Key Information
We operate a “small schools” model – one school made
up of a number of smaller learning communities, which
we call Colleges, each with their own staff and facilities.
Each College is led by its own Headteacher (who is an
Assistant Principal) and has its own team of
approximately 25 teachers and non-teachers, covering
most curriculum areas. Students join one of the Colleges
in Year 7 and remain there for five years before
transferring to College VI, our specialist post-16
provision. In addition, the Creative and Performing Arts
(CPA) College delivers specialist education to students
across the Collegiate in Art, Drama, Design Technology,
Media, Music and Physical Education whilst the MacKay
College co-ordinates inclusion services to students with
additional needs. Small teams, working with just 400
students each, allow us to provide even better pastoral care to all students, as well as engage with learners
and their families in more effective partnerships. They also provide teaching across the curriculum and
learning teams focusing on personalised approaches and best serving the needs of the individual students in
their care.
Information about The Collegiate Trust
Our Trust works in the Crawley and Croydon areas with a clear vision to deliver exceptional education for all.
Such an education achieves excellent outcomes in pupil progress and attainment, a rich creative, cultural
and physical learning experience, and great personal and social development for all pupils. We achieve this
by working with and developing strong teams of staff in each school, under the direction of the Principal of
the school and the Local Governing Body (LGB)
The Trust has grown out of Riddlesdown Collegiate, an outstanding (OFSTED, May 2016) secondary school
in Croydon with almost 2000 students and over 200 staff. Gossops Green, in Crawley, was the next school –
and the first primary – to join the Trust, followed by Waterfield Primary (also in Crawley) on 1st March 2018.
A second secondary, The Quest Academy (in Croydon), joined on 1st June 2018 and two further primaries,
Courtwood Primary and Gilbert Scott Primary (both in Croydon) joined on 1st September 2018. Most recently,
Kenley Primary joined on 1st September 2021.
Each school within the Trust is supported centrally by a designated Director of School Improvement on
teaching and learning issues, the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer & HR Manager on business
management and HR issues, and the CEO on wider leadership issues. This complements rather than replaces
in-school functions and allows the Principal and LGB to operate with a high level of autonomy in delivering
the highest standards in their school. The LGB works to a Scheme of Delegation approved by the Trust’s
Board of Directors.