Released: 20 February 2007
Rathbone Brothers Plc (Rathbones) is making a major contribution to local Merseyside schools via the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Four schools will benefit – the first being Croxteth Community Comprehensive which has just been successful in its bid for specialist status. Three further schools will be announced in due course as their specialist status is confirmed.
Commenting on Rathbones’ contribution Andy Pomfret, chief executive, said:
“We want to make a real commitment to Liverpool as part of Liverpool Capital of Culture 2008. Given our involvement with the charitable sector over many decades we feel it appropriate to help local schools achieve Specialist School Status. At a practical level we will work with schools with the provision of governors, placements, work experience and careers advice over the next four years.”
Richard Baker, head of Croxteth Community Comprehensive School, said that “Rathbones’ sponsorship of the school was a key part of our successful bid and we are positive about what both our new status and Rathbones’ continuing involvement will mean to the school and its pupils.”
Elizabeth Reid, chief executive of the Specialist Schools and
Academies Trust, said:
“We are delighted Rathbones, through the Rathbones Specialist
Schools Fund, will be helping a number of schools in Liverpool
achieve specialist status. Its generous £120,000
donation over the next four years will go a long way in offering
students a greater opportunity to realise their
potential.”
ENDS
| For further information contact:
Andy Pomfret, Chief Executive Andrew Morris, Director Notes for editors: Rathbone Brothers Plc is a leading provider of investment management and wealth management services for private clients and trustees. Its has historic roots in Liverpool and employs over 300 people in The Port of Liverpool Building which is on The Pier Head – a World Heritage site in Liverpool. Rathbones manages over £12 billion of funds, including nearly £2 billion managed by Rathbone Unit Trust Management. Rathbone Brothers Plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is a FTSE 250 company and has a market capitalisation of around £500 million. All figures as at 31 December 2006.www.rathbones.com Notes for editors - Specialist Schools and Academies Trust There are currently over 2,600 specialist schools and 46 open academies, 85% of all maintained schools in England. They are specialising in teaching the arts, business & enterprise, engineering, the humanities, languages, mathematics & computing, music, science, sports, vocational subjects, and technology. The Government’s aim is that by 2010 all schools will be specialist or academies.The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is the lead body for the specialist schools and academies programmes and supports networks of schools focused on raising attainment and educational innovation. The Trust seeks to give more young people access to a good secondary education by facilitating the sharing of best practice in schools. It operates on the principle of ‘by schools for schools’ and is at the heart of a growing affiliated network of over 3,000 schools including primary, secondary, special schools, academies and international schools. It works to give practical support to the transformation of
secondary education in England by building and enabling a
world-class network of innovative, high performing secondary
schools in partnership with business and the wider community. The
Trust represents possibly the largest network of its kind in the
world and is an independent, not-for-profit organisation funded
through a combination of fees and charges, business sponsorship and
government grant. |