New trusts announced for some of WCAT schools - but not those in Wakefield district

New trusts are set to be named for the schools in our district that were part of the doomed Wakefield Cities Academies Trust (WCAT).
Wakefield City AcademyWakefield City Academy
Wakefield City Academy

An announcement was made on Thursday that 11 of the 21 schools affected are to be taken over by seven new trusts, although the list did not included any of those in the Wakefield, Pontefract or Castleford area.

But the Department for Education said that trusts for the remainder will be “confirmed shortly”.

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This includes Havercroft Academy, Kinsley Academy, Bell Lane Academy, Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy, West End Academy, Freeston Academy, Heath View Academy and Wakefield City Academy.

17 November 2017......  Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth.  Picture Tony Johnson.17 November 2017......  Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth.  Picture Tony Johnson.
17 November 2017...... Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth. Picture Tony Johnson.

MP for Hemsworth, Jon Trickett did not hide his disappointment but said: “I have spoken with the national schools commissioner, who has promised the remaining 10 schools will be announced all at the same time, in the next few weeks.

“I am obviously very disappointed by how this has progressed.

“Our children have not received the world-class education they deserve.

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“When our schools are announced, I will do everything in my power to make sure lessons have been learned, and the new trusts do nothing to damage the quality of our children’s education.

17 November 2017......  Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth.  Picture Tony Johnson.17 November 2017......  Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth.  Picture Tony Johnson.
17 November 2017...... Jon Trickett, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hemsworth. Picture Tony Johnson.

Police confirmed in December that they were investigating claims that millions of pounds were stripped from WCAT’s schools prior to its collapse.

WCAT made the shock announcement in September that it would cease running all of its schools, stating it could not bring about “rapid improvement” its academies needed

Wakefield MP, Mary Creagh said this week: “We expect to see the money that was taken from the schools by the collapsed trust, returned to the schools for the education of students.

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“I was also clear that the Government will need to provide capital funding to ensure the upgrade and maintenance of the schools which will require significant refurbishment in the near future.

“I hope we will hear something in the next month.”

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