A leading light in education across the county has joined the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust.
Former headteacher Caroline Vernon has taken a role as Primary Consultant for the Trust, which is led by Furness College.
Caroline, who has worked in education for more than 25 years, recently retired from her role at Victoria Academy.

She said the role at the SCMAT was an ideal chance to continue her work to improve opportunities for young people across Furness.

“While I have retired from teaching, my passion for education and the future of teaching and learning in this area remains as strong as ever.

“The South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust is a new, dynamic, future-focused initiative and I’m delighted to be able to add my expertise to help shape its success for the benefit of young people across the town and beyond.

“I will never be far away from the inspiring community of schools across Barrow and see this as another opportunity to lend my support and ensure pupils have the chance to achieve their potential.”

The SCMAT was set up by Furness College, with Chetwynde School as its founding partner, to work with primary and secondary schools sharing innovation, expertise and world-class facilities. It is focused on ensuring pupils achieving their full potential and gain valuable academic and life skills to give them the best chance for their future.

Caroline, who has also taught at North Walney Primary, initiated the Furness Education and Skills Partnership in 2011, a charity set up to provide young people in Furness with aspirational opportunities to work with employers and develop employability skills.

During her time at the helm of Victoria Academy she was involved in setting up the Furness Education Trust, which incorporates Furness Academy, Parkside Academy, and Yarlside Academy as well as Victoria Academy.

Welcoming her appointment Executive Headteacher and Chief Executive Officer of the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust Professor Andrew Wren, who is principal of Furness College, said he was delighted to have Caroline on board.

“Caroline’s track record as an inspirational leader in education speaks for itself. In addition, her values and vision for the future of education echo what we are trying to achieve through the Trust.”

The SCMAT has also appointed experienced marketing and communications professional Kathryn Kittley as Director of Marketing and Communications.

She will work in a strategic role alongside senior team members Professor Andrew Wren, Deputy Principal Nicola Cove and Chetwynde Headteacher Steve Jefferson on the senior leadership team.

For more information about joining the SCMAT see the website www.scmat.org.uk or email info@furness.ac.uk

A popular Barrow school is close to finalising a £2m revamp of its learning environment for pupils after its future was secured through joining a multi-academy trust.

Chetwynde School, which is a member of the Furness College-led South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, is currently completing an £800,000 project to upgrade its Our Lady House building.

Once the work is complete the transformed facilities will provide improved classroom spaces for its secondary school pupils and a theatre for dance and drama.

In addition, this year it is investing £50,000 of school funds on brand new IT infrastructure to replace laptops and desktops for the pupils and staff on top of £250,000 from the Education and Funding Agency to replace the school’s ageing boilers.

Head Teacher Steve Jefferson said he was excited to see the school moving forward to ensure its facilities provided a learning environment to meet the needs of pupils in 2021, while still reflecting the traditional ethos of the school.

“We are thrilled to able to invest in facilities at Chetwynde School and to transform Our Lady House, which was in desperate need of repair, and we know our pupils – and staff – will enjoy teaching and learning in these fresh, new spaces.

“Since the Department for Education backed our plans to join the multi-academy trust, they knew that the future of the school was secure and were able to confidently support our plans to improve the school’s learning environment and facilities.

“The work nearing completion follows a project to replace the roof and fit new windows for our Grade II listed main building, totalling £1million, and puts us on the right footing as we look to enhance our provision under the Trust.”

The South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust was launched by Furness College in order to strengthen education across the area.

Chetwynde is the founding member with other primary and secondary schools invited to express an interest in joining.

Principal and Chief Executive of Furness College Professor Andrew Wren, who is the Executive Head Teacher and CEO of the Trust, said he was delighted at the progress.

“There is so much more that schools can achieve if they are part of a truly collaborative partnership, such as the one we have with Chetwynde through the Trust. We are sharing expertise and knowledge and supporting improvements for the benefit of the whole education community.”

For further information about joining the Trust, email info@furness.ac.uk

A popular Barrow school is today marking moving out of special financial measures for the first time in five years thanks to a new partnership.

Chetwynde School transferred into the new South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust as part of a link up with Furness College backed by the Department for Education.

The partnership will help secure the future of the historic school, which teaches pupils from nursery up to Year 11, and aims to further improve education for its young people.

The school, on Rating Lane, was issued with a financial notice to improve by the Education Funding Agency in July 2016 but has made positive progress under its new headteacher Steve Jefferson.

Welcoming it as a historic day for everyone connected with the school, Mr Jefferson praised his senior team, his staff, parents and supporters who had worked tirelessly to safeguard its future.

“We are thrilled that today marks a milestone and we look forward to continued success under the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust and all the benefits that will bring to our school.

“This has not been an easy journey but throughout everything, our priority has been on ensuring our pupils have access to excellent education and our recent Ofsted visit is testament to that.

“We can now move forward in confidence.”

Furness College received approval last year to invite primary and secondary schools to join a new Multi-Academy Trust.

The transfer was agreed by the Secretary of State with Chetwynde as the founding member. Other schools have expressed an interest to join and a board has been formed comprising business and education leaders from across the county.

Furness College Principal and Chief Executive Professor Andrew Wren said: “It is a day for celebration. I have been to meet all the staff and I am delighted we have got to this position in a matter of 11 months.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have such a good school with enthusiastic and talented leaders and staff as our founding member and it’s a fitting way to mark my sixth anniversary as Principal of Furness College.

“We know the hard work is not all behind us but the continued success of schools like Chetwynde with its unique offer of education right through from nursery to GCSEs is so important to the Furness and South Cumbria community.

The Trust aims to provide opportunities to share skills and expertise across its education partners and Professor Wren said the college has already seen some positive developments in curriculum.

“Alongside our A-Level design and technology students now having access to study in the world-class building across the road from our Sixth Form campus, we are also delighted to be welcoming our first group of French A Level students in a number of years. This partnership certainly opened that door and we now have on board the highly-experienced French tutor from Chetwynde,” he said.

For further information about joining the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, visit the website www.scmat.org.uk or email info@furness.ac.uk with the heading SCMAT.