River Learning Trust

We are made up of 28 primary and secondary schools in Oxfordshire and Swindon, as well as OTT, an Outstanding-rated school-centred initial teacher training provider, and Oxfordshire Teaching School Hub.

We were formed in 2015 and have since grown to be a mixture of sponsored and convertor academy schools, as well as two new free schools.

River Learning Trust is a community of children, young people and adults with shared principles. These core principles are:

• Commitment to Excellence; striving for the best through continuous improvement.
• Everyone Learning; creating and taking opportunities that enhance lives through evidence-based practice supporting adult and pupil learning.
• Respectful Relationships; acting with care, integrity, and fairness in all we do.

Our collective vision is to be a trust where our schools and SCITT improve rapidly, continuously and sustainably: to be ‘better faster together’. This means:

• Schools deliver all-round education, academic success, lifelong learning and strength of character
• Schools show sustainable, continuous improvement, with no school standing still
• Schools are inclusive by design and support all pupils to thrive
• Schools are good and outstanding, or improving rapidly
• Schools and staff collaborate to raise standards and reduce workload for colleagues

At the heart of everything River Learning Trust does is a recognition that schools are all about people and relationships.

The support we provide our schools is aimed at ensuring that the people working in them are well-trained, skilful, knowledgeable and motivated professionals committed to providing the best possible education for children and young people.

We also know that high performance in schools is supported by clear systems and processes – such as for behaviour, curriculum and assessment design, the use of tracking information, teaching and learning, and attendance. But we are clear that our schools can use systems and processes that fit their own contexts to reach the highest standards.

This means that our people-first approach, supported by clear processes, allows our schools to maintain healthy and positive cultures. We want our schools to be great places to learn and work so that all of our children, young people and staff can thrive.

More on how we work