How we work

Join a growing organisation that encourages all staff to be the best they can through continuous networking and professional development opportunities through the various family wide events and links to the parent organisation - The University of Wolverhampton.

UWMAT has a track record of working with schools, children and young people to raise standards and aspirations across the region.

You will be supported by our Director of Academies and the UWMAT Team in areas such as Teaching and Learning, Leadership, School Improvement, Finance and HR, empowering you to maximise opportunities for improving the life chances of the young people we serve.

We intend there to be a strong working relationship between the Trust Officers and Headteachers based on mutual respect, and healthy challenge and support. The Headteacher will have the autonomy to lead the school and to make decisions whilst working alongside the Trust Senior Leadership Team. Through this relationship, external advice and support will be sourced according to the needs of both the Headteacher and the academy, underpinned by our vision of ‘innovation and opportunity’.We welcome new ideas and fresh approaches. Our model for sponsorship is based on a supportive professional network with our schools working together to improve standards; provide excellent professional development and pathways for school personnel.

“Positive Impacts of the University of Wolverhampton Multi Academy Trust on Trust Schools” based on Ofsted Reports June 2017 to February 2019

Albert Bradbeer Primary Academy, Section 5 Inspection, 20-21st June 2017

“The head teacher, members of the interim advisory board and multi-academy trust have acted decisively to eliminate weak teaching.”
“The combined efforts of senior leaders, governors and the Education Central Multi Academy Trust are having a positive impact on school improvement.”
“There are good opportunities for leaders and staff to see and share best practice with other staff in the trust and in the local cluster of schools.”
“The training and professional development of teachers and support staff have improved markedly since the school became an academy. The trust’s school improvement team commission’s consultants and experts to support, advise and train staff. Newly qualified teachers, for example, receive additional and enhanced support from this team after completing their first year of teaching. This is very well received by staff.”
“Since the school converted to become a primary academy in September 2014, the Education Central Multi-Academy Trust acted decisively to identify the strengths and weaknesses of leadership, governance and teaching. As a result, there have been many staff and leadership changes since the predecessor school’s previous inspection in 2012. The subsequent appointment of a head teacher with a strong track record was essential and key to turning the school around from a previously weak position. The trust and the interim advisory board have therefore been effective and instrumental in securing improvement through the intelligent recruitment of strong leaders and teachers.”
“Because of previous weakness in governance, the Education Central Multi-Academy Trust acted decisively soon after the appointment of the head teacher by disbanding the former governing body and establishing a board of governors who had the necessary skills and track record in school improvement to form the interim advisory board. There is now effective governance which oversees and challenges leaders and staff to sustain improvements to the school.”

Edgar Stammers Primary Academy, Monitoring Visit, 13th-14th March 2018;

The trust has continued to provide the school with an appropriate level of support. Staff from Featherstone Primary School have built effectively on the support programme that was noted at the time of the last monitoring inspection. Recent meetings with senior leaders and the chair of the local governing body have rightly focused on plans to support the changes in leadership after April. A strategic plan for a new leadership structure has been agreed. This is testimony to the hard work of the trust’s director for primary academies. A relationship of trust and honesty has been established between school leaders and the trust. The trust recognises that the school is in a vulnerable position, particularly given the changes in headship. Directors have agreed appropriate plans to secure and strengthen leadership to ensure that the improvements made so far are sustained and built upon.

Fairway Primary Academy, Section 8 Inspection, 5th February 2019

The local governing body (LGB) has contributed well to the school’s improvement, as has the University of Wolverhampton Multi-Academy Trust (UWMAT). Members of the LGB have a good range of appropriate skills. They know the school well and are clear about the actions being taken to address weaknesses. They check that these actions are having the desired impact. UWMAT provides highly effective support for leaders and governors, mainly through its director of academies. For example, this support has contributed well to improving teaching and early years provision.

Featherstone Academy, Section 8 Inspection, 20th June 2019

In 2014, the school converted to academy status, joining a multi-academy trust. Although you and your governors did not initially feel that the school benefited from membership, you now increasingly value the support that you receive from the trust. This includes a range of additional opportunities that are available to staff and pupils in order to further improve the quality of teaching, the curriculum and pupils’ outcomes.

Heathlands Primary Academy, Section 5 Inspection, 20-21st June 2019

Over the last year, the trust has provided more effective support and helped to stem the decline in pupils’ achievement.
The head teacher and other staff work in close partnership with the trust’s director of primary academies. The director’s work is particularly effective because he provides a high degree of challenge to the head teacher and other leaders. This is helping to improve practice and raise levels of achievement. Teachers, too, benefit from the trust’s support. For example, the early years lead has developed her leadership skills successfully through working with a teaching and learning adviser from the trust.
Leaders make all the necessary checks on staff and volunteers to ensure that they reduce the risk of unsuitable adults working with children. These checks are overseen effectively by governors and the trust.

Pye Green Academy, Section 8 Inspection, 12th September 2017

School continues to be good. No real comment on Trust.

Smestow School, Section 8 Inspection, 20th June 2017

Senior leaders, governors and the trust are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.
Education Central Multi Academy Trust (ECMAT) has provided effective support to the school since the previous inspection. The trust checks the work of the school effectively through school visits and through the half-termly ‘forecast and analysis’ support and challenge meetings. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result of these meetings, ECMAT has carefully identified and selected the right school improvement partners and agencies to bring about the necessary improvement. For example, ECMAT has commissioned reviews by outside agencies of: the school’s key stage 3 provision; the effectiveness of middle leaders; the effectiveness of the school’s work in developing pupils’ numeracy skills; governance; and pupils’ behaviour. You told me that this support has been ‘great’ and has helped you and your leaders to address the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Governors told me that they now have a much clearer understanding of published information as a result of the review of governance and subsequent support arranged by ECMAT. They added that they can now challenge leaders’ assertions better. The improvements in the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and the challenge of school leaders evidenced in the governors’ minutes of meetings are examples of the effectiveness of this support and guidance. ECMAT has arranged for leaders and staff to visit ‘outstanding’ schools to observe effective practice. The trust has also ensured that Smestow School leaders share their knowledge and expertise with other ECMAT schools. At the previous inspection, ECMAT had not made sure that a scheme of delegation was in place. This has now been resolved and members of the local governing body are clear about their roles and responsibilities.

Tame Valley Academy, Section 8 Inspection, 27th November 2018

School continues to be good. No real comment on Trust.
Teaching and learning across the school. It is shortly to provide an additional member of the senior leadership team. The aim of this post is to build capacity in a number of areas, including provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Wednesfield High, Section 5 Inspection, 4th-5th December 2018

The school’s sponsor, the University of Wolverhampton Multi-Academy Trust (UWMAT), provides effective support and challenge to leaders. It has become increasingly responsive to the school’s needs since the last inspection. It now quickly sources additional support as soon as leaders have identified a need. UWMAT has either directly provided or externally sourced effective support for the school in many areas, including safeguarding, SEND provision, subject leadership, data use and improving the reliability of assessment information.
Governance has improved considerably since the school’s previous inspection and is now effective. The UWMAT board of trustees provides effective scrutiny of the school’s performance through UWMAT’s chief executive officer (CEO). It also secures timely support for leaders, largely through its executive head teacher.
Together, the UWMAT board of trustees, its CEO, its executive head teacher and the school’s IAB ensure that all statutory duties are carried out diligently. For example, the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements is checked regularly and governors provide careful scrutiny of the spending of additional funding.