A TOP-RANKED York secondary school has become an academy and established a multi-academy trust to allow its feeder primary schools to join it.

Fulford School, which has about 1,400 pupils and is rated outstanding by Ofsted, became an academy on January 1 and has become the founder member of the South York multi-academy trust (MAT).

In a letter to parents, head teacher, Lorna Savage, said: "This exciting development will harness the talent, skill and commitment of those working in our schools and in the MAT to create a new and strong partnership of schools serving our local communities.

"The unique trust stems from over 20 years of collaborative working and partnership of our school and the schools set to join the trust."

York Press:

The school will keep it's name and the timetable for joining this year is: Archbishop of York's CE Junior, September 1; Danesgate, March 1; Dunnington CE Primary, February 1; Elvington CE Primary, June 1; Lord Deramore's Primary, November 1; Naburn CE Primary, October 1, St Oswald's CE Primary TBC and Wheldrake with Thorganby CE Primary May 1.

Fishergate and Escrick CE primaries are also lined up to join the new MAT in the next 12-18 months, which will make it the largest multi-academy trust in the city.

In November The Press reported that the Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018, placed Fulford School at eight in the top ten state secondary schools in Northern England.

The process of Fulford converting to academy status has been going on for sometime with Mrs Savage first writing to parents to announce the decision following a consultation in December 2016.

The city already has four established academy trusts - Ebor which runs Robert Wilkinson Primary in Strensall, and Haxby Road Primary and the Hope Learning Trust which includes Manor CE and Poppleton Ousebank Academies, the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust which includes Archbishop Holgate’s CE, Hempland, Badger Hill and Heworth CE and the Southbank MAT is comprised of Scarcroft, Knavesmire and Millthorpe schools.