Millmead School joins Simon Balle academy trust

Millmead Primary School in Port Vale has joined Simon Balle School as part of the Laurel Education Trust.

The Trust was founded in 2013 when Simon Balle became an all-through school, and is header by the schools co-headteachers Rachel Kirk and Michael Moss.

At the new Millmead Primary Academy, specialist teachers from Simon Balle will deliver curriculum music lessons to all pupils, foreign languages teaching, introducing Spanish and French from Reception to Year 6, and enhanced PE provision.

Academy schools state-funded school in England that receive funding directly from the government and is run by academy trusts instead of the local authority. This independence gives academies more control over areas like admissions, the curriculum, term dates, and staff pay and conditions, though they are still inspected by Ofsted.