Bury St Edmunds school Sexton’s Manor Community Primary to become part of All Saints Schools Trust next week

A town primary school is about to join a family of growing schools that shares its values of ‘putting children first’.

Sexton’s Manor Community Primary School, in Greene Road, Bury St Edmunds, will officially become part of the All Saints Schools Trust (ASST) on April 1.

Debbie Knight, who has been headteacher of the school for about 14 years, said after researching which trust would be most suitable the school and governors felt ASST’s vision and values were very much aligned with theirs.

She said: “We are an inclusive school and they are inclusive and valuing the child. It all aligns nicely. It feels the right time and moving the school forward in an exciting way.

“We have worked with them a little bit, although we haven’t joined. They have been extremely welcoming and I think the key thing is the sharing of resources, ideas and support.”

The collaborative work has already included a coaching session Mrs Knight did with trust leaders, ASST’s curriculum development lead has visited the school and some learning support assistants (LSAs) from Sexton’s met other LSAs at the trust’s main site.

It is also a two-way process, Mrs Knight said, with Sexton’s sharing its strengths with the trust.

“It’s truly exciting,” she said. “I think this family of growing schools offers exciting opportunities.”

The ASST, which will now have 14 schools under its wings, officially welcomed Cockfield CEVC Primary School, near Bury and Sudbury, to the trust in December, and its other schools include Hardwick Primary, in Bury, and Great Whelnetham C of E Primary, near Bury.

Melanie Barrow, CEO of ASST, which formed in 2018, said: “We are delighted Sexton’s Manor is joining the trust.

“We are really looking forward to working with the staff, governors and families and feel the school is a very good fit, sharing our values about putting children first.

“We have 14 schools now in the trust and we are looking to grow further. It is an exciting time for ASST.”

Mrs Knight confirmed the school uniform and school name at Sexton’s, which has 196 pupils, would stay the same.

While parents woould not initially notice a lot of changes from the school joining the trust, she said the collaborative working would become apparent as time went on.

“We wanted to be proactive in joining a trust,” said Mrs Knight. “The future in education is trusts at the moment.”

The school will still be part of the Bury Schools Partnership.