An Oldham school will join a multi-academy trust in a move the current trust said is 'in the best interest of the children'.

Waterhead Academy are set to join E-ACT trust after the education group was approved as the school's new sponsor by the Department for Education early this summer, with the trust expected to take over the academy in January 2025. 

The school is currently under South Pennine Academies and the teams from both organisations say they are working together closely to 'ensure a smooth transfer for students and staff'.

E-ACT opened their first academy, The Oldham Academy North, in Oldham in 2010 and was joined by Royton and Crompton in 2018.

E-ACT say its team has already begun offering support to the leaders and staff at Waterhead Academy as they prepare to join the trust and said they are also working closely with Oldham Council.

Waterhead Academy was rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted in 2022, with its latest visit by the watchdog in 2023 stating it had made some progress though must make further improvements.

Tom Campbell, CEO at E-ACT, said: “Waterhead Academy joining the E-ACT family is fantastic news and we are all very much looking forward to welcoming staff, students and parents early next year.

"The E-ACT team is incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in Oldham with our two existing academies in the town and we are confident we can achieve outstanding results for Waterhead Academy as well.

“Having been involved in delivering education in Oldham for 14 years, we fully understand the community and are committed to supporting it and giving Oldham’s young people every opportunity to succeed.

"Our aims at E-ACT are best summed up by our ‘Opening Minds, Opening Doors’ philosophy. We are excited to be bringing that to the Waterhead Academy community in the coming months.”

Lord Jim Knight, chair of the board of trustees at E-ACT, added: “This latest vote of confidence in E-ACT from the Department of Education is further evidence of the great work that E-ACT leaders are doing to deliver the very best education for communities across England.

"The people of Oldham have already seen first hand what a positive impact an E-ACT academy can have on a community and its young people.

"It’s great news that another Oldham academy is joining the family.”

Alison Black, interim CEO at South Pennine Academies, said: “The transfer is in the best interests of the children and young people who attend Waterhead Academy now and in the future.

"Thanks to the hard work of teachers and staff, the school has made significant progress in the last year, and Ofsted has recognised the hard work that has put the building blocks for success in place.

“The move will enable Waterhead Academy to continue to improve in a sustainable and well-supported way under the leadership of a well-established trust.

“South Pennine Academies is pushing forward with growth and development across the Trust by working with the DfE and wider partners to build on the success of our primary schools in Oldham and schools across the region.

"We’re driving sustainable educational improvement that positively impacts the communities we serve.”