“This move allows us to retain our unique identity while benefiting from the collective expertise and support of a wider network of schools.
“Our focus remains firmly on delivering the very best outcomes for our students, and we believe this partnership will help us go from strength to strength.”
Benton Park headteacher Nicholas Skilton (Image: Benton Park School) Benton Park received a ‘requires improvement’ rating after its most recent Ofsted inspection, back in October 2023, when the education watchdog still used headline rankings, having been ranked ‘good’ eight years before that.
The school, which had more than 1,500 students registered at that time, was praised for its on-site sixth form, which was the only category to receive a ‘good’ rating.
But Benton Park was told to improve by Ofsted after inspectors found some pupils’ behaviour and attitudes were “not good enough” and that there was “too much disruption in lessons”.
The new partnership will enable the school to access a wealth of shared resources, professional development opportunities, and collaborative initiatives, all aimed at enhancing the education experience for students and staff alike.
Helen Williams, CEO of Moorlands Learning Trust, added: “We are delighted that Benton Park School has joined Moorlands Learning Trust and look forward to continuing to work closely with the school as part of our growing family of schools.
“We have already built strong relationships with key staff and governors over the past 18 months and look forward to strengthening these links further across the whole school community for the benefit of all students.”