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Laidlaw Schools Trust
Laidlaw Schools Trust is a family of Academies in the North East, united by a shared moral purpose: to use education to transform lives, regardless of background or circumstance.
Founded in 2008, the Trust was established to provide inspirational education that opens doors, raises aspirations and creates opportunity. Today, our nursery, primary and secondary Academies serve communities across Newcastle, Wearside and Durham, working together to ensure that every child receives an exceptional education.
Across all Laidlaw Academies, we believe that every child can shine. We reject assumptions based on background or prior attainment and instead focus on nurturing potential, building confidence and unlocking ambition.
From a child’s first experience of education to the moment they leave us, we develop the whole person. We fill pupils’ heads with knowledge, their hearts with values and compassion and their hands with the skills they need to succeed. Our young people leave us not only with strong qualifications, but with resilience, integrity and a belief in themselves.
Education at Laidlaw Schools Trust goes beyond academic success. We place great importance on physical and mental wellbeing, ethical awareness, digital literacy and preparation for the future. Our aim is to equip children and young people with the character, skills and adaptability they need to thrive in an ever-changing world and to make a positive difference to their communities.
Governance at Laidlaw Schools Trust:
Laidlaw Schools Trust is governed by a board of trustees which is responsible for the work of the Trust, including the running of our academies. To support the effective operation of the Trust and our academies, the board has established a number of committees:
- Audit Committee
- Estates Committee
- Operations Committee`
- People Committee
- Standards Committee
Details of LST Members and Trustees can be found here.
Laidlaw X
Generously funded by the Laidlaw Foundation, Laidlaw X is an innovative strategy that aims to transform lives by extending the reach of education and enhancing whole-child development and life trajectories.
1. CHARACTER SKILLS
We are linked with Skills Builder Partnership, the product of five years’ cutting-edge research and design, the Skills Builder Universal Framework makes it possible for everyone to teach, learn, and measure essential skills.
The Framework breaks each of the eight skills down into a sequence of steps, taking individuals from being an absolute beginner through to mastery. It takes soft skills and puts rigour behind them.
Essential skills unlock learning in the classroom, boosting academic outcomes, perseverance and self belief. They halve the likelihood of being out of work, and increase earnings across a lifetime. They even boost wellbeing and life satisfaction.
But access to these skills isn’t fair. And where they are missed, it undermines social mobility, productivity and wellbeing.
2. WELFARE SUPPORT
Strong Attendance, Engaged Families and Removed Barriers to Learning are key parts to the welfare support we offer all of our pupils and communities as part of Laidlaw X.
The extent of what Laidlaw Schools Trust can offer is not something that most other schools have the resource to offer without such a generous financial backer as the Laidlaw Foundation.
3. EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES
Extraordinary experiences beyond the classroom allow students to apply their character skills in self-directed ways, adapt to various situations, and develop essential social and cultural competencies. Students broaden their horizons by venturing beyond traditional educational boundaries, and hidden talents are ignited whilst gaining a holistic understanding of the world.
Types of extraordinary experience have been categories into:
