More national recognition for local Schools Trust

Preston Hedges Trust which drives forward Fun, Creativity and Achievement at four schools in Northampton and one in Milton Keynes, has been shortlisted for the 2024 Optimus Multi-Academy Trust Excellence Awards’ Executive Team of the Year.

This recognition for the team comes hot on the heels of the Trust having scooped Small Trust of the Year, and overall Trust of the Year at last year’s Multi-Academy Trust Awards, in addition to one of its Northampton schools - Parklands Primary - winning Primary School of the Year and Headteacher of the Year at the Northamptonshire Education Awards last autumn.

This latest recognition for Trust staff tops off a period of incredible achievements; the Trust having seen two schools it was charged with improving move out of Ofsted special measures and become formally recognised as ‘Good’ schools. All the Trust’s schools now far outstrip national benchmarks in the numbers of children achieving ‘age-related’ outcomes.

This recognition also highlights the strength and resilience of the team’s community partnership; rising to the challenges it faced at Buckton Fields after being told the existing school building could no longer be used because of structural issues.

Chief Executive of the Trust Paul Watson said: “Our brilliant executive team is made up of all the school principals, as well as our central team leaders, and has an outstanding ambition, energy and drive to achieve excellent education outcomes for pupils at all our schools. We are delighted this collaboration and exceptional hard work is being recognised after what has been a challenging but very successful year.”

The winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony later this year.