Student Login

Academy Conversion

Current Update – August 2026

Tarporley Church of England Primary School has made the decision to convert to academy status and join Chester Diocesan Academies Trust (CDAT) following a consultation with parents, carers, staff and the wider school community.

Our original planned conversion date was 1 November 2025. However, the conversion has been delayed because of an ongoing issue relating to the ownership of a small part of the school building and associated land arrangements.

We are continuing to work with the relevant parties to resolve this matter. We remain committed to joining Chester Diocesan Academies Trust and hope that the conversion will take place during the 2026–27 academic year, once the land issue has been resolved and all necessary conversion arrangements have been completed.

We will keep parents, carers and the wider school community informed as the situation develops and will provide further information when a confirmed conversion date is available.

In the meantime, Tarporley CE Primary School remains a maintained Church of England school within Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Our Decision to Convert

The governors and school leaders at Tarporley CE Primary School undertook extensive research and consideration of the academy trust options available to us as a Church of England school.

As part of this process, governors and school leaders met with representatives from Chester Diocesan Academies Trust, spoke with schools already within CDAT and considered the experiences of other local schools and academy trusts.

Following this work and the consultation process, the governing body decided that joining Chester Diocesan Academies Trust would be the best option for the future of our school.

We believe that becoming part of CDAT will provide opportunities for collaboration, support and professional development, while enabling us to continue to develop our school's distinctive Christian vision, values and identity.

Our school will continue to place children at the heart of everything we do and remain committed to providing an excellent education for every child.

Benefits of Academy Status

Joining a multi-academy trust can provide schools with opportunities to work collaboratively and benefit from shared expertise, resources and support.

For Tarporley CE Primary School, we believe that joining CDAT will provide opportunities for:

• Collaboration and support – working alongside other schools and sharing expertise, resources and effective practice.

• Professional development – opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge, skills and leadership.

• Shared resources and services – access to specialist support and central services.

• Financial sustainability – opportunities to benefit from shared resources and economies of scale.

• Innovation and development – working collaboratively to develop high-quality approaches to teaching, learning and school improvement.

• A shared Christian ethos – working within a trust whose vision and values align closely with those of our Church of England school.

• Opportunities for our children – working with other schools to provide enriching experiences and opportunities for pupils.

We believe that joining CDAT will strengthen our school while allowing us to retain the distinctive character, vision and values that make Tarporley CE Primary School special.

About Chester Diocesan Academies Trust

Chester Diocesan Academies Trust (CDAT) was established by the Chester Diocesan Board of Education in 2014.

CDAT's vision is to build thriving learning communities that provide everyone with the opportunity to achieve the very best with their gifts and abilities.

CDAT is a fully inclusive trust. Its vision and ethos are rooted in Christian values, while welcoming people of all faiths and none. The Trust seeks to ensure that its schools remain places where every child can flourish and develop their knowledge, skills, understanding and wisdom.

Children are at the heart of CDAT. The Trust seeks to provide outstanding learning opportunities and opportunities for children to develop their talents, pursue their ambitions, build friendships, help others and become confident and well-rounded individuals.

CDAT's vision is rooted in the words of Jesus:

“I have come in order that you might have life, life in all its fullness.”
John 10:10

Further information about Chester Diocesan Academies Trust can be found on the CDAT website.

Our Consultation

The information below relates to the consultation undertaken before the governing body made the decision to proceed with academy conversion.

The consultation took place in 2024 and provided parents, carers, staff and the wider school community with an opportunity to learn more about academy status, find out about Chester Diocesan Academies Trust and share their views.

The consultation has now closed and the governing body has made its decision to proceed with academy conversion.

The documents below are retained for reference and provide further information about the consultation and the decision-making process.

Consultation Documents

• The original consultation documents are available below for reference.

What Happens Next?

The formal academy conversion process is continuing.

The original planned conversion date of 1 November 2025 has been delayed while an issue concerning the ownership of a small part of the school building and associated land arrangements is resolved.

We are continuing to work towards resolving this issue and progressing the remaining conversion arrangements. We hope that Tarporley CE Primary School will complete its conversion and join Chester Diocesan Academies Trust during the 2026–27 academic year.

A confirmed conversion date will be shared with parents, carers, staff and the wider school community once this is available.

Our priority throughout this process remains ensuring that the best interests of our children, families and staff are at the heart of every decision. We are grateful for the continued support and understanding of our school community while this process is completed.

Keeping You Updated

We will continue to provide updates through the school website and our usual communication channels as the conversion progresses.

If you have any questions about the academy conversion process, please contact the school office:

Telephone: 01829 708188
Email: admin@tarporleyce.cheshire.sch.uk