The English education system is at a crossroads. Over 80 per cent of secondary schools are now academies, and more than half of all pupils are educated in them.
Yet the academy agenda has lost coherence. Growth has felt piecemeal rather than strategic, and the current government is uncertain as to its way forward with the system.
Furthermore, successive governments and local authorities have debated structures without fully articulating the purpose behind them. This lack of clarity has left space for the trust distractors and myth perpetuators.
We need, therefore, to reclaim and articulate the power of the trust agenda - and show how it can work to deliver better opportunities for all young people.
Multi-phase, cross-sector MATs
As the leader of Learning Partners Academy Trust and Learning Partners Church Academy Trust, we have seen across our 20-plus schools (including primary, secondary and special schools) that collaboration between phases and sectors works best.
For example, we have special school staff training colleagues on effective classroom inclusion practices, maths school specialists engaging with primary-aged pupils and primary reading leads working alongside heads of secondary English to improve literacy skills through phase transfer.
It is clear from this that multi-academy trusts (MATs) should become multi-phase, cross-sector organisations - bringing together early years, primary, secondary, special and faith schools within a defined local footprint.
By aligning provision across phases, we can smooth transitions, share expertise and ensure a consistent focus on high-quality teaching.
The case for medium-sized, local trusts
Linked to this, reforms should see the creation of medium-sized, geographically coherent trusts, each serving around 30-40 schools within a local authority or county boundary.
Whether supporting vulnerable learners, designing a curriculum that reflects community priorities or investing in specialist services, scale matters - but so does proximity.
Trusts that are too small struggle to sustain capacity; those that are too large can lose their connection with the people they serve.
A system built around six to eight such trusts per local area could replace today’s patchwork with a model that is large enough to be sustainable but close enough to communities to understand their needs.
Working in partnership with the church
Faith schools have a unique place in England’s educational story, and the future must respect and strengthen that contribution.
At Learning Partners, we have seen the benefits of close collaboration with Church of England dioceses - particularly our partnership with the Diocese of Guildford.
Together, we created a framework that allows church schools to flourish within the trust, while staying true to their Christian ethos.
This approach safeguards distinctive identities (for church and non-church schools), supports spiritual development and ensures church and community schools can work side by side, sharing expertise and resources, regardless of faith or non-faith focus.
Ensuring schools retain their individual ethos and identity is paramount in retaining effectiveness in serving our local communities.
Clarifying roles
For MATs to thrive, they need a clear mandate for school improvement within their areas.
Councils should no longer hold statutory school-improvement duties - that should be the responsibility of the regional MATs in their cluster. Newly formed Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams should work in partnership with MATs to deliver this and hold teams accountable.
The assumption that all schools within an area shall belong to one of the regional MATs operating in their area is essential for this to function.
This does not require full academisation; it may help, but active local partnerships with clear responsibilities and accountabilities give our children the best chance.
At the same time, we must re-articulate the role of local authorities. Chiefly, they should see their statutory responsibilities for admissions, safeguarding and special educational needs strengthened - not all schools or trusts play totally fair within the current perverse accountability framework.
A local approach within a regional MAT landscape will enable the local authority to better discharge these duties.
Ultimately, a sharper division of responsibilities would enable all parts of the structure to work in progressive partnership.
Working towards a unifying vision
Imagine a future where every school is part of a trust rooted in its local community, working alongside feeder primaries, special schools and faith settings and sharing resources, challenging one another and remaining connected to the children they serve.
That is the direction we are pursuing at Learning Partners, and that many trusts have as their guiding mission, too.
It speaks to the Confederation of School Trusts’ vision of MATs as “civic anchors”; school trusts as stable, community-focused institutions, dedicated to the public good beyond their core educational mission.
We can achieve this by fostering strong local ties, providing community services, acting as large employers with purchasing power and collaborating with other civic partners to address broader societal challenges.
Our education system continues to achieve much despite its fragmented structures. Imagine how much more we could do if we worked together in true collaboration - and in doing so, improve the life chances of every child.
Jack Mayhew is CEO of Learning Partners Academy Trust and Learning Partners Church Academy Trust
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