Excalibur Academies Trust, whose schools in the local area include Fairfield High School, Ashton Park School and Redland Green School, is celebrating following the announcement it has been shortlisted for the Staff Development award in the MAT (Multi-Academy Trust) Excellence Awards. Whilst this has always been an intrinsic part of the Trust’s culture, staff development has been a key focus in the past 12 months, with the launch of an enhanced Professional Learning and Development Programme (PLD). Critically, the decision to move away from performance related pay is ensuring Excalibur empowers staff to be ethical in their actions and career choices.
Founded in 2012, Excalibur Academies Trust has grown from two schools in Marlborough, Wiltshire, to 20 schools in five local authorities stretching from Bristol to Reading along the M4 corridor, providing high quality education to 10,000 children from age 2 to age 18.
The application for the Staff Development award was carefully evaluated by the expert judging panel of the Awards, who assessed it based on criteria such as impact, innovation, and the quality of supporting evidence. It seems the commitment to staff development, with an emphasis on the lifecycle of the employee -Welcoming, Growing & Retaining – is a successful formula for the Trust’s 1,500 workforce.
Laura Reid, Director of Teaching, Learning & Professional Growth at Excalibur Academies Trust comments: “We’re thrilled that our relentless work on researching and implementing exactly what it is that our employees need to feel fulfilled and committed to Excalibur has been recognised. It certainly isn’t a one size fits all approach, with a special and dynamic strategy being implemented to meet the needs of everyone within our diverse Trust.”
Indeed, Excalibur’s online Professional Hub provides varied and personalised opportunities for lifelong learning and CPD, including apprenticeships, National Professional Qualifications (NPQ), an exhaustive Resource Centre, secondments and networking opportunities.
Nick Lewis, CEO of Excalibur Academies Trust concludes: “Looking after individuals, who share our commitment to changing children’s lives for the better, lie at the very heart of our existence. We would like to thank each and every one of our staff who have contributed to this amazing accolade.”
The MAT Excellence Awards Ceremony and gala dinner, which will welcome hundreds from across the sector, will take place in London on 19th June.
See the MAT Excellence shortlist here
