Telford primary school joins Shrewsbury-based multi-academy trust
A Telford primary school has joined a Shrewsbury-based multi-academy trust.
Short Wood Primary School in Wellington officially joined the Severn Bridges Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) on Monday (March 2).
The trust is now responsible for six schools.
Established as a three-school trust in 2017, Severn Bridges grew in 2024 when Sundorne Infant School and Nursery and Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury joined.
The trust said the schools have been working successfully together for some time in preparation for Short Wood’s academisation, with staff enjoying collaborative working and children being invited to take part in academy-wide events and competitions.
It said Short Wood Primary School prides itself on encouraging children to reach their fullest potential, celebrating the diverse nature of the community it serves.
It has an onsite nursery and the school is equipped with an impressive range of indoor and outdoor facilities to support children’s learning.
In its last Ofsted inspection last year, Short Wood was recognised as "a big school with a big heart".
Severn Bridges CEO Andrew Morris said he knew immediately that Short Wood fitted perfectly with the culture and ethos of its existing schools.
He said: “As soon as you step into the grounds of Short Wood, it’s obvious that the school has something special about it. There is a buzz about the place where a sense of belonging and pride are plain to see. The positive approaches to teaching and learning give children a sense of being grounded and a feeling of support, and you can see this on the faces of the children and the staff.”
Short Wood headteacher Gail Butele said the school had been looking forward to becoming part of the Shrewsbury-based trust.
She said: “When we first starting talking to the team at Severn Bridges, we had a good feeling that joining a successful school trust would be a very positive step for our school. We have achieved a great deal and I’m immensely proud of the children and our staff team. We strongly believe that having the backing and support of a successful MAT behind us can only strengthen this, and we’re excited to be joining Severn Bridges.”
Short Wood Primary School is the first school outside Shrewsbury to join the trust.
Deputy CEO Steph Peters, who has worked closely with Short Wood for a number of years, said: “It’s exciting to have a non-Shrewsbury-based school in our trust. Short Wood is aligned to our schools in so many ways. Geographically they may be in a different town, but its location makes it incredibly easy for our staff and children to get to the school, and we already know that this partnership is going to work very well.”
