Selly Oak Trust School Partnership
On Wednesday 12 September 2007, Selly Oak School and Specialist Science College became a Trust School.
It is one of the first 30 schools in the country to grasp the opportunity offered by the Government's new Trust status - and the very first special school.
The school's website is www.sellyoak.bham.sch.uk.
From now on, Selly Oak Trust School, in partnership with Midlands Co-operative Society, has an incorporated charity running in tandem with the school.
Selly Oak Trust School, recognised by Ofsted as an outstanding secondary special school and sixth form, caters for in excess of 300 students with special educational needs.
It is now a maintained foundation school supported by an incorporated registered charity, The Selly Oak School Trust. The Trust will directly support the work of the school, which has plans to develop an expanding range of support for people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in a wide variety of settings particularly at 19 plus.
It will also provide support and advice for parents about how best to help, and secure help, for children with special educational needs.
As Selly Oak Trust School remains a maintained Birmingham school, both the new foundation school and the Trust is keen to continue working alongside the local authority to work in partnership to achieve its goals under Every Child Matters.
The deficit of services for young adults with SEN leaving school in Birmingham has been identified by parents. From this point, Selly Oak School Trust will provide an umbrella for the development of a wide range of services and support.
Graham Ridley, Head Teacher of Selly Oak Trust School said: "I am particularly delighted that Selly Oak Trust School's ongoing partnership with Midlands Co-operative Society has extended and deepened in this manner. "Midlands Co-op and Selly Oak Trust School share a history of deep ethical concern, care for the environment and a determination to build a better community for the future.
"Selly Oak Trust School will be further strengthened and enlivened by the corporate acumen, business knowledge, ethical stance, support and challenge which this partnership provides. "Our joint commitment to provide support for the vulnerable and disadvantaged will be greatly strengthened through the organisational coherence this new structure brings. The partnership will be at a new level. "The Specialist School and Academies Trust has been instrumental in helping us to develop the confidence and vision to dream of a better future."
Cyrrhian Macrae, Head of Community & Co-operative Affairs at Midlands Co-op, added: "Midlands Co-op is proud to be associated with Selly Oak Trust School in this venture because of the wonderful provision it makes for students with SEN. By concreting our ongoing relationship through Trust status, we can continue to support the School in a whole range of ways."