Headteacher gives assurance that no major changes on the cards as leading Burnley school becomes an academy

Blessed Trinity RC College will change its status to become part of the Romero Catholic Academy Trust under the Academies Act of 2010.

This means it will be an independent school, no longer under the remit of the local authority, and funded by central government.

Headteacher Mr Richard Varey said this week: "We do not intend to change Blessed Trinity R C College except in ways which we think will improve the school even more.

"The benefits mean the school will have increased flexibility and exciting opportunities, working in partnership with the family of the Catholic schools in the Romero Trust.

"There will be no change to the admissions policy at the school, which has been oversubscribed for the last few years, and there will not be major changes to everyday school life including uniform and school procedures.

All Catholic schools in the Salford Diocese were asked to consider becoming academies as part of the Romero Catholic Academy Trust under the Academies Act 2010.

The Romero Catholic Academy Trust is a faith based organisation providing education to pupils in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Formed in 2019, under the Guidance of the Salford Diocese, the trust states its mission is to 'improve the lives of young people by providing an outstanding education and by nurturing skills and interests that takes them on a journey of lifelong learning.'

Forty eight primary schools in Lancashire and Yorkshire, including St Augustine's and St John the Baptist in Burnley, have already become academies with the trust along with nine secondary schools.

The Trust board has its own foundation directors but under the conversion the existing governing body is retained along with the headteacher.

All schools receive a grant of £25,000 from the Department of Education to cover the costs of the conversion.