Four Bristol schools to form co-operative trust

Four Bristol schools are to form a co-operative trust, giving the community more say over how they are run.

Ashton Park School will be joined by Ashton Vale Primary, Compass Point: South Street School and Children's Centre, and Luckwell Primary.

From 1 April they will form The South West Bristol Co-operative Learning Trust.

But teaching union NASUWT has expressed concern about how teachers will find the time to engage with the community.

'Best curriculum'

Proposed members of the trust include the University of the West of England, local firm Futurelab, and Bristol City Council which currently has control of the schools.

Parents, staff, students, local residents and community organisations will also be able to become members, having more say on how money is invested, which governors are appointed and how schools are run.

Chris Gardner, Ashton Park's head teacher, said all members would work together to decide on the best curriculum "from age 0 to 19".

"The local community will have a chance to really get involved in talking about what they want for their children," he said.

Mr Gardner said that out of more than 200 comments received during a public consultation on the move, only nine were against it.

Trevor Morgan, of teaching union NASUWT, which has expressed concerns about co-operative trust schools nationally, said he wanted to know where the resources were coming from to pursue the agreement.

He said: "Teachers are already spread thinly. They are still working excessive hours so there won't be extra hours to put into community engagement."