Queen Elizabeth’s School joins the Wimborne Academy Trust family of schools. Pictured: Students and staff from Queen Elizabeth’s School with Wimborne Academy Trust leaders.
A multi-academy trust in Wimborne now provides an all-through education for children in the community after welcoming an upper school to its family of academies.
Queen Elizabeth’s (QE) School is the latest to join the growing and successful Wimborne Academy Trust (WAT) that now teaches children from aged two to 18.
Since it was formed in 2015 WAT has rapidly grown from its founding seven first and middle schools to 12 nursery, first, middle and now upper schools.
CEO of the Trust, Liz West, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Queen Elizabeth’s School to our Trust, cementing what was already an extremely close working relationship.
“More than anything we see this closer unity as providing a valuable service to our local community.
“By giving children in the Wimborne area an all-through education we are also providing continuity – not only for them but also for their parents and families.
“QE joining our Trust opens the door for so many exciting opportunities for all our existing pupils, our future pupils and of course our staff. We can’t wait to begin this journey.”
QE School in Wimborne, which was founded in the 15th century by the mother of King Henry VII, Lady Margaret Beaufort, is home to 1,550 students from Years 9 to 13 and 150 members of staff.
Its acting headteacher Katie Boyes joins the senior leadership team at WAT, which with the addition of QE School now serves 5,000 pupils across east Dorset.
Katie said: “Three-quarters of our students come from Wimborne Academy Trust middle schools and we wanted to make what was an already strong partnership even more powerful.
“It is a perfect coming together as we both share the same vision, which is putting students at the heart of everything we do.
“We look forward to working together with WAT, not only to build on QE’s existing strengths but to also play our part in enhancing what all the Trust’s schools offer through close collaboration and shared best practices.”
QE joins WAT’s 11 other schools and nursery – the four middle schools of Emmanuel CE in Verwood, Allenbourn in Wimborne, St Michael’s CE in Colehill and Lockyer’s in Corfe Mullen plus Verwood First School and Nursery, Hillside First in Verwood, Hayeswood First in Wimborne, Merley First, St John’s First in Wimborne, Colehill First and Witchampton CE First.
WAT also works with a large number of teachers and schools throughout Dorset through its Wimborne Teaching School.
