The Inspire Co-operative Learning Trust

Priesthorpe School is a foundation school with a charitable trust, The Inspire Co-operative Learning Trust, alongside. The Trust’s members currently comprise Priesthorpe School, Southroyd Primary School, The Leeds Rugby Foundation and St. Anne’s Community Services.

The Trust aims to work closely with the community to offer extended opportunities for our students, whilst offering support to our partner organisations’ aims. Foundation schools with a co-operative trust remain within the local authority and serving the local community remains one of our key drivers. We chose to become a co-operative trust as the ethos and values of this form of governance match our own very closely.

These values include: 

• Openness
• Participation and democracy
• Autonomy and independence
• Increased educational opportunities for our members
• Active co-operation with other institutions
• Community engagement

The Leeds Co-operative Schools Network has also now been established to develop the role of the primary and secondary schools across the City which have been established as foundation schools with a charitable co-operative learning trust alongside.

Trust status allows us increased flexibility to meet the aims and aspirations of the students, parents and carers who choose to join us on our educational journey. In addition it gives us access to a mutually supportive network, improving our resilience to adapt to changes within the educational sector. As a result, we have been able to move forward in a number of ways.

• Working co-operatively with maths departments in other co-operative trust schools has allowed us to share expertise in developing teaching and learning in this key subject area.
• Students supporting St Anne’s Community Services’ events have helped to develop social skills and improve their confidence in engaging with the wider community.
• Our Sports Leaders work actively within the local community in a number of Primary schools to enhance opportunities for participation in sports and physical activity.