Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust

After 20 years as Headteacher of Richard Taylor School, Andrew Symonds will be retiring at the end of the summer term.

To mark the occasion, and alongside friend and colleague Emma Crisell, they are going to walk from Bradley near Skipton all the way to Richard Taylor School in Bilton. This is a distance of 24 miles and in doing so they will be raising funds to complete a very special project: the Richard Taylor School Peace Garden - a calm and reflective space for pupils.

Setting out on Saturday 6th June and continuing on Sunday 7th June, this challenge will take them from Skipton to Harrogate through some of our region’s most scenic routes.

Colleagues, families and friends are encouraged to support them by joining them for a short stretch, cheering them on and donating.

We will bring more as the walk takes place and in the meantime, donations are much appreciated.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andrew-symonds-1

The route👇

Day 1

Set off at 8am.
Break in Addingham at 10:30am
11am start from Addingham (St Peters Church) to Ilkley, Old Bridge Nursery for 1pm.
Start for Swinsty Reservoir finish line

Day 2

Set off at 9am.

Further timings still to come - as the team finalises the route.

Our Trust is pleased to announce that following approval from the Diocese of Leeds and the Department for Education, Gargrave Church of England primary formally joined our Trust today - making us a Trust of twelve schools.

This marks an exciting milestone for both the school and our Trust, strengthening our commitment to supporting high-quality education in Craven.

Gargrave will join Skipton Parish and Embsay Church of England Primary schools, enhancing collaboration, shared expertise, and sustainable school improvement across the locality.

Through our locality-based model, Gargrave will benefit from:

💡specialist support in school improvement, SEND, safeguarding and leadership
💡shared central services (including finance, HR, estates and compliance)
💡strengthened workforce resilience through collaboration
💡enhanced professional development and career opportunities

As a Church of England school, Gargrave will continue to celebrate its Christian distinctiveness as part of our diverse family of church and community schools.

It will retain its name, identity, and proud place in the community, while benefiting from being a part of a wider family committed to continuous improvement and shared success.

We are incredibly proud to see all of our schools embracing our Trust goal of ambition for our students, staff, communities and Trust through their commitment to combatting climate change.

It’s inspiring to see pupils and staff leading meaningful change, championing sustainability, and showing real determination to make a difference for the future.

A huge well done to St Peter’s for representing our Trust on a national stage - a fantastic achievement that reflects the passion, dedication, and ambition we are seeing across all our schools.

Together, we are proving that ambition is not only about achievement in the classroom, but also about creating a better world for the next generation. 🌍💚

Representatives from the school spoke at a major Westminster policy conference.

🚴‍♀️ Big news for North Yorkshire schools!

Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust has secured over £50,000 from the Mayor’s Active Travel Fund to launch CATCH (Causeway Active Travel Community Hub) - an exciting new initiative connecting 23 schools.

This project directly supports our strategic ambitions for our staff, students, Trust, and the wider community - creating opportunities for healthier lifestyles, stronger connections, and sustainable travel for all.

What’s coming? 👇

🚲 Bike libraries for easy access to bicycles
🔧 Free “Dr Bike” repair & maintenance days
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Community cycling lessons
🚴 Balance bikes for younger pupils
🚌 Bike Bus marshal training for group rides to school
🛠️ Bike mechanic training for Key Stage 2 pupils

Building on successful pilots led by Oatlands Infant School, CATCH will break down barriers to physical activity and help embed lifelong healthy habits across our communities.

These pilots were developed through valuable partnerships with

💬 “We anticipate seeing hundreds of new cyclists across North Yorkshire… we can’t wait to see families and communities get involved,”

said Christopher Harrison, Oatlands Infant School’s Headteacher and CATCH Project Lead.

We are grateful to Christopher for his continued leadership and dedication in driving this work forward - his commitment has been instrumental in making this vision a reality.

With strong foundations and new investment, this marks a major step toward active, connected, and thriving communities across North Yorkshire.

With some exams already underway, this week marks the beginning of a busy assessment period across our Trust, including SATs and formal examinations.

We send each and every student our very best wishes.

We remind our students that these results are just one part of the journey - they do not define who they are or all that they can achieve.

We are, as always, grateful to our dedicated staff across our Trust who will be with them every step of the way, supporting and encouraging throughout.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate all of our Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust finalists in the Your Harrogate Local Hero Awards. Each of whom represent the very best of our community, and we were delighted to see so many contributions recognised across so many inspiring categories.

The dedication, character, and commitment to making a difference truly reflect the values we hold as a Trust. In particular ambition - one of our key strategic goals - this shines through in all.

A special congratulations to our outstanding winners:

Mark Bryant from St. Aidan’s – Volunteer of the Year

Sophia Gardiner from North Rigton – Teacher of the Year

Oatlands Infant School – Active School Award

Eva B from Pannal Primary School – Child of Courage Award

All have done themselves and our entire Trust community proud. We celebrate their achievements and thank them for the inspiration they bring to others every day!

Huge thanks to for the opportunity to celebrate these important achievements.⭐️

🎉 A very warm welcome to Embsay Church of England Primary School 🎉

We are delighted to celebrate Embsay Church of England Primary School joining Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust as our 11th school.

This exciting milestone marks the start of a new chapter for Embsay, strengthening our permanent presence in the village and deepening our connection with the local community. Together, we will build on Embsay’s strong values, shared ambition and long‑established place at the heart of its community.

📸 Pictured here on a lovely sunny morning to mark the occasion are Headteacher Charlotte Million‑Hicks, Chair of Governors Chris Atherton, Trust Chief Operating Officer Justin Waters and Trust HR Lead Cheryl Lehan.

By joining the Trust, Embsay pupils will benefit from enriched opportunities, shared expertise and specialist support, while the school retains its strong local identity. Our partnership will support staff to grow, enable children to flourish, and ensure long‑term sustainability for the whole school community.

We look forward to working closely with Embsay’s staff, pupils and families as we continue our shared vision of excellence in education.

🌱 Welcome to Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, Embsay CE Primary School.