Prime Highlights-
- Trust membership to bring expertise, resources and a proven record of strong school outcomes.
- Partnership aims to strengthen teaching, broaden opportunities and boost education across North Dorset.
Key Facts-
- 510-year-old Gillingham School joins United Learning trust from September 1.
- School posts its best GCSE results in five years alongside outstanding A Level outcomes.
Background-
Gillingham School will join the United Learning trust from September 1, entering what it has called an exciting new chapter. The 510-year-old school becomes part of the trust, which currently runs a range of independent schools.
A Gillingham School spokesperson said the school is joining from a position of strength, pointing to outstanding A Level and GCSE results this summer, including its best GCSE outcomes in five years.
The spokesperson credited the achievement to the hard work and resilience of students and the dedication of staff, adding that the school remains committed to building on these results while offering every student the best possible educational experience.
The spokesperson said the trust would bring significant benefits, including wide expertise, high-quality resources, and a proven record of helping schools achieve strong outcomes.
They said the partnership would help enrich the curriculum, strengthen teaching, and broaden opportunities available to students both inside and outside the classroom. Working alongside other schools in the trust would allow staff to share best practice and develop new approaches to education, they added.
While welcoming the change, the school said it remains proud of its heritage and its role in the local community, and that joining the trust would let it preserve what makes it special while combining centuries of tradition with new expertise and opportunities.
The spokesperson said the move represents an investment in the future of education across North Dorset and would help Gillingham School continue to play a leading role in local life.
