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Investing in Potential
Strategic Plan 2022 - 2027
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Our purpose “To educate in learning forever”
In accordance with the will of our founder, John Harrison, our purpose is to teach, to educate and to instruct in learning forever.
For more than 400 years, Merchant Taylors’ School has nurtured and inspired local children from a wide range of backgrounds so that they, with the support of their teachers, might develop as individuals and become positive members of the community. We will continue to uphold this legacy but set it within a modern framework.
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Our mission “ Firmly based on 400 years of tradition, our mission is to provide a forward-thinking, inspiring and fulfilling education which prepares every pupil in the Merchant Taylors’ family for life in an ever-changing world.”
As proud custodians of a school with such rich heritage, we acknowledge the debt we owe to the past but look to the future and seek to be progressive in all we do.
We provide the roadmap upon which Merchant Taylors’ people, both pupils and staff, can journey for the rest of their lives.
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Our values Ambition | Character | Excellence
Ambition We want pupils at Merchant Taylors’ School to become the best version of themselves by developing existing talents and discovering new ones. We live in a world which demands flexibility, creativity, resilience and critical thought and we want them to step into it with confidence, ready to shape the future and be open to a lifetime of new experiences. We offer an educational experience which is powered by enthusiastic and engaged pupils who are guided by talented and dedicated teachers whose aim is to identify and unleash each child’s unique gifts. Character We are a community which believes in mutual support and cooperation based on the Christian principles of compassion, respect and integrity. We believe that children flourish in a kind and caring environment where they feel safe and well supported so that they emerge as confident, kind and thoughtful individuals. We believe that the way we act and behave is more important than what we achieve.
Excellence Quality is part of our school’s DNA. At Merchant Taylors’ School we strive for excellence in every aspect of school life by challenging pupils and staff to aim high and seize the opportunities on offer. We strive for academic excellence but also believe in the development of the whole person, whether they excel in sport, music, drama, the creative arts, CCF or in service to others.
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Who we are
We are Merchant Taylors’ School, an independent school which has endured as one of the finest schools in the North of England for more than 400 years. A continuing commitment to academic excellence fuelled by the extraordinary vision of our founder John Harrison. He believed in a commitment to the quality provision of teaching, education and learning. We combine this with a passionate focus on nurturing the whole person that every child has the potential to become.
Stanfield Preparatory School, Merchant Taylors’ (Reception – Year 6) Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School (Year 7-11) Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School (Year 7-11) Merchant Taylors’ Sixth Form (Year 12 & 13)
We offer high quality teaching, providing a unique experience in the classroom which successfully prepares our pupils to pursue their academic ambitions and enjoy successful careers. The curriculum is delivered by a highly qualified, experienced, and dedicated teaching staff, who create a supportive working environment whereby pupils are motivated to learn. With class sizes much lower than the national average we are able to offer more personalised tuition and learning. These features hold true to this day through our values of ambition, character and excellence Powered by our unique purpose and values, we are committed to providing an outstanding and highly-enriched education to pupils from the surrounding area across the Merchant Taylors’ School family.
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Why we exist
Our school was founded more than 400 years ago through the extraordinary vision and ideals of John Harrison, a citizen and Merchant Taylor of London, who bequeathed a sum of money for the foundation of a “school for teaching, educating and instructing children and youth in the grammar and rules of learning for ever”. The Merchant Taylors’ Company dates back to 1327 and is one of the twelve great City Livery Companies. It began as a social and religious fraternity of tailors and linen armourers and was originally an association of citizens controlling the craft of tailoring. Over the years, members’ interests have spread into both commerce and philanthropy. It is a flourishing community dedicated to fraternity, education and philanthropy.
Members connect in friendship and mutual support, as they have for centuries. Through volunteering, raising funds, offering their time to governance or trustee roles through to supporting City-wide initiatives, the company helps grassroots charities, local organisations and schools across the UK to create lasting transformative change. At Merchant Taylors’ School, everything begins with our original purpose - to educate in learning forever. We believe that by giving children every chance to broaden their horizons and harness their ambition, we can better honour our commitment to support them in taking their first steps to a successful, happy life. We are proud of our long history in delivering this purpose on behalf of our pupils and we are excited for the next 400 years.
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Our strategy
Throughout our history, we have continued to differentiate and reinvent ourselves. Bold ambitious plans, with strong links to our purpose, mission and values have been hallmarks of our success. Generations of leaders have delivered bold, thoughtful plans to continue this legacy and ensure the school is well placed for future opportunities. The world is changing faster than ever before - socially, politically and economically - and we need to change just as fast to secure the future of Merchant Taylors’ School for decades to come. Our strategy anticipates the changes we believe lie ahead and the steps we must take together to make sure we hand over a thriving school to future generations of staff and pupils. The next five years will rely on the plans we make now.
These are based on six strategic themes.
1. A school that cares 2. A school that fosters a passion for learning and focuses on excellence
3. A school renowned for its cocurricular provision
4. A school renowned for its extraordinary staff
5. A school that is forward-thinking and adaptable
6. A school that is at the heart of the community
Underpinning these strategic themes are four core principles - our charitable objectives, financial sustainability, environmental sustainability and equality, diversity and inclusion. These outcomes are all designed to work effectively in a learning culture which enables us to challenge ourselves to ensure our school remains as vital and relevant in today’s competitive conditions, as it did when it was first founded.
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How we work
We are proud that our school has become one of the finest in the North of England, with 1,300 pupils and 250 members of staff. We all share a common commitment to go above and beyond to provide a quality provision of teaching, education and learning. It is our model of learning which continues to set our family of schools apart. Everything we do is driven by our desire to nurture the whole person that every child has the potential to become. It takes a special person to be a member of staff within the Merchant Taylors’ School family. Someone who understands the balance needed between sharing the rewards of being part of Merchant Taylors’ School and the responsibilities that go with that. Our teachers are inspirational; passionate about their subjects and the care they show, they simply want to light the fires of learning within their pupils.
Our curriculum is deep, broad and relevant to the 21st Century. Our children are being prepared for jobs which will be different from jobs as they stand at the moment and where the skills required for these will be different from now. We factor in adaptability, creativity, automation and critical thinking skills whilst remaining alert to the need to adapt and change. The values at Merchant Taylors’ School guide our staff and pupils to help honour their commitment to each other, our purpose and the community in which we live and work. They also guide our commitment to unlocking the potential of everyone, whatever they do and in whichever part of the school they work.
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What we do We strive to provide a forward thinking, inspiring and fulfilling education which prepares everyone in the Merchant Taylors’ family for life in an ever-changing world. This commitment is driven by our purpose, our values and set out within our six strategic themes.
1. A school that cares The foundation of any school is strong pastoral care and this will be a key focus across Merchant Taylors’ School. Whenever a parent entrusts their child to us, they must know with confidence that their son or daughter will be cared for and nurtured at every step. Merchant Taylors’ will work to provide varied, innovative and helpful pastoral care to all of its pupils. This will include increased support for mental health, well-resourced medical provision and a renewed commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. It is also our ambition to further enhance the allthrough experience for pupils during their Merchant Taylors’ journey.
2. A school that fosters a passion for learning and focuses on excellence Merchant Taylors’ will be known as a Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning, offering a high-quality environment for curricular and cocurricular programmes, preparing pupils well for the changing world of education and work. We will ensure every pupil strives for excellence and reaches their potential in every aspect of their education, receiving the highest quality teaching and developing a lifelong love of learning. We will provide a bespoke curriculum reflecting the quality and aspirations of our pupils. This will include a review our Sixth Form provision to ensure it is offers the very best further education experience to girls and boys.
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3. A school renowned for its co-curricular provision Merchant Taylors’ offers an outstanding range of opportunities for pupils outside the classroom. We will further develop this provision across sport, music and performing arts and our performance will be gauged not only by regional and national success but moreover by the number of pupils immersing themselves in these activities. Maintaining the reputation of our Combined Cadet Force as one of the finest in the country will continue to be a priority, alongside efforts to further strengthen our outdoor pursuits programme.
4. A school renowned for its extraordinary staff Our ambitions and achievements at Merchant Taylors’ are underpinned by the recruitment and retention of extraordinary staff who are committed to excellence in teaching standards and ignite a passion for learning in our pupils. We will strengthen our staff career frameworks to develop dynamic and flexible pathways through a programme for succession planning. We will also enhance our staff development offer, building a leadership programme and continuing to reinforce the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. This will include an innovative pedagogical practice and teacher efficacy that draws on current research, educational partnerships and industry connections.
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5. A school that is forward-thinking and adaptable Our ambition is to enhance our school estate and facilities, to strengthen how we use our resources, and to develop our financial sustainability in support of growth, investment and the objects of the Bursary fund. We will have buildings which speak not only to our past, but also to our future and which match our ambitions in the continued pursuit of excellence. We will adapt to the rapidly changing educational landscape, particularly in respect of technology. We will also ensure we are at the forefront of educational best practice, both now and in the future.
6. A school that is at the heart of the community Merchant Taylors’ is a proud and active member of the local community and we want to offer even more opportunities for local children and adults to engage with our school in a variety of ways. We will work with fellow local organisations to provide benefits to those that live near to the school or in disadvantaged communities across the Liverpool City Region. Underpinning this sense of community is a more cohesive family of schools at Merchant Taylors’ with an enhanced spirit of common purpose.
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How we organise ourselves The Merchant Taylors’ family comprises four distinct but intertwined areas of education. Our strength is in our unity. Over the course of the next five years, we will move fully into a Diamond Learning Model of education, led by an Executive Head. This structure means boys and girls are educated together from Reception to Year 6 and come together again in Sixth Form (Year 12 & 13). From Year 7 to Year 11, they are taught in single-sex senior schools.
Sixth Form Year 12 - 13
Boys’ School Year 7 - 11
Girls’ School Year 7 – 11
Stanfield Preparatory School (Reception – Year 6)
Our Diamond Learning Model
Stanfield Preparatory School, Merchant Taylors’ (Reception – Year 6) Stanfield Preparatory School, Merchant Taylors’ is a happy, friendly school where young minds are encouraged to explore and be inquisitive, unafraid to make and learn from mistakes. Our contemporary facilities, excellent teaching staff and smaller class sizes allow us to bring the very best out of every girl and boy. A wide-ranging programme of enrichment and extra-curricular activities helps to bring out the very best in every child, all delivered in contemporary, vibrant learning environment.
Our children are gently nurtured in a secure, contemporary environment, where they spend their formative years exploring their independence and creativity. We encourage them to develop the confidence and resilience to take risks, try new things and be the best they can be. We delight in seeing our children develop their personalities and build new relationships.
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Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School (Year 7-11) At Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School, we aim to develop well-educated, wellrounded and caring young men who will play a significant role in society. Each of our boys is academically able and we seek to nurture in them a spirit of inquiry and curiosity which will see them explore their chosen interests, whatever those may be. They are guided by committed, enthusiastic and inspiring teachers who have strong subject specialist knowledge – a key factor in developing students to their fullest extent.
We aim to produce well-educated, wellrounded and caring young men who will play a significant role in society. They will become good men, good husbands and good fathers; they will be good team members as well as leaders; above all, they will seek to be a positive influence wherever they find themselves. We have high expectations of our boys, which we expect them to share.
Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School (Year 7-11) At Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School, we encourage our girls to achieve excellence together in a caring and dynamic learning environment. We are proud of our record of academic attainment, but we remain focused on the wellbeing and individual needs of each and every girl in our care, helping them to expand their horizons and understand just how incredible they can be. Girls are encouraged to be ambitious, to develop at a pace that is right for their own talents and needs.
We encourage girls to have the character and confidence to take risks and try new ways of improving what they do. It is important to us that we help to raise confident, independent young women who are equipped to face the challenges of the modern world and are well-placed to enjoy fulfilling, successful lives beyond school. Central to all of this is a girl’s happiness and her ability to be comfortable in her own skin and we support this careful development through the provision of excellent pastoral care.
Merchant Taylors’ Sixth Form (Boys & Girls, Year 12-13) A new co-educational Sixth Form is to be created from September 2024. Our Sixth Form model already involves a blend of single sex and co-educational experience for our A Level students this will continue and expand towards the Sixth Form becoming fully coeducational by September 2024.
This will be underpinned by the development of new, contemporary Sixth Form facilities.
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Our estates masterplan Our estates strategy seeks to preserve our historic assets while creating a platform for the future success of the school through the development of highquality, integrated buildings and facilities which derive benefit for the entire school community. Underpinning our estates strategy is the Estates Masterplan. This is an integrated, long-term sustainable programme of investment in our buildings and infrastructure to allow the school to continue to develop its academic and co-curricular provision. Maximising the potential of our physical spaces will create an inspiring learning environment that shapes minds and develops the whole individual.
Those investments which have already been delivered or are scheduled for delivery are detailed below:
This is a complex programme made up of many inter-connected parts – some work has already been completed, while some elements have yet to begin. We anticipate the strategic development of our estate will continue to span many years as we endeavour to deliver a school estate that truly works for future generations of girls and boys.
c. Development planning underway for Hall Road – completion due September 2022
a. R efurbishment of the Dining Halls and Williams Hall – completed summer 2019 b. Redevelopment of Stanfield playground – completed June 2021
d. Development of new co-educational Sixth Form facilities.
M E R C H A N T TAY LO R S ’ S C H O O L
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Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 0QP. 0151 949 9366 www.merchanttaylors.com