Oakbank Secondary School
The Board of Trustees at Anthem Schools Trust have been carefully considering the future of Oakbank Secondary School in Wokingham and have concluded that it would be in the best interests of the pupils, parents, staff, and wider community for the school to transfer to a trust with links in the surrounding area. After long deliberations, it was agreed that the Greenshaw Learning Trust would be best placed to provide the school with the support it requires at a more local level.
The Greenshaw Learning Trust is a successful multi-academy trust of primary and secondary schools and is well-established locally, being responsible for six schools in Berkshire: Brakenhale School, John Madejski Academy, Park House School, Sandy Lane Primary School, Crown Wood Primary School and Wildmoor Heath School, as well as others across the South West and South East of England. In total, the Trust is made up of thirty-six schools.
Subject to the necessary agreements being reached between the school, Anthem Schools Trust, the Greenshaw Learning Trust, and the Department for Education, it is expected that Oakbank Secondary School should join the Greenshaw Learning Trust on either 1st July or 1st September 2025.
Why do it?
The Greenshaw Learning Trust has a strong track record of rapid school improvement and has the skills, experience and capacity to give Oakbank Secondary School the support it requires to ensure it can provide the best education to all its students so they are fully equipped to fulfil their academic and personal potential.
As part of the Greenshaw Learning Trust, Oakbank Secondary School will benefit from strong school-to-school collaboration as part of a community of schools that work closely together and support each other.
Joining a family of schools that share a strong moral purpose and work closely together to support each other will protect the provision and ethos at Oakbank Secondary School and improve opportunities for students and staff.
How will this affect Oakbank Secondary School?
As part of the Greenshaw Learning Trust, Oakbank Secondary School ethos and place at the heart of its local community will not change. It will continue to provide a broad and balanced curriculum to give local students of all abilities the best education possible.
The school’s admission arrangements will not change – the same students will come to the school as would have done otherwise. The school will continue to collaborate with other local schools – for example, to coordinate term dates, and with the local authority over provision for special educational needs and place planning.
The school will receive the same level of per-pupil funding and will continue to benefit from additional efficiencies and economies of scale available to larger multi-academy trusts. The land and buildings used by the school will continue to be used by the school and control of them will transfer to the Greenshaw Learning Trust on a long lease.
The Greenshaw Learning Trust will become the employer of the school’s staff – staff would transfer to the Trust under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) regulations, retaining current pay and conditions. Teachers will remain in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and support staff will remain in the Local Government Pension Scheme as they are now; the employers’ contributions will be maintained by the Greenshaw Learning Trust.
The Trust will offer development opportunities to staff and help Oakbank Secondary School recruit and retain good staff.
Information, views and comments
We are keen to hear your views and answer any questions you might have about the proposal that Oakbank Secondary School should join the Greenshaw Learning Trust.
Consultation meetings are being held on Tuesday 25th March at the following times:
- 15.30-16.15 – staff and union representatives.
- 16.30-17.15 – parents and carers.
You can also give your views or ask your questions:
- By completing the online response form here
- By email to oakbankconsultation@greenshawlearningtrust.co.uk
The consultation period will close on 18th April. Please let us have your views before 15:00 on this date.