Merchant Taylors' Girls' and Merchant Taylors' Boys' to become 1 co-educational Senior School

THE Governors of Merchant Taylors' are excited to announce that from:- September 2025 Merchant Taylors' Girls' will join Merchant Taylors' Boys' to create a single, co-educational Senior School. The newly created School will be known as:- Merchant Taylors' Schools and will be co-educational for all pupils aged:- 4 to 18, creating 1 School, 1 community, with 1 vision.

The single, co-educational Senior School will be based at the current Boys' School, which will be known as the Harrison Site, and led by Dr Michael Alderson.

Mr Philip Marshall KC, Chair of the Board of Governors and an alumnus of the School said:- "This strategic development allows us to broaden and strengthen our academic provision, while developing new opportunities and ensuring that access to those opportunities is the same for every pupil at Merchant Taylors'. Re-modelling our structure to become co-educational will provide greater operational and financial efficiency and will allow the School to help ensure that every pound generated in fee income from parents is invested to support the pupil experience. We have recently invested in excess of £1m in our Stanfield Prep School site, and over £2.5m in our Sports Grounds at Hall Rd, Uniting the Senior Schools in this way on 1 site will mean that we can invest further at the Harrison site, with over £5m currently being spent on refurbishing and modernising it and another £5m planned in the next 5 years, to meet, and indeed exceed, the requirements of all our community."

To ensure a smooth and supportive process current and prospective parents, staff and pupils have been invited to participate in a community wide collaboration to guide and inform the process of change.

The School has undertaken extensive planning and preparation to ensure the needs of both boys and girls are met.

Improvements to facilities, adjustments to curriculum and co-curricular activities, as well as additional support for pupils and staff, have been carefully considered to ensure a seamless transition to co-education.

Dr Alderson said:- "in undertaking this change, the Governors are determined to retain all that is good from both the Girls' and Boys' Schools. This will ensure that both the new co-educational Senior School, and indeed Merchant Taylors' as a whole, becomes the best future facing version of itself, understanding and serving the needs of its community as it has done for the last 400 years."

Hugh Baird College Apprentice Lola Dawson wins National Award

HUGH Baird College Health and Social Care Apprentice Lola Dawson has won the Prince's Trust L'Oreal Rising Star Award 2024. The Rising Star Award recognises young people who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life and positively impacted their local community. Lola scooped the Prince's Trust L'Oréal Paris Rising Star award, which celebrates young people who have built up their confidence and skills whilst overcoming barriers to secure employment, education, or training.

After completing a 2 week placement with the Prince's Trust team in 2022, Lola expressed her desire to be an adult nurse and soon started her Level 2 Health and Social Care Apprenticeship at Hugh Baird College whilst working at Aintree University Hospital.

Since starting her Apprenticeship, Lola has grown in confidence and feels proud of herself for accomplishing so much in a short period of time.

Lola said:- "I have been in the care system from a young age and out of education since the age of 13. The Prince's Trust and Hugh Baird College have given me the support and guidance I needed. I'm really enjoying my Apprenticeship and I'm learning so much! I plan to go to University after finishing my programme and become a children's mental health nurse. The Liverpool CAHMS service has been a great support to me over the years and I want to give back and help others in the same way."

Lola also studies Functional Skills English and Maths at Hugh Baird College in addition to her Apprenticeship and has gained many skills throughout her studies.

Elaine McInerney, Lola's Health and Social tutor at Hugh Baird College, said:- "Lola is a very intelligent student; she thinks about her job role when answering questions and always highlights her knowledge and skills. Lola is a pleasure to have in my classroom, engaging and committed. I am delighted she has won this award and it is well deserved. Lola demonstrates the College values of excellence, accountability, and integrity with everything she does."

Amelie Fortier-Cyr, General Manager at L'Oreal Paris UK and Ireland said:- "A huge congratulations to Lola on everything she has achieved. It's so inspiring to see the progress she has made, building her self worth and confidence. We look forward to seeing her continue to achieve bigger and better things in the future."

Those wishing to find out more about Hugh Baird College's Apprenticeship courses can do so via their website.