Back
INSPIRING ASPIRATION AND DRIVE IN ALL STUDENTS
Inspiring students from all backgrounds to build their personal confidence, find their voice, and aspire to great success in their chosen fields. This will be enabled through access to both outstanding education and best of class co-curricular activities including performing arts, sports programmes, debating and entrepreneurship.
Who we are
The Law Family Educational Trust (LFET) is a Charitable Trust established to support the Laurus Trust, a Multi Academy Trust (MAT), headquartered in Cheadle Hulme, near Manchester. The MAT encompasses 14 schools in the 4-18 age range in primary, secondary and sixth-form contexts across Greater Manchester.
LFET is a Member of the Laurus Trust, and appoints the Chair and up to half of the trustees.
Our aim is to help raise all-round educational attainment levels and eventually serve as a template for state school co-curricular activities nationwide. The approach is rooted in our belief that personal development and aspiration are promoted by participation in a whole range of activities, not just academic ones.
Academic success alone is typically not sufficient for students to realise their aspirations. Broader character development is necessary if students are to access the best universities and careers and subsequently make the most of their opportunities. Every student should learn how to speak effectively and with confidence. By developing activities for which students have a particular propensity or interest they will become better motivated, more respected by their peers, more fully engaged in education, more likely to recognise their potential and more able to make a difference in the world.
A core belief of LFET is that it is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. Failure at any point in time, in any discipline, should be recognised merely as a set-back, an opportunity for betterment and a spring board to future improvement and success.
LFET is wholly funded by the LAW FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.
The Laurus Trust
The Law Family Educational Trust (LFET) is a Charitable Trust established to sponsor the Laurus Trust, a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) with Cheadle Hulme High School (CHHS), the founder school, at its centre.
CHHS is a hugely oversubscribed school renowned for exceptional outcomes through the relentless pursuit of excellence and a determination that every child succeeds.
It is a Teaching School and was judged Outstanding in every category by Ofsted in 2011 and 2015. In the 2019 Progress 8 Headline Measure CHHS came in the top 3% of schools nationally and was named Secondary School of the Year 2018 at the Greater Manchester Schools Awards. It was ranked first in the Top comprehensive schools in the northwest in the 2022 Sunday Times Parent Power report. In 2016, the high-performing Gorsey Bank Primary School joined the Trust, followed in 2019 by Hazel Grove High School.
The Trust has opened five brand new free schools in Greater Manchester, and is scheduled to open the first primary school in central Manchester in over 20 years in September 2024.
The new Laurus Trust offices
Research
LFET commissioned research projects by the Education Policy Institute:
Access to extra-curricular provision and the association with outcomes
This report examines which students are accessing extra-curricular activities during secondary school and the longer-term outcomes of students who do participate.
An evidence review into the length of the school day
This evidence review explores in further detail how much time pupils typically spend in school in England and what the potential impacts of increasing this amount of time could be, particularly with respect to attainment.
Enrichment Through Special Activities
The LFET will support higher levels of student betterment across all ability levels through a wide range of special activities including performing arts, competitive sports, debating, entrepreneurship and Young Enterprise Schemes.
Co-curricular activities, in addition to regular sport and exercise, and a sense of competitive spirit will increase personal well-being, health and concentration levels. Collectively they will promote team building skills, leadership, and a passion to perform beyond one’s own expectations in all disciplines.
Recognising that one of the biggest factors in classroom experience and outcomes is the professional knowledge and skill of the teacher, LFET will also offer a Masters Programme for teachers to support ongoing professional development.
Educational Services
Supporting a Longer School Day
Typically, most State schools have 25 lessons per week, the Laurus Secondary schools have introduced 28 lessons, plus co-curricular activities.
During term time we have a large number of students still in school until between 4.30/5.00pm and often beyond. Those students involved in one of the many shows/concerts/sporting fixtures can add 8/10 hours to the school week.
In addition to our co- curricular offer, additional targeted teaching takes place for an hour or more after school each day in various year groups.
In the run up to the exam season we also run breakfast revision sessions which can start as early as 7.30am and the after school ‘power hour’ again for targeted students.
Many of the Sixth Form students will also have additional hours of curriculum dedicated to preparing them for University admissions tests. CHHS Sixth Form is open until 6.00pm every day and regularly has students and staff there until the building closes.
Professional Learning for staff, such as Masters and DFE NPQ programmes, also takes place after school.
Electives
‘Discover new talents and interests, develop existing ones’
During years 7 - 9 students chose a minimum of two electives per week as part of the co-curricular offer within each of the new schools. In years 10 – 11 a minimum of one elective will be selected.
These electives are compulsory, although students have a choice over the subjects they select. All electives are categorised under our four cornerstones. Electives take place at the end of the school day and last for one hour.
Apertura – Years 10-12
Apertura is a three-year academic enhancement programme designed to encourage to expose high achieving students to academic enquiry, dialogue and independent research in preparation for applications to competitive universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
Apertura is a school-based Tripos system comprising lectures, supervisions and research opportunities which mirrors the three years of a traditional undergraduate Oxbridge college community.
At least 12 hours a week in addition to the standard school day will be spent on the delivery of Apertura sessions. Students on the Apertura programme will experience at least 105 hours of additional super-curricular exposure during years 10-12.
Schools We Support
Thank you for visiting
To learn more about our work please contact:
The Laurus Trust
Woods Lane, Cheadle
Cheshire, SK8 7JY
Telephone. 0161 485 7201
Fax. 0161 486 6031
Email. enquiries@laurustrust.co.uk
www.laurustrust.co.uk