FOUR schools have banded together to become the latest multi academy trust in North Yorkshire.

Star Multi Academy Trust becomes an entity today, Tuesday May 1, when Monk Fryston CE Primary, Riverside Primary, Saxton CE Primary and Tadcaster Grammar School formally obtain their academy status.

The trust will grow rapidly over the next two months as other schools join them: Appleton Roebuck Primary, Kellington Primary, Kirk Fenton CE Primary, Sherburn High, Sherburn Hungate Primary and South Milford Primary also convert to become academies.

Chief Education Officer for the STAR Multi Academy Trust, Martyn Sibley, said that all schools in the Star will retain their own individual ethos and character and local governing bodies will continue to have a very significant role to play in the running of each school.

Mr Sibley said: "This is a really important day which marks the end of a great deal of hard work behind the scenes and the beginning of a new era of cooperation and partnership between the schools in our community.

"We believe that by working closely together and by sharing resources and expertise we will achieve more together for our children than we would have been able to do as individual schools."

For more about the structure and operation of the trust go to web.starmat.uk