A Bury school is "excited for the next chapter" after joining a multi-academy trust. 

St Stephen's CE Primary School officially joined Sycamore Church of England Trust on December 1.

The school says becoming an academy is an exciting development and it aims to work with the trust to help all children and adults achieve their best.

As part of the Sycamore Trust, St Stephen’s will "benefit from enhanced collaboration, resources, and support, which will provide an even better educational experience for the children".

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The former local authority-run school held a previous Ofsted rating of "good" before being judged as "requires improvement" following an inspection in 2018. 

The trust says the  partnership will bring a wealth of opportunities for the school community, ensuring that all continue to strive for excellence in teaching and learning.

Bury Times: St Stephen's CE Primary School on Colville DriveSt Stephen's CE Primary School on Colville Drive

Acting headteacher Sally Denney said the school is "very excited for this next chapter and what it will mean for our children and the families we serve".

She said: "We have worked collaboratively to design an excellent curriculum which is distinctive to our school community and created learning environments where our children are deeply cared for, inspired, challenged, and develop a deep, life-long love of learning.

"The staff team have embraced this next chapter with positivity and hope.

"We look forward to building strong relationships, fostering a positive learning environment, and achieving great success together."

Bury Times: St Stephen's CE Primary School's core values of inclusion, resilience, compassion, aspiration and excellenceSt Stephen's CE Primary School's core values of inclusion, resilience, compassion, aspiration and excellence

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Trust leader Ian Young said "We are an inclusive and distinctive trust where everything begins and ends with the children.

"We want to ensure that we have a profound impact on the lives of our children so that they have choices and options which will enable them to flourish as they go through life.

"Quite simply, we put children first in all that we do.

"We will continue to provide a high-quality education that empowers pupils to reach their full potential and prepares them for their future endeavours.

"We believe that a strong partnership between the school, parents, and the wider community is crucial for the success of our pupils."