IT has been at the heart of its community for the last 90 years as an educational institution.

And now Royds Hall High School and Specialist Science College is celebrating the old and also embracing the new as it becomes a Foundation school with Trust partners.

The school, which opened on September 20, 1921, will still be financed by the local authority.

But as a Foundation it will be able to set its own admissions policy and terms and conditions for staff.

The Trust will include headteacher Melanie Williams and chairman of governors Antony Scott, along with two other nominees from the school.

The Trust partners are Huddersfield Town Football Club, Holmfirth Fair Traders Co-operative Society, Huddersfield New College and Sheffield Hallam’s Centre for Science Education.

Ms Williams said: “We feel the partners we have are the partners who will enhance the educational provision of our school and staff.

“Together they will help to broaden the aspirations and horizons of our students.

“We really feel we are at the start of something very exciting here and are developing the future of the school.”

Preparations are well under way for a year of celebrations to mark the school’s nine decades as a community educator.

Afternoon tea with a string quartet in the school gardens on Saturday September 24 will be the first main event to mark the anniversary.

During the evening there will be a black tie event with buffet and live music.

GCSE horticulture students have ensured that the garden near the oldest part of the school is in tip-top shape for the start of the celebrations.

And students are keen that a time capsule should be buried to mark the occasion.

A website has also been specially designed for the 90th year which will feature archive material and footage and to which people are being encouraged to contribute.

Visit 90th.roydshall.org and there is also a link on the school website at www.roydshall.org

Royds Hall is delighted that after 18 months of preparations and planning it has been granted Foundation status.

As an ethnically diverse community with children from 30 countries who speak 26 languages, the school is delighted that one of its Trust partners is the Co-operative, which has a value- driven ethos which is faith neutral.

Ms Williams said: “The Co-operative ideals of democracy, citizenship, honesty, caring for others and putting the community at the heart of what you do is central to our overall ethos.”

Leadership, raising self-esteem and a strong sporting focus are also key to the partnership with Huddersfield Town.

As a school with specialist science status, Ms Williams said that Royds Hall was also delighted to have Sheffield Hallam’s Centre for Science Education on board as a Trust partner.

The centre has an excellent reputation for developing maths and science teaching and the link will put Royds at the forefront of developing resource materials for schools and education institutions across the country as well as creating exciting new transition materials for year six children in its feeder primary schools.

Huddersfield New College is the final partner. Around a quarter of Royds Hall students move on to the college in Salendine Nook for post-16 education, but the partnership will also help develop subjects such as dance and physical education in school.