Our Trust Vision
The Embrace founder schools shaped and agreed the identity and purpose of our multi academy trust, which are encapsulated through the following objectives, upon which our strategic plan is based:
- to safeguard the distinctive ethos and character of each academy and its unique context
- to work together and with those outside Embrace for the benefit of all
- to be committed to the continual improvement of pupil academic outcomes
- to develop thoughtful, caring and active citizens
- to prioritise support for the most vulnerable within our academies
- to grow and sustain a strong, skilled and effective workforce at all levels
- to ensure financial sustainability to allow excellence and growth for Embrace.
All Embrace schools have their own unique ethos and vision, which belongs to the school, not Embrace as a trust. We celebrate the diversity across our trust and encourage all schools to be autonomous. The ‘Embraced’ scheme of delegation, with less autonomy, is only applicable to ‘sponsored’ academies.
We value collaboration as a means to achieve the highest standards. Just as we expect all of our academies to contribute to supporting one another, we recognise the need to work with external partners for mutual benefit. All academies are actively involved within the Thomas Estley Teaching School Alliance and a variety of primary and secondary collaborative groups.
Our Success
Our greatest success to date has been the academic improvement made at Key Stage 2 by our primary schools. Under the guidance of our Primary Academy Improvement Lead, Lyndsey Beckett, we have achieved improvements described by our regional schools commissioner as ‘stunning’.
Attainment in 2019 across the trust at expected level rose from:
- 62% to 70% in reading, writing and maths combined (national average – 65%)
- 74% to 80% in reading (national average – 73%)
- 73% to 85% in maths (national average – 79%).
- Writing also rose above national, but data is not comparable due to framework changes.
We prioritise support for schools in most need, but expect all schools to be involved in our joint development work.
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Our focus on the development of the whole child has led to curricula across our academies that seeks to fulfil this purpose. Each school has its own unique curriculum, but the intention remains to ensure that pupils are ready both academically and as citizens, for the next stage of their lives. Initiatives from our wide curricula include philosophy across the curriculum, Kagan structures, forest schools and cognitive learning. We will shortly be launching a pupil-led initiative to reduce single-use plastic within our schools and our communities.
Our scheme of delegation emphasises the need for any vulnerable academy to receive extra support. Additionally, we also seek opportunities to further support vulnerable pupils across the trust. This work is led by our vulnerable pupils’ champion, who utilises best practice and collaboration to provide the most effective intervention.
Our Future
Success is dependent upon our employees and we understand this. We prioritise staff development through training and individual support at all levels, seeking to make internal promotions where viable. We strive to help our colleagues achieve a healthy work/life balance and appreciate them as individuals.
We employ a full-time chief financial officer (CFO) from an accountancy and school business management background. Our systems are developing, but are already judged well by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, internal audit and external audit. We are clear that our strength in this area is responsible for funding the development of our pupils. A shared service finance team has been established and joint procurement will bring savings over time, particularly as pupil numbers support economies of scale. Our short-term future is to provide shared services for information technology and site maintenance in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and best value.
