Thriving Trusts Communities Series
21 February, 2025
Growing multi academy trusts: five strategies for stability & expansion
Growing a successful multi-academy trust isn’t just about expansion; it’s about building a strong foundation first. In this blog, we’ll explore real-world strategies that have helped trusts thrive, from stabilising new schools to ensuring cultural alignment.
These insights, drawn from our NEW Thriving Trust Communities Guide, will help you grow with confidence. Download the full guide for more detailed case studies and practical steps on how these trusts have successfully implemented these strategies.
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Meet the contributors to the guide
We sincerely thank the individuals who generously volunteered their time and expertise to contribute to this guide about thriving trust communities. Their willingness to sharetheir experiences is a testament to their leadership values and their commitment to giving back to the sector.
We interviewed 7 of the top 10 trusts that received the Trust Value Award 2024 to discover what drives their success.
Special thanks go to Sharon Roberts, Claire Marriott of Cirrus Primary Academy Trust, Faizal Musa of Dixons Academies Trust, Gavin Booth of Infinity Academies Trust, Alison Day of LEO Academy Trust, Jayne Clarke OBE, Pamela McIlroy of The Pinnacle Learning Trust, Jeremy Harris of The Rose Learning Trust, Claire Gething of Windsor Academy Trust for their essential contributions.
Furthermore, we are grateful for the input provided by Sir David Carter, who shares his reflections at the end of this guide.
The collective effort of all these contributors has been instrumental in creating a resource that will benefit the education sector at large. Their participation reflects a profound dedication to fostering a culture of high quality of education alongside supporting the continual improvement of our schools and trusts. Thank you for your contribution and for setting an inspiring example of leadership and generosity!
Why sustainable growth matters for multi academy trust
Successful trusts manage growth carefully, prioritising the stabilisation of new schools before further expansion. This ensures that new additions align with the trust’s mission and values while maintaining high standards through structured onboarding. Leaders take different approaches, from inclusive collaboration to systematic transformation models.
Strategies for sustainable growth in trusts:
- Stabilising Before Growing
- Aligning Culture & Values
- Effective Onboarding & School Integration
- The Power of Regional Focus
- Organic Growth vs. Rapid Expansion
Stabilising before growing
Dixons Academies Trust follows a structured Academy Transformation Model—stabilise, reinvent, grow, and lead—to ensure new schools are fully supported before expanding. They prioritise staff and pupil wellbeing as a foundation for improvement.
“Many academies join us in that ‘stabilise’ phase. The first thing we focus on is building a healthy organisation rather than just focusing on being ‘smart’ in terms of systems and processes. We know that if we prioritise engaged staff and caring for our people, that foundation is what really drives school improvement.” – Faizal Musa, School and College Trust Leader of Dixons Academies Trust
Lesson for trust leaders:
Sustainable growth requires stabilising new schools first, ensuring quality is never compromised.
Aligning culture & values
Infinity Academies Trust conducts cultural due diligence before integrating new schools. They work closely with leaders, governors, staff, and pupils to ensure shared values.
“For us, cultural due diligence is a significant investment in time. Spending time with that new school leader, their governors, their staff, their children. This is not a paper exercise, not a spreadsheet process. It’s a people process. Infinity is a relationship-based organisation, and we commit to building that relationship way before they commit to joining our Trust.” – Gavin Booth, CEO of Infinity Academies Trust
Lesson for trust leaders:
Strategic growth can be about fit, not just numbers. Prioritising cultural alignment fosters long-term cohesion.
Effective onboarding & school integration
LEO Academy Trust respects each school’s strengths while introducing trust-wide systems where needed. A small school with a strong sustainability ethos retained its identity and became a trust-wide leader in sustainability.
For instance, if a school’s existing phonics scheme is effective, it is retained; if not, the school is encouraged to transition to a model already implemented successfully in other LEO schools. Schools joining the Trust are also encouraged to retain individual experimentation and creativity.
Lesson for trust leaders:
Schools should not lose their unique strengths when joining a trust. Onboarding should balance consistency with local innovation.
The power of regional focus
The Pinnacle Learning Trust expands within its local area (Oldham) to ensure its central team can provide hands-on support, enhancing a shared mission and sense of belonging.
All its academies are based in Oldham, and while there is openness to future expansion beyond Oldham, the Trust prioritises operating within a manageable geographical area. This proximity ensures that its central services team can provide hands-on support to the academies, reinforcing the sense of belonging and community that defines the Trust.
Lesson for trust leaders:
A geographically focused trust may offer more effective support than one spread too widely.
Organic growth vs. rapid expansion
Rose Learning Trust does not actively recruit new schools but invites them to participate in trust events before joining. This approach ensures a smooth transition and shared values.
“As a trust, we don’t advertise ourselves. Schools approach us because they see the benefits of our collaborative ethos.” – Jeremy Harris, CEO, Rose Learning Trust
Lesson for trust leaders:
Growth doesn’t have to be aggressive. A strong reputation and collaborative culture naturally attract schools that want to be part of the community.
Stay tuned for the next blog in this series – exciting insights are on the way!
How data-driven insights drive smarter trust growth
Edurio Unlimited provides key insights to support multi-academy trust growth by leveraging data and analytics. This ensures new schools are well-integrated before further expansion.
📊 Data-driven expansion: compare performance against national trends to ensure sustainable growth.
📝 Stakeholder readiness assessment: surveys measure how well new schools integrate and highlight areas needing extra support.
📈 Ongoing monitoring: regular pulse checks help track school stabilisation before further expansion.
Leveraging Edurio Unlimited for strategic decision-making
Conduct a Staff Experience and Wellbeing Survey to assess staff alignment with the trust’s mission, values, and support structures.
Why Edurio Unlimited?
✅ Unlimited Surveys – Continuous monitoring at no extra cost.
✅ Customisable & Scalable – Adapt surveys for both trust-wide and school-specific needs.
✅ Real-Time Insights & Benchmarking – Compare internal results and national data.
✅ Evidence-Based Decision Making – Use real feedback to inform strategic decisions.
By leveraging Edurio Unlimited, trusts create a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring staff, pupils, and parents inform every strategic decision.