HQ building approved for education trust containing Elveden C of E Primary Academy, near Thetford, and Bury St Edmunds school St Edmundsbury CEVA Primary

Plans have been approved to use a house next to a school as the headquarters for a new multi-academy trust.

Lorna Rourke, executive headteacher of Elveden C of E Primary Academy, near Thetford, applied to West Suffolk Council to use a residential property in London Road, Elveden, for the HQ of the Elveden Schools Trust.

Mrs Rourke said it was ‘wonderful’ to be able to set up the Elveden Schools Trust central office ahead of the MAT (multi-academy trust) opening on September 1.

The founding schools joining together are Elveden Primary Academy and Bury St Edmunds school St Edmundsbury CEVA Primary School, which will be known as St Edmundsbury C of E Primary Academy.

“This is with a view to the trust welcoming more schools, both church and community, in the near future,” added Mrs Rourke, who will be the CEO of the new trust from September.

“We have been supported by the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Department for Education and the Elveden Estate to ensure we can provide a strong foundation to support schools in Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.”

The plans to turn 59, London Road, Elveden, into the trust offices were approved by West Suffolk Council on Monday.

The planning statement said the bedrooms would house office space and the ground floor would be used as a staff room, kitchen and boardroom for trustees.

“This has been agreed with the current owners of the property who are happy to lease this to the trust on this basis.

“In terms of changes to the property, we do not plan to make any structural changes, purely cosmetic and as part of the compliance needed for change of use,” it said.

St Edmundsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, in Grove Road, was found to have made improvements by Ofsted, having been judged ‘inadequate’ last July.