Chief Executive Officer

Tenax Schools Trust is a Church of England multi-academy trust (MAT) that exists to provide outstanding education in both primary and secondary schools in Kent and East Sussex.

Tenax is a mixed trust that includes community schools with no denominational ethos alongside Church of England Voluntary Aided (VA) and Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools. The Trust currently comprises 7 primary schools (one of which is a free school and one is a school with no faith designation) alongside a large secondary school, Bennett Memorial.

The Trust also includes the Teach Kent & Sussex SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) and the Kent Teaching School Hub, operated by Bennett, as the DfE’s designated Teaching School Hub for East Kent and West Kent.

While our Church of England schools place particular emphasis on teaching children and young people about Christian values, beliefs and traditions, all of our schools subscribe to our underpinning educational, ethical and personal development principles. We value diversity and will preserve the distinctive local character of each school. We welcome pupils and families from all backgrounds and from all faiths and none.

Our educational philosophy derives from our founding values:

• We believe in the value and potential of every child and young person.

• We are committed to high standards of achievement and embrace a positive mindset that insists all students can make exceptional progress.

• We provide a rich curriculum designed to prepare pupils for future learning as they grow in knowledge and confidence.

• We invest in the expertise of our teachers by providing best in class professional development for all. We value our support staff and offer competitive employment packages for all. We aim to be an employer of choice.

• We focus on giving our pupils the richest personal development possible, so that they grow in character and acquire strong values to stand them in good stead in adult life.

• The Trust aims to maintain and further enhance its reputation for excellence in all aspects of its work.

As a Church of England Trust our vocation is to be deeply Christian and at the same time to serve the common good in all aspects of our work. In all our schools, our vision for education is expressed and promoted as one of learning to live together, personal growth, learning and the fulfilment of potential, and human flourishing that inspire what the school is and does.

In all contexts our work is underpinned by the values of wisdom, hope, community and dignity. In our Church schools, the deeply Christian foundation for this vision will be seen explicitly in the curriculum both in RE and more widely, and also in the authentically Christian worship and ethos of those schools.

We aim to provide high quality education to all pupils in all our schools across the age range through a broad, knowledge-rich curriculum that unlocks ‘the best of what has been thought and said’. We provide rich personal development to form children and young people as confident, committed and engaged adults who are ready and able to make a positive contribution to the society in which they will live, in a safe and nurturing environment.

We aspire to be the centre of outstanding teacher training and development, providing rigorous, evidence based professional training for teachers at all stages on a local and regional scale.

We aim to grow the Trust strategically and sustainably as a family of schools, attracting new schools that fit the tapestry of our Trust family. As we look to grow, we will continue to make the case locally and nationally for Church of England schools and fulfil our mission to incorporate non-denominational schools which share our values and approach to education.

The name ‘Tenax’ is the Latin word for ‘tenacious’ or ‘steadfast’. We are steadfast in our belief in the value of Church of England education, and the consequent commitment to high achievement and personal growth for all young people.