Mission and Aims 2020 / 2021

Adding Capacity: To support the solutions that will unlock personal and academic potential for every student.

• The Trust supports over 5000 students
• Primary and Secondary hubs support an all-through excellence curriculum with strengthened partnerships with parents and community stakeholders
• The Trust works with local authorities and other trusts to lead the strategic direction for the local area

High Performing: To use the full resources of the Trust that ensures we expect excellence for every student.

• The school improvement strategy ensures at least two academies within the Trust are judged outstanding, with all academies that have been part of the Trust for at least three years judged good
• The best leaders to support internal school improvement are recruited and developed

Collaborative: To grow more effective partnerships within and beyond the Trust, that impact on students are mutually supportive.

Collaborations and networks add value to:

• Curriculum development
• Teaching and innovation
• Inclusion and safeguarding
• Character development
• Careers and cultural capital

People: To attract, develop and retain excellent people who are valued, supported and encouraged to innovate.

• The Trust workload and wellbeing strategy retains and attracts the best talent
• A recruitment strategy incorporates quality ITT provision and a staff development entitlement that supports career progression
• Stakeholders value the trust and contribute to a strong reputation within the community

Finance and Infrastructure: To have a strong and sustainable finances with a highly effective infrastructure.

• Budgets always operate above 5% reserves
• Outstanding back-office support
• New technologies are developed to support teaching and effective working practices
• Standardised policies that are proven to be effective are used in school to school support

Leadership: To develop expert leaders and governors with a range of skills, that make a difference to student life chances.

• Strong leadership meets clearly accountable targets and is supported by a comprehensive leadership programme
• There is effective governance with a range of skill sets
• Leaders collaborate across the Trust to inform the future strategic direction

Adding Capacity: To support the solutions that will unlock personal and academic potential for every student.

• Deliver growth plans at Discovery and Excel
• Eaton Park Academy to join the Trust and add additional school improvement capacity
• Specialist partnerships established – Chartered College of Teaching, Teach First, Newcastle-under-Lyme independent school, Teaching schools
• Deliver alternative provision hubs across Trust secondary academies
• Enhance support so all academies can meet Covid-19 demands
• AAT to be represented on the local school forum

High Performing: To use the full resources of the Trust that ensures we expect excellence for every student.

• Create a dashboard to identify the school improvement tier each academy is operating at
• To implement the Ofsted action plan at Maple Court Academy to ensure rapid improvement
• Identify and support all risk areas, particularly those as a result of Covid-19
• Recruit additional Trust standards roles in Primary to add capacity
• To conduct NLE reviews at each academy
• Encourage more SLT to become Ofsted trained

Collaborative: To grow more effective partnerships within and beyond the Trust, that impact on students are mutually supportive.

• Identify clear goals for networks across the Trust to ensure value in each collaboration (Subject/T+L/Ach/SMSC/Careers/Inclusion/Safe)
• AAT to coordinate a secondary AP network across Stoke-on-Trent to support more effective practice
• Inclusion and safeguarding
• To develop a curriculum partnership with NULS to deliver better outcomes for the most able

People: To attract, develop and retain excellent people who are valued, supported and encouraged to innovate.

• To ensure all stakeholders are supported and appropriate risk assessments considered through the continuing Covid-19 pandemic
• Develop a Trust workload and wellbeing strategy and entitlement
• Establish a Trust recruitment strategy and create NQT entitlement in partnership with Teach First

Finance and Infrastructure: To have a strong and sustainable finances with a highly effective infrastructure.

• Manage effectively the numerous capital projects to successful completion
• Ensure student numbers are sustainable and take action so budgets have no structural deficit
• Establish a new technology working group to identify plans that meet future needs
• Conduct a policy review to clarify which policies are either autonomous, aligned, or standardised

Leadership: To develop expert leaders and governors with a range of skills, that make a difference to student life chances.

• Implement the leadership development and governor training programme
• Plan a Trust leadership conference to review the progress of networks and to identify plans that will meet future strategic aims
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the LGB standards review role and create more standardised governor reports