What is the Ember Learning Trust?

The Ember Learning Trust (ELT) is a Co-operative Trust, consisting of Claygate Primary School, Hinchley Wood Primary School, Thames Ditton Infant School, Thames Ditton Junior School and Long Ditton Infant & Nursery School and Long Ditton St.Mary's Junior School, Kingston University, Surrey County Council, and the Co-operative Schools Network (CSNet).

As a group of schools we share values, principles and professional expertise. Each school in the Trust retains its autonomy and is still maintained by the Local Authority. The specific focus of The Ember Learning Trust is to co-operate and explore ways in which partner organisations can collaborate to support the education and training of children and The Ember Learning Trust Community. 

By joining the Ember learning Trust:

1. We continue to raise expectations and standards in the school and improve the future prospects for all of our learners.

2. To do this - with the many changes taking place in education - we need to build strong partnerships and make our school improvement planning more sustainable.

3. We believe that to meet the needs of our community, we can achieve more through formal education partnerships, than we will be able to by working alone.

4. Joining the Ember Learning Trust has enabled us to

• establish a formal partnership and allow us to work with other co-operative schools;
• underpin the values of the school, which are in line with universal co-operative values;
• help us to deliver our school’s vision and aims.

5. Having joined Ember Learning Trust we benefit from the Vision and Values of the Trust as set out below:

• Develop outstanding teaching for all our learners.
• Increase the level of aspiration and opportunities for our community.
• Realise the potential of every young person in our community.
• Ensure excellent employment prospects for our learners.
• Develop an excellent and innovative curriculum to support the raising of standards and the improvement of pupil wellbeing.
• Improve the experience of transition for our learners at each key stage.
• Develop our partnership with our parents and the wider community.
• Develop stronger partnerships with other education providers and employers.

Trust schools are part of the local authority system, but supported by a charitable trust which will appoint two of our governors. It is important to be aware that the Governing Body will continue to run the school, handle the school budget and be responsible for the performance of the school.

Team CPS includes a DSL supervisor who supports DSLs and safeguarding across local schools, 2 qualified moderators who ensure the quality of assessment judgements across Surrey are accurate and who work closely with our partner schools. At CPS, the teaching of reading is a strength and we have hosted Little Wandle Letters and Sounds training events and supported other schools as they consider their approach to Phonics and reading. Our EYFS Lead has supported other schools to develop strong EYFS pedagogy.