Rawtenstall school in link with top private college (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rawtenstall school in link with top private college

11:00am Saturday 6th February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

A ROSSENDALE school is bridging the gap between state and private schools as part of a groundbreaking initiative.

Staff and pupils at Alder Grange Community and Technology School, in Rawtenstall, will be working with Ampleforth College, the largest private Catholic co-educational boarding school in the UK, to build stronger links between the two types of school.

Alder Grange was selected after their forward-thinking head-teacher Iain Hulland was named in the top 50 Most Influential Heads in the UK last year.

The school is taking part in 100 Group, which has been developed by the country’s top education boss Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Schools, Children and Families, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Mr Hulland and the school’s head hoy and girl visited the 2012 Olympic site as part of the launch event where they took part in activities with independent and state schools across the country.

The 100 Group contains the country’s top 50 independent schools, including Eton, Harrow, Winchester and Rugby, and the 50 most influential state schools.

Mr Hulland, who joined the Rawtenstall school 20 years ago and became head in 2004, bagging the national Headteacher of the Year award within months of his appointment, said: “Despite our differences, I believe we will be able to enrich the opportunities and experiences of Alder Grange pupils throughout our school and Sixth Form. We will be able to learn from them and they will be able to learn from us.”

Ex-Ampleforth pupils include rugby star Lawrence Dallaglio, the actor Rupert Everett and Basil, Cardinal Hume, former Archbishop of Westminster.