Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust (EACT) is an education foundation and a registered charity (No: 1124189). It is a not-for-profit organisation established to promote excellence in education and learning.
EACT is opening new academies across England as part of a major programme of investment in educational centres of excellence.
Our Pledge
EACT is committed to delivering excellence in education for all in every one of its Academies.
We will ensure that the life chances of every single student are enhanced helping each individual to raise their aspirations and achievement, so that they become successful citizens who contribute fully and effectively to the Academy and to the social and economic well-being of the wider community.
EACT is developing Centres of Excellence through innovative approaches to teaching and learning, to ensure that all students:
- achieve their personal and academic potential
- provide the highest quality of educational experience and widest opportunities for all, irrespective of ability, gender, faith or race
- invest in the community to improve opportunities for everyone
We pledge to deliver:
- High attainment and achievement
- Improved social mobility and inclusion
- Strong student employability
Working in partnership
EACT has formed extremely positive partnerships with all the local authorities in which our academies are located. Many ask us to consider sponsoring more academies, and EACT employees have worked closely and effectively with key colleagues in those authorities. We have established Expression of Interest working groups at the start of each project in order to achieve full stakeholder involvement at a very early stage.
Our track record for delivering improvements in outcomes
EACT’s first Academy – Trent Valley Academy (TVA) in Gainsborough in Lincolnshire – opened in September 2008. EACT successfully led the merger of two schools into a single 11-18 Academy now based in an impressive state of the art building on a separate site, while sustaining standards and transforming the students ‟quality of experience. A LA secondary phase special school is co-located with the Academy, demonstrating EACT’s commitment to collaborative educational delivery.
Six further EACT Academies opened in September 2009. Although still based in the old buildings, planned new buildings, and existing environmental improvements combined with the implementation of a new vision have had a transformational impact on the learning culture, expectations and morale of all members of the Academy community.
The experience and capability of the EACT Education Team underpins the capacity to deliver significant and rapid improvements, already in evidence at TVA. This team consists of four former experienced and successful Headteachers, two of whom have been Academy Principals. We bring over 70 years of experience of successful school leadership.
Adding value
EACT works tirelessly to ensure that each of its Academies is judged as Outstanding. There is an absolute commitment to adding a level of active challenge, support and direction to all our Academies and their communities, beyond what they may have experienced previously. Specifically, this will include:
- A Head Office function where expert advice and support will be provided, tailored to the needs of the Academy at Parklands. This will include advice on procurement, legal, finance and HR issues
- The benefit of the many and varied partnerships which have been brokered by EACT nationally, which will provide expert guidance, governors, mentors, work experience opportunities, etc.
- Support and advice on Design and Buildings issues from EACT‟s full-time, in- house Head of Design and Architecture
- Continuing support for Principal and SLT professional development at two EACT Conferences each year in November and May; half-termly meetings of Principals; and our links with SSAT and partnerships with high-performing schools nationally
- A network of formal and informal links across EACT Academies to ensure the identification, celebration and exchange of best practice
With careful financial planning and the economies of scale that would result from having a number of academies across the country, and in the interests of continuity, EACT is in a good position to work closely with local authorities.
In addition, we will:
- work closely with the local family of primary and secondary schools
- be committed to collaborative work in 14 – 19 and post-16 partnerships; and to continue successful work with the LEP, if appropriate
- establish partnerships with FE and HE institutions in alignment with local protocols
- adopt the Council‟s admissions policy, ensuring that the Academy becomes a local school for local students and their families
Outstanding support
EACT establishes an outstanding ratio of educational support at each of its academies, with a published schedule of monitoring and focussed challenge visits throughout the year.
All our academies are at the heart of the community and an asset to the community. Its facilities and resources will be available for use by the community after school hours and throughout weekends and school holidays.
EACT fundraising and sponsorship arm works closely with the academies to provide additional income to facilitate additional activities such as residential activities, sport coaching, music tuition and subsidies for deprived students
Our strong partnership with local high-performing schools supplement the capacity of our Education Team in providing current, “on-the-ground” access to expertise in teaching and learning, behaviour and inclusion.
Under the direction of Director General, Sir Bruce Liddington, works in partnership with individual schools, their local communities, local authorities and with all stakeholders who have an interest in education as part of the Academies programme.
The focus of EACT is supporting young people to achieve their true potential. The trust is committed to significantly improving students’ ambitions, aspirations, learning, achievement and personal development, irrespective of their ability, gender, faith or race.
The ethos and values of EACT support and develop a culture where students’ individual faith and cultural requirements are recognised, respected and celebrated. EACT is committed to fostering the tolerance and respect for others which leads to greater community cohesion.
The trust's academies are supported by its national partners. They include PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (financial and management) and Pinsent Masons (legal). In addition, each academy benefits from the support of local partners, including universities and other education providers from the maintained and independent sectors.
