LAST term, pupils and staff at a Knutsford primary school took a huge step in becoming an academy and have certainly risen to the challenge.

In September Egerton Primary School became part of the Knutsford Multi-Academy Trust which aims to deliver excellent education for children aged four to 18 in Knutsford.

And as the second term at the Bexton Road school gets under way, headteacher Alison Hooper is excited about what the future holds.

She explained there were two main reasons that the school became an academy: “Firstly, it was an investment in the children’s continuing journey from Egerton into Knutsford Academy and the development of shared excellence in all aspects of their life in both schools.

“Secondly, Egerton is a Knutsford school and actively contributes to the community that the children live.

“This includes working alongside the academy in its investment in the Knutsford community.”

Describing the changes as ‘exciting and challenging’, Mrs Hooper said the new school structure had developed a close working relationship between the trust and its schools, governors and staff.

She added: “We’re looking forward to ensuring that our strategic plans are lived out and that our pupils benefit from this shared approach.”

This includes a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, plus global learning.

Mrs Hooper added: “The academy now has a link with a Kenyan high school and will be joining a group of teachers from six schools, led by Egerton, to visit Kenya in February.”

“Firstly, it was an investment in the children’s continuing journey from Egerton into Knutsford Academy and the development of shared excellence in all aspects of their life in both schools.”

Mike Cladingbowl, executive principal of the trust, said: “This was another big step for the academy with Egerton Primary School joining us, an important move that supports our vision of delivering excellent education to all children and young people in the Knutsford area both at primary and at secondary level.

“I would like to offer a very warm welcome to pupils, staff and parents at Egerton; exciting times for our schools and for Knutsford.”