Focus-Trust has been named Medium Multi-Academy Trust of the Year at the prestigious MAT Excellence Awards, recognising the Trust’s commitment to improving outcomes for children, supporting communities and developing exceptional staff across its family of schools.
The award marks a significant milestone for the primary school trust, which serves schools across the North-West and West Yorkshire.
The MAT Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and innovation across the academy sector, recognising trusts that demonstrate excellence in leadership, governance, inclusion, educational outcomes and community impact.
Focus-Trust was recognised for its unwavering commitment to ensuring children thrive both academically and personally, particularly in communities facing significant challenges. The Trust’s work spans a wide range of initiatives, from supporting vulnerable families and strengthening SEND provision to investing in staff development, wellbeing and community engagement.
At the heart of the Trust’s success is a belief that schools should be more than places of learning. Across its 15 schools, Focus-Trust works closely with families and local communities to remove barriers to education and create opportunities for children to succeed both in and beyond the classroom.
The award also reflects the Trust’s strong culture of collaboration. Leaders, governors, trustees and staff work together to share expertise and drive improvement, while ensuring each school retains its unique identity and remains rooted in its local community.
Helen Rowland, CEO of Focus-Trust, said: "Winning Medium MAT of the Year is an incredible honour and a testament to the dedication, passion and expertise of colleagues across Focus-Trust.
“This recognition belongs to every member of staff, governor, trustee and leader who works tirelessly to make a difference for children and families every day.
The judges recognised the Trust’s commitment to long-term, sustainable improvement, its investment in people at every level and its determination to ensure that every child, regardless of background, can thrive, achieve and succeed.
The MAT Excellence Awards are regarded as one of the academy sector’s leading celebrations of best practice, highlighting organisations that are making a measurable difference to the lives of children and young people.
Focus-Trust is a primary school trust based in the North-West and West Yorkshire, with a vision of providing great schools at the heart of communities where children flourish.
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