Strategic Plan
This plan is essential for guiding our vision over the next three years, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality education and sustainable development in our schools.
This strategic plan:
• Defines the Board’s vision for the next three years.
• Expands on the Trust’s strategic objectives.
• Outlines key goals and performance indicators to demonstrate success.
• Details financial management strategies linked to efficiency and effectiveness.
• Builds on the individual successes of our schools.
The Berlesduna Academy Trust Strategic Plan 2025–2028 outlines a comprehensive roadmap to secure high-quality education and promote wellbeing for all. Rooted in aspiration, family, and success, we are committed to ethical leadership and inclusive education.
Children receive one opportunity for a good education, and the Trust is dedicated to ensuring that we provide the highest standards to maximise this opportunity.
Trust Objectives
Priority One: Developing our pupils
Now that our schools are established and secure in terms of their roll and provision, we intend to help them grow in confidence, to seek further improvement and be more self-sustaining, whilst supporting other schools in the Trust and developing networks with a wider range of other schools. The aim is also to support each school to be judged by Ofsted as at least ‘Good’ with the capacity to become ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is fully committed to enabling our learners to overcome any barriers they currently face and empowering them to develop an aspirant mind set. The pandemic has caused gaps in pupil’s knowledge, particularly in mathematics, phonics and writing stamina. It has also impacted on some pupils’ mental health and well-being. We intend to develop the curriculum and teaching methods to take into account the unique characteristics of the different communities each school serves and to close the gaps and support mental health and well-being.
Priority Two: Developing people
We now wish to embed staff development, in all its forms, into our culture and daily practice. We see this as an entitlement for staff, a key to quality improvement and a driver of staff recruitment and retention.
Staff motivation and skills are key to the quality of our learners’ experience and staff development and morale are central to the Trust’s vision. Our leaders and managers also play a key role. Strong and effective leadership provides the framework under which teaching and support staff can flourish. Effective leaders and managers help create an organisational culture which stimulates and motivates staff and drives continual improvement.
We intend that Berlesduna is noted for its educational leadership both within and beyond the Trust.
Priority Three: Developing our Governance
We see governorship as the knowledge, skills and leadership of trustees and governors, and governance as the system that controls and ensures the proper running of service used and funded by the public. The Trust has committed and highly skilled members and directors who effectively hold the CEO to account and we rate our governorship as very good. We now intend to develop our governance to be more visibly accountable and responsive to the local communities each academy serves.
Priority Four: Developing our business, facilities and resources
Getting the right balance of service activity (and funding) between the Trust and each constituent school is critical to achieving the three objectives of effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability.
Our schools have a crucial role in achieving environmental sustainability because they help young people understand the world and develop skills and attitudes to live fulfilled lives as responsible citizens.
Priority Five: Developing our community and partnerships
We know that great schools are only sustainable within happy and healthy communities. In order to tackle the root causes of disadvantage we seek to ensure that school improvement and community development go hand in hand. In this way, the improvement is likely to be deeper, mutually supporting and long lasting.
We intend to foster closer relationships with neighbouring schools and academies, respecting their independence, whilst identifying collaborative activities and projects that may benefit both parties.
We will position ourselves as a Trust open to further membership and educational partnerships to ensure we are outward looking and recognised favourable by Essex County Council and the DfE.