Shropshire's newest academy opens its doors on new term

Sir John Talbot's School in Whitchurch yesterday opened its doors to staff and students as an academy, on the first day of the autumn term.

With The Marches Academy Trust as sponsor, Sir John Talbot's will continue to receive support and guidance from The Marches School in Oswestry.

The formalisation of this collaborative partnership between the two schools will now lead to further growth and development, with leaders predicting exciting times ahead.

Recently rated 'Good' by Ofsted and coming out of special measures, the school has been going from strength to strength over recent months and in addition to welcoming back existing students and the new Year 7 and 12 intake, the headteacher David O'Toole has also recruited eight new members of teaching staff and one new member to the associate staff team.

Mr O'Toole said: "I am excited for the future of Sir John Talbot's School and am delighted and honoured to begin the permanent role as headteacher. We have achieved some huge milestones over the past 18 months, including rapidly improved GCSE results and acknowledgement from Ofsted that we are a 'Good' school.

"The school really does sit at the centre of the Whitchurch community and I am confident that these recent developments and successes will ensure SJT is the school of choice for parents and children in the Whitchurch area."

Sarah Longville, chief executive of The Marches Academy Trust, said: "There is a drive nationally towards collaboration between schools and we are excited to be leading the way in north Shropshire. Our aim is to continue to build on the firm foundations that now exist at Sir John Talbot's School, in order to provide the very best education for our young people."

To symbolise the school's conversion to an academy, the school's visual identity has undergone a re-fresh, including a modernised logo, website, signage, prospectus and uniform. The school will still remain known as Sir John Talbot's, as tribute to the school's long standing history and strong links with the local community of Whitchurch.

However, to reflect recent exciting developments and achievements, the school decided the time was right this September to launch a newly refreshed look, which retains many of the features so strongly associated with the school.

Mr O'Toole added: "The way we present ourselves plays an important role in communicating the school's personality, values and success. Following consultation with students, parents and staff to gather views, opinions and ideas, we set about the task of re-designing the school logo and uniform. Gone now are the black jumpers and maroon, which has been replaced by a more contemporary colour scheme, with the golden lion at the core.

"The new uniforms are smart and modern and students are wearing them with pride.

"The new website is more user-friendly and technologically advanced and the signage will now help the school to retain its Safer School's Accreditation."

The school will be holding an open evening on September 25 and all prospective parents and students are invited to go and have a look around to see, first hand, the developments that have taken place at the school. The evening will begin at 6pm .