A SECOND Widnes school is to join the Warrington Primary Academy Trust.
Simms Cross Primary School will follow Ditton Primary, which joined the trust in July last year.
The development means Warrington Primary Academy Trust (WPAT) consists of seven schools – five in Warrington.
As part of the WPAT family, staff at Simms Cross Primary will receive additional training and support from WPAT colleagues in a range of areas including the quality of teaching. Teachers will also be helped to adopt new, efficient ways of evaluating the children’s learning.
Paula Warding, current head teacher of Alderman Bolton Primary in Warrington, will be in charge of Simms Cross as executive head teacher.
Louise Smith, WPAT Chief Executive, said: “We’re looking forward to the smooth transfer of the school into the trust at the end of this month.
“We know that the school’s staff, children and parents have had much to deal with over the past few months with the consequences of the pandemic. I want to reassure them that executive headteacher Paula Warding is working closely with interim head Nicola Kearney to make sure that the transition of Simms Cross Primary into WPAT will be a seamless one. All of the measures adopted by the school to successfully manage Covid-19 risks will continue as before and there will be no change to the school’s uniform.
“Everyone at WPAT is looking forward to working really closely with the team at Simms Cross, supporting staff to raise standards in areas that have been identified as needing development, and building on the strengths of the school’s dedicated staff. We think the move will open up a really exciting new chapter for the school, its pupils and their families.”
WPAT is a community of more than 2,100 children aged 2 to 11 in seven primary schools and a teaching school, employing 280 staff. The trust was formed in 2016 and quickly developed a national reputation for excellent standards. WPAT provides staff at all of its schools with support, expertise and professional development so that they can provide the very best education standards for their children.
Warrington schools in WPAT are: Evelyn Street Primary, Penketh Primary, Alderman Bolton Primary, Beamont Primary and Bruche Primary
Pictured outside Simms Cross Primary School are (from left) Nicola Kearney (interim headteacher), Paula Warding (executive headteacher) and Louise Smith (CEO, Warrington Primary Academy Trust).
