The Trust Board of Leading Edge Academies Partnership is committed to ensuring that the Trust is in the best position to deliver effective education and outcomes to children and young people in line with our Trust values and ethos. As part of this commitment, the Trust Board keeps under constant review the opportunities available to the Trust and its strategic priorities for change, improvement, growth and sustainability.

Since September 2022, Trustees and Executive leaders have considered Trust sustainability and this has featured heavily in our strategic planning. We have considered organic growth, with other schools joining the Trust, restructuring our central Trust team, changing our financial model and working more closely with other Multi Academy Trusts. In July 2024, Trustees met to formally consider the way forward for Leading Edge and an even more detailed and robust process began. After careful deliberation, and considering feedback from Trust leaders and Headteachers, the decision was made to explore joining a larger, local Trust. 

As a result of this work, and a detailed analysis of potential partners using ‘essential’ and ‘desirable’ criteria, there has been an agreement in principle to explore the potential for Leading Edge to join Truro and Penwith Multi-Academy Trust (TPAT). We believe that there is considerable synergy between our Trusts and are excited about the opportunities that this change could bring.

Our guiding principles whilst considering options, and when attempting to identify a preferred partner, have been ensuring the quality of provision for our children, maintaining the person-centred culture that is important to us and being sure that any decision made results in a Trust that is stronger, more sustainable and can remain innovative and forward thinking. We have always been proud to include a Church of England school within the Trust and to work closely with the Diocese of Truro to ensure our Christian distinctiveness is evident in every level of governance throughout the organisation. The need to preserve this collaborative work has also been a key consideration and a ‘non-negotiable’ during any discussions.

We believe that being part of a larger Trust will present significant opportunities for staff and pupils in all schools as we join a larger team of like-minded and passionate professionals. You can find more information about Truro and Penwith Academy Trust and how the Trust works with its schools here: https://www.tpacademytrust.org/

Between 14th November 2024 and 10th January 2025 we completed the formal consultation process which included face-to-face consultation sessions for staff, parents, carers and governors within each school, led by the CEOs of both Trusts. The large majority of questions were answered within the meetings and we also received a small handful of queries via email, the responses of which can be found below.

Whilst the formal consultation is now closed, both Leading Edge and TPAT teams remain very open to any questions or queries. These can be emailed to info@leadingedgeacademies.org.

Best wishes,

Kelley Butcher - CEO

Jackie Eason - Chair of the Trust Board