CEO introduction

In September 2022 we launched Vision 2030. It superseded Vision 2025 and sets out our mission, vision and values as well as our targets for the year ahead. It is updated annually. We are publishing this revised overarching strategy which brings together everything we stand for and aim to achieve at a time of great uncertainty for our country and for the world. Brexit, the Covid pandemic and now the economic challenges which follow from both, mean that the path ahead for our academies and the young people they serve will not be easy.

Having a clear sense of what our organisation is here to do during these bewildering times cannot be more important. We have achieved much since we began in 2008 and more than we ever thought possible since the start of the pandemic in early-2020. We are an exceptionally ambitious organisation that wants the very best for all of our stakeholders. Fundamentally, we are about giving a brighter future to our young people and in doing so, making the world a better place. There can be no more motivating set of ambitions than this.

Simon Beamish

Chief Executive

Mission

Education for a better world

Vision: Excellence Charter

We will ensure:

1

Excellent teaching so that young people achieve their ambitions.

2

Outstanding leadership to drive improvement in our own academies and across the sector.

3

An exceptional IB curriculum.

4

A world class digital strategy for education.

5

A highly developed and engaged workforce who make a difference.

6

A small school model of education that delivers high quality pastoral care.

7

Disruption-free learning and a wide personal development programme.

8

Targeted support for those who need it so that they too can succeed.

Our values

We care

about our pupils and their families through our human scale approach to education, our staff and their well-being and the world around us, driven by our high ideals and strong moral values.

We work together

as one team because we are greater than the sum of our parts. We foster an enterprising culture through global collaboration with partners in business and education.

We have boundless ambition

to achieve excellence for all and create confident young adults with high levels of resilience and integrity.

We keep getting better

using our ‘can-do’ attitude and research informed approach to continuous improvement and innovation.

Challenges we will tackle

Modern lifestyles

are destroying our planet, increasing inequality and impacting mental health. We will develop resilient learners who feel empathy, act compassionately and behave ethically. We will create pioneering social entrepreneurs with a sense of service to others, future generations and to the planet.

Humans are overloaded with information.

We will develop learners who think critically, based on secure knowledge and understanding. We will enable them to apply insight and judge the significance and reliability of information.

The pace of global change is exponential.

We will develop internationally-minded learners who appreciate differences and have a wide range of perspectives. We will ensure they are adaptable, innovative, creative and can harness the power of digital technology and AI.

A lack of employment skills

risks UK wealth and productivity. We will develop confident learners who have a positive can-do attitude and strong work ethic, able to collaborate and work as part of teams. We will focus on STEM and employer links to increase the flow of well-qualified young people entering the workplace.

The workplace is changing

and our economy faces challenges for years to come. We will recruit and retain the best staff and build for succession in all key job roles so that our learners can thrive. We will deploy resources efficiently and sustainably by using our economies of scale to ensure continued investment in our academies.

The International Baccalaureate

The ambitions of Vision 2030 draw heavily on the mission statement of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and its Learner Profile. All LAT academies are authorised as World Schools. We fully embrace the benefits of an IB education as expressed by the IBO’s mission statement:

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organisation works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

Annual targets for 2026-2027

A: High-quality and Inclusive Provision

A1: KS2 combined score of at least 80%.

A2: Attainment 8 of 47 pts and Progress 8 of 0.1.

A3: Positive VA for all P16 programmes.

A4: Successfully develop the Balance System across wave 1 academies.

A5: Achieve Inclusion Quality Mark Silver Award across wave 2 academies. 

A6: Improve retention from year 11 to 12 to 40% by September 2027. 

A7: Attendance is better than national averages, including for all pupil groups.

A8: Review approaches to teacher marking, assessment and feedback to ensure all pupils receive the support required to make excellent progress.

B: School Improvement

B1: Minster and Hugh Christie judged at least Expected in all areas by Ofsted. 

B2: Existing outstanding academies achieve multiple exceptional grades from Ofsted.

B3: Implement grammar colleges at Rainham, Mascalls and Hundred of Hoo.

B4: All academies plan and deliver three Cultural Capital Days per year. 

B5: Ongoing positive feedback and impact from LAT Behaviour & Attendance Hubs.

B6: Continue effective use of Steplab to develop high quality instructional coaching.

C: Workforce

C1: Ensure all colleagues and line managers are equipped to understand and respond to the changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act. Review and update employment policies and practices to reflect the full implementation of the Employment Rights Act. 

C2: Publish the Trust’s first Equality Action Plan, including actions on gender equality and menopause support, ahead of the April 2027 statutory deadline. 

C3: Begin implementation of a refreshed people strategy that places the lived experience of working at LAT at its heart. 

C4: Launch the Leigh Festival of Recognition: an end-of-year festival to replace LAT awards.

D: Finance and operations

D1: Develop a highly effective LAT AI model for use across the executive team. 

D2: Open a brand new post-16 building at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy.

D3: Complete the Rainham Specialist Resource Provision new build.

D4: Make substantial progress with Kent County Council to construct a new post-16 building for Milestone. 

D5: Work with Kent County Council to carry out feasibility and develop a proposal for a 2FE expansion of Minster. 

D6: Continued work with Medway Council on a 1FE expansion at Strood. 

D7: Accelerate progress to achieve a new science building for Mascalls. 

D8: Develop proposals for a Leigh Academies Trust Training Centre.

D9: Working with the Department for Education and Kent County Council, make strong plans to open Leigh Academy Birchwood, LAT’s third special school.

E: Governance and leadership

E1: Respond effectively to the government’s White Paper. 

E2: Respond effectively to the government’s curriculum reforms.

E3: Implement a renewed parental engagement strategy to ensure that feedback from parents continues to improve.

E4: Promote “Leigh Education” to a range of stakeholders. 

E5: Capitalise on positive opportunities to grow the Trust and work with new partners across the sector.

E6: Refresh the Scheme of Delegation and financial regulations to reflect the updated Academy Trust Handbook and Trust restructure.

E7: Prepare fully for MAT Inspections and contribute to its development where possible. 

E8: Launch Aspiring SENCO Programme.

Annual targets for 2025-2026

A: High-quality and Inclusive Provision

A1: Achieve Inclusion Quality Mark (Silver) at all wave 1 academies.

A2: Introduce Steplab across all academies to support teacher professional development.

A3: Ensure widespread effective use of SAM Learning.

A4: Ensure all academies are successfully prepared for the new Ofsted framework, especially those due to be inspected in 2025-26.

A5: Respond effectively to the government’s curriculum reforms due for publication in autumn 2025.

A6: Average KS2 combined score of 80%.

A7: Average Attainment 8 score of 47.

A8: Average APS in the range 32-35 for all KS5 qualification types.

A9: Successful re-verification of all MYP/CP/DP academies.

A10: Successful re-verification of all PYP academies.

A11: Successful launch of IBCP at Leigh Academy Minster, Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet and Leigh Academy Tonbridge, plus strong preparations to do so at Leigh Academy Rainham and Leigh Academy Bexley in 2026.

A12: Successful launch of IBDP at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy.

A13: Pupil attendance and persistent absence is better than the national average, including for disadvantaged pupils.

B: School Improvement

B1: Ofsted judges Leigh Academy Bexley to be at least “Secure” in all areas.

B2: Ensure “Strong” grades make up two-thirds of all grades across academies inspected under the new Ofsted framework.

B3: Successful launch of third campus for Leigh Academy Snowfields @ Minster.

B4: Accelerate plans to open Leigh Academy Birchwood.

B5: Successful launch of new nursery at Leigh Academy High Halstow.

C: Workforce

C1: Launch “LAT Dine” to enhance onsite staff experience and wellbeing.

C2: Roll out additional Professional Learning Journeys with pathways for inclusive teaching and digital pedagogy.

C3: Redevelop the LAT careers site to attract next-generation talent and showcase the Leigh employment experience.

C4: Relaunch iTrent self-service and improve functionality and user experience for all staff.

C5. Expand the “Leigh Offer” with Wagestream and Money Matters to support staff financial wellbeing.

C6. Strengthen employee engagement by embedding Viva Engage, Spotlight and Mo as core platforms for communication, recognition and voice.

C7. Provide opportunities to further professionalise the role of teaching assistant, thereby improving progression and professional development.

D: Finance and Operations

D1: Strong progress to accommodate expansion of PAN to 300 and open a new Post-16 centre at Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy.

D2: Complete two-phase programme to update outdoor facilities at Leigh Academy Milestone.

D3: Completion of EY/KS1 building at Leigh Academy Marden.

D4: Strong progress to expand nursery at Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard.

D5: Begin implementation of plan to increase PAN at Leigh Academy Strood to 270 with corresponding new facilities.

D6: Successful launch of new SRP at Leigh Academy Bexley.

D7: Strong progress to open a new SRP at Leigh Academy Rainham.

D8: Expand facilities for dining and art at Leigh Academy Tonbridge.

D9: Agree terms for a new 4G pitch at Leigh Academy Halley.

D10: Further progress plans for investment and expansion at Leigh Academy Mascalls.

D11: Agree terms for a new cricket pitch and pavilion at Leigh Academy Minster.

D12: Agree proposals, including additional capital investment, for an extra bulge class at Leigh Academy Minster and possible permanent expansion to PAN to 240 thereafter.

D13: Further enhance curriculum-led financial planning tools to include use of IMP.

D14: Review and assess current cleaning provision to inform future service planning and value considerations.

D15. Launch a more sustainable Chromebook scheme building on previous successes.

E: Governance and Leadership

E1: Successful implementation of community governance.

E2: Complete wave 2 of Lead Practitioner and Aspiring AD Programmes, plus wave 4 of the Aspiring Principal Programme.

E3: Successfully induct and ensure strong impact from LAT’s two new Inclusion Advisors.

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