Leweston School in Sherborne has marked its 135th anniversary by announcing a new strategic alliance with Concept Education and the Catholic Schools’ Trust, a move intended to secure the school’s long-term stability and strengthen its position within the independent Catholic sector.
Founded in 1891, the co-educational school now educates around 550 pupils across its nursery, preparatory, senior and sixth form phases. It will become the first school to join the partnership, which is being developed by Concept Education, a group formed by former independent school headteachers and senior education leaders. Their stated aim is to ‘safeguard independent education for the next generation’, particularly by supporting affordable, well-run Catholic schools. Leweston says this aligns closely with its own strategic direction at a time when many independent schools are navigating financial pressures and policy uncertainty.
Announcing the move, Chair of Governors Ian Lucas said the agreement reflects a pivotal moment for the school. ‘This is an important milestone in our history,’ he said. ‘The partnership with Concept Education marks an exciting new chapter for Leweston enabling the school to build on its reputation for personalised, values-led education while expanding the opportunities available to current and future students. The collaboration will bring additional expertise and investment, ensuring Leweston continues to thrive in a rapidly evolving educational landscape. This allows us to grow while staying true to our values and mission to nurture confident, capable, and compassionate young people.’
Concept Education’s Chief Executive, Hugh Dickinson, emphasised that Leweston’s existing strengths made it a natural starting point for the organisation’s work. ‘Leweston is already a well-established, high-performing school. Our role is twofold: to maintain the school’s excellence and to break new ground. We know that the success of a school depends on the trust of its parents, their children and the staff. We are excited and privileged to be asked to carry on the outstanding work of the current governors and working to strengthen Leweston’s reputation as a unique, caring and high-achieving environment.’
Further detail on how the partnership will operate in practice has not yet been released, but both parties describe the agreement as a foundation for future development rather than a change to Leweston’s core identity.
