South Wirral High School is delighted to confirm that, as of today, 1st April 2025, we have formally joined The Challenge Academy Trust (TCAT). This is a significant and exciting milestone for the school, following over two years of close collaboration and a comprehensive consultation process with students, parents, staff, and the wider community.
The move to become an academy and join TCAT reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest standards of education and care for every student. Throughout this process, our priority has always been to make decisions in the best interests of our young people, ensuring they have access to excellent teaching, wider opportunities, and the support they need to succeed.
South Wirral High School has developed strong and positive working relationships with TCAT, collaborating on a range of school improvement initiatives and sharing best practice. This partnership has already had a tangible impact on the school’s development, and formalising our membership of the Trust is the next step in strengthening those links and opening up further opportunities for our students, staff, and the wider community.
The school’s mission statement — “Raising aspirations in partnership with families and the community” — aligns perfectly with TCAT’s own mission “to serve, challenge and empower the educational community,” as both place collaboration, community, and the success of every young person at the heart of their work. We believe that by working alongside a family of like-minded schools within the Trust, we will be even better placed to deliver on this mission and to live out our core values of Kindness, Respect, Determination, Independence, and Ambition
At South Wirral High School, we are passionate about ensuring that every student has the opportunity to belong, be inspired, thrive, and succeed. Joining The Challenge Academy Trust will provide additional resources, expertise, and opportunities for collaboration, helping us to build on the strengths and successes of our school, while supporting our continuous improvement journey.
Headteacher, Mike Cloherty said:
“We are incredibly proud to become an official member of The Challenge Academy Trust. This marks the start of a new and exciting chapter for South Wirral High School, but one that builds upon the strong foundations we have already established over many years. Our mission to raise aspirations in partnership with families and the community remains central to everything we do, and this partnership with TCAT will enable us to deliver even more for our students, staff, and the local community. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the consultation process and supported us on this journey. We look forward to a bright future working together as part of The Challenge Academy Trust.”
TCAT Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Moorcroft said:
“We are thrilled to welcome South Wirral High School into the TCAT family of schools. South Wirral is a successful school with a rich history and it provides a high-quality education to the children and young people of the local community. We look forward to working closely with the school, supporting its leaders and building on its achievements to ensure even greater success in the years ahead.”
South Wirral High School remains proud to serve the local community, maintaining its distinctive identity, inclusive ethos, and commitment to nurturing every student to reach their full potential. As part of The Challenge Academy Trust, we will continue to provide a high-quality, ambitious, and supportive education, ensuring our students are well-prepared for success in learning and in life.
The Challenge Academy Trust is committed to improving outcomes for young people from nursery through to post-16 education. Our mission is to serve, challenge, and empower the educational community. We enact our mission by providing a highly effective service to our academies, supporting strong leadership, investing in the workforce, and inspiring our children and young people.