Our Schools
Collective Vision Trust
Collective Vision Trust is a growing multi academy trust serving North Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Collective Vision trust is characterised by a strong collaboration putting a knowledge-based curriculum at the centre of its education strategy in to ensure that children have the crucial knowledge they need to succeed and prosper.
Our schools are:
Chesterton Community Sports College, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Churchfields Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Crackley Bank Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Chesterton Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Bursley Academy, Bradwell, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Cheswardine Primary and Nursery School, Glebe Close, Cheswardine, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2RU
Hinstock Primary School, Hinstock, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 2TE
Chesterton Community Sports College, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Chesterton Community Sports College is a fully subscribed and very successful 11-16 secondary school with an established ethos based on the principle of being ‘The Best You Can Be’. The school is at the centre of the community and offers a broad and balanced curriculum that supports the development of each pupil.
The school has an excellent reputation for its supportive and warm working atmosphere and caring staff. Although CCSC is fully subscribed, leaders and staff know their pupils extremely well and visitors often remark on the 'amazing positive working atmosphere' within the school.
CCSC is now one of the highest performing schools in the area on many measures. The school has excellent facilities, and the curriculum offer is outstanding. The ICT technology used throughout the school both in and out of lessons is unbelievable with all pupils being given their own iPad and case in Year 7 and the staff having the best Apple computers on the market to ensure that the curriculum drive of “know more, remember more, understand and apply” has maximum impact in all areas.
The primary enrichment supports the transition process and ensures that children settle quickly. This is a huge success story and one of the reasons why the school is over-subscribed each year.
The pastoral care is fantastic, bespoke to each child’s needs and very consistent to ensure that each child has a valuable and productive five years of education at CCSC.
The high skilled specialist staff are used to help and support other schools within the Trust giving strong specialist curricular support and advice.
Churchfields Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
The school is a larger than average primary that has increased its number on roll year-on-year since gaining its ‘Outstanding’ status.
In January 2012, Churchfields was potentially set to close. Ofsted judged the school to be ‘inadequate’ across all areas of the inspection framework. As a solution, Chesterton Community Sports College offered to lead the school using the high school leadership team to move the school out of special measures.
Whilst under HMI, the school moved from inadequate to good in May 2013. This was due to rapid improvement measures being put into place by the Trust’s team.
On December 1st 2013, Churchfields became the first school to join the newly formed Chesterton Academy Trust (now Collective Vision Trust.) Improvement measures continued and, on the 1st July 2015, the school gained an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted.
It is now an over-subscribed school. A new nursery has been built and the school has been completely transformed into a vibrant learning environment. Standards of attainment are continuing to improve.
Crackley Bank Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
We welcomed Crackley Bank to the Trust in October 2016. Since joining the school has continued to develop and improve.
Ms Sara Stevenson is a well-established and experienced headteacher at Crackley Bank Primary School and she has also been involved in supporting other schools in the region that have been in difficulty. She says, ‘Being part of the Trust means there is a much greater level of support and team work. We work as a team of headteachers who can share their expertise, experience and good practice and learn from each other. The staff across all the schools work together to ensure consistency and this is enabling the schools to develop alongside each other. Most importantly, the individuality of each school is retained, recognised and valued.’
Chesterton Primary School, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Chesterton Primary School joined the Trust in October 2016. An Ofsted inspection in June 2021 gave a judgement of good overall with aspects of outstanding practice.
Helen Swindells became Headteacher in September 2023. Helen was previously the Deputy Headteacher so was already a key part of the Chesterton Primary team.
Ms Helen Swindells says, ‘We are a small school nestled in the heart of Chesterton with a team committed to improving the opportunities and outcomes for all children. Our school community is a collection of families new to the area alongside generations who continue to learn and grow with us.’
We are proud to be part of the Collective Vision Trust and feel well-supported by a team of specialists and professionals. As a team of schools, we work together to share our strengths whilst retaining our individual identities. We are open and honest with each other and this helps us to drive our individual schools forward.’
Bursley Academy, Bradwell, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Bursley Academy is the latest addition to the Collective Vision Trust, Joining on the 1st of June 2022.
The school has recently undergone a large redevelopment and expansion project to allow it to move to two form entry and ensure it could provide the best possible facilities for the children as they progress through school.
The school is committed to providing a welcoming, safe and stimulating learning environment that enables all pupils to reach their potential and become lifelong learners. At Bursley children come first, children only get one chance at primary education and it is the school’s role to ensure they reach for the highest levels of personal achievement and development.
Bursley is a place where all stakeholders work together to ensure children receive a nurturing, rich, inspiring, dynamic and engaging education which allows each individual to aspire to high standards of achievement in all areas of their life.
Mr Wilkinson is an experienced headteacher who is entering his seventh year at Bursley Academy after previously being a headteacher in Macclesfield. He says, ‘Joining Collective Vision Trust is an exciting step in the journey of the school. Working with other like-minded headteachers and having a wide network of expertise, experience and viewpoints will provide us with opportunities to help us build on our success as we explore the ever changing education environment. Key to our decision was that each school is valued for who they are and their unique characteristics. This is a collection of schools working together to ensure the best outcomes for children across the trust’.
Goldstone Federation
Cheswardine Primary and Nursery School / Hinstock Primary School
In 2019 Cheswardine and Hinstock federated and became Goldstone Federation to pool resources and work together to improve the education offered in both of our rural village communities.
Cheswardine is a small primary school and nursery in rural Shropshire, just on the Staffordshire border. In October 2023 Cheswardine achieved an OFSTED grading of good after years of Requires Improvement. The school has a small but dedicated team committed to ensuring all children achieve their potential and enjoy learning. The OFSTED inspectors praised our commitment to each learner, their mental well-being and our family-like atmosphere.
HInstock was inspected in March 2023 and maintained a good grading which celebrated a school where ‘pupils enjoy learning, love their school and know that staff care about them. The report stated ‘staff know the pupils well. They treat them as individuals and pupils say that the school is like a big family.’ Hinstock is about twice the size of Cheswardine and is an integral part of the village of Hinstock with a thriving nursery known as Hedgehogs.
Rachael Williams, Executive Headteacher, sees joining Collective Vision Trust as a fantastic opportunity to expand the Federation’s offer with like-minded professionals who put the children at the front of everything they do. She says ‘The opportunities offered to improve the digital outcomes for our children are incredible, and as a rural Federation, we look forward to our technology being up to 21st century demands!’
