A YORK academy trust has expanded with the addition of two schools in Scarborough.

Hope Learning Trust, an academy which operates primary and secondary schools across North Yorkshire including Manor CE and Vale of York, Barlby High and Poppleton Ousebank,

On Friday, Graham School and George Pindar School in Scarborough became the latest to join the academy, following agreements with North Yorkshire County Council, so will convert to academy status over the spring half-term.

The trust has been working with the schools since early 2018, providing support for teaching and learning and making improvements to processes, procedures and behaviour management, prioritising safeguarding and security.

Helen Dowds, who left Vale of York Academy - formerly Canon Lee School - in December, has been announced as the new executive lead for the transformation of the schools, and specialist staff from the trust have worked with school staff to raise standards.

CLICK HERE FOR A GALLERY OF OLD PHOTOS FROM CANON LEE/VALE OF YORK ACADEMY

New principals have also been appointed for both schools, with acting head at Graham School Emma Robins taking on the role permanently, and deputy headteacher at Graham School, Lesley Welsh, leading George Pindar School.

The Hope Learning Trust has secured funding for the conversions through a grant and £3.4 million from the Department for Education, which will be used to address building and site issues at both schools.

Brian Crosby, chief executive officer of Hope Learning Trust, said: “The education of the 1,700 young people at Graham and George Pindar is of paramount importance to us and now the schools are formally part of Trust, we can move forward with improving both schools.

“We are fortunate that within each school there is already a core team of dedicated staff and we will be working with them to ensure they get the professional support they need to do their jobs effectively. We can’t promise that improvements will happen overnight, but what we can assure the community of, is that we will follow good educational practice and tested strategies which will see the schools move towards being highly-regarded educational institutions. We already have members of our school improvement team working with many departments improving and developing standards in the classrooms; this will continue and grow further now that academisation is formally in place.”