The Methodist Independent Schools Trust was established in 2011, to replace the Board of Management for Methodist Schools. The change of name was partly to emphasise its role in governing rather than managing its schools,and the Trust was reconstituted to enable it better to fulfil its responsibility for effective oversight of the Trust.

The Trust oversees ten schools: Nine are schools catering for nursery, primary and secondary pupils: Culford School; Farringtons School; Kent College, Canterbury; Kent College, Pembury; Kingsley School, Bideford; Queen's College, Taunton; Shebbear College; Truro School; and Woodhouse Grove School. In addition Moorlands School, Leeds is a 2-13 school.

There are five other Methodist independent schools.Kingswood School, Ashville College and Rydall Penrhos are also held on the 1903 Trust Deed, but have individual schemes of governance. Queenswood and The Leys also have Methodist foundations, but are separate charitable trusts. Each of these schools participates in various ways in the activities of the family of Methodist schools, sharing expertise, participating in annual education conferences and in World AIMS (World Action in Methodist Schools) which seeks to establish partnerships with Methodist schools worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

The Education Commission (2012) recommended that MIST and MAST (Methodist Academies and Schools Trust) should work to merge no later than 2017 to form the Methodist Schools Trust (MST).

Entry written by: JCAB
Category: Organisation
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