A VILLAGE primary school has become the latest member of a multi-academy trust established by a top-ranked secondary school.

Dunnington CE School in Pear Tree Lane, Dunnington, converted to an academy on Thursday and joined the South York Multi Academy Trust founded by Fulford School.

Eleven church and community schools in the area have teamed up as part of the trust and a spokesman said Dunnington CE Primary will keep its name, core Christian values and priorities.

Head teacher Caroline Hancy said: “Dunnington will continue to focus on our core mission of growing and learning together and aiming to be the best that we can be, in an environment based on Christian values.

“We will ensure that this school remains a great one in its contribution to the local and national community and to all those that it serves. We are very much looking forward to working in close partnership with all the schools in the new trust.”

Nine other schools are set to join the trust during the next 18 months.

Andrew Smith, director of education at the Diocese of York, said: “The South York MAT stems from more than twenty years of collaborative working and partnership and is another example of Church and non-church schools working closely and effectively in partnership with one another.

“There is much expertise in our Church schools and I am sure that this will only be enhanced by the mutual support that the schools will receive from working closely together. The Church of England’s vision for education is one which is deeply Christian and, at the same time, serves the common good.”