THE BLESSED EDWARD BAMBER CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

What THE BLESSED EDWARD BAMBER CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST does

The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust (BEBCMAT) is a charitable academy trust operating 20 Catholic schools across the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, England, serving 4,965 pupils and employing 749 dedicated staff. Established on 2 July 2015 under the Diocese of Lancaster's canonical authority, the trust comprises one secondary school with a sixth form and 19 primary schools operating across 15 Catholic parishes. Member schools retain their individual identity (names, uniforms, schedules) but operate under a unified governance and admissions regime that prioritizes baptised Roman Catholics.

BEBCMAT's operating model is a centralized coordination platform. Schools keep budget autonomy but share central services delivered from headquarters at 154 High Cross Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, covering finance, payroll, procurement, HR, legal, estates, health and safety, governance and clerking, ICT, chaplaincy, professional development, and school improvement. The trust's only notable owned technology asset is BEBCMAT Connect, a Schudio-built document portal providing staff access to policies and procedures. St Mary's Catholic Academy in Blackpool has been designated as a Research School and CPD Center of Excellence in partnership with Blackpool Research School, formalizing evidence-based training across the network.

Funding flows directly from the Education Funding Agency (ESFA) under the Department for Education via Master and Supplemental Funding Agreements, displacing the previous Local Authority channel. Each school receives per-pupil allocations and new intakes receive a £25,000 DfE academy conversion grant. Growth is driven externally by Bishop Paul Swarbrick's mandate that all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lancaster become academies by 2026; intake has proceeded in four documented waves (Wave One 2015-2016, Wave Two 2022-2023, Wave Three 2024-2025, Wave Four 2026), with three additional schools scheduled to join in March-April 2026.

Name

THE BLESSED EDWARD BAMBER CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

Legal name

The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust

Website

https://bebcmat.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust operates 20 Catholic schools across the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, serving 4,965 pupils under the Diocese of Lancaster. It delivers shared central services, funded directly by government per-pupil allocations, while executing Bishop-mandated growth through phased academy conversions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi Academy Trust Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic primary education
• Catholic secondary education
• Multi academy trust
• School central support
• Academisation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Poulton-le-Fylde

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Academies receive funding directly from the Education Funding Agency (ESFA) instead of through Local Authority. Funding includes per-pupil allocations and specific grants for academy conversion (£25,000 per school).
2. School Budget Contributions: Each school retains and manages its own budget but contributes for key roles and projects within the Trust. Schools benefit from economies of scale when purchasing and commissioning external contracts through the central team.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust operates a network of 20 Catholic schools (1 secondary with sixth form and 19 primary schools) along the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, delivering Catholic primary and secondary education to 4,965 pupils. The Trust also provides centralized support services to member schools covering finance, payroll, procurement, HR, legal, estates, health and safety, governance, ICT, chaplaincy, professional development, and school improvement, enabling shared best practices and economies of scale across the family of schools.

Product overview

The Blessed Edward Bamber Catholic Multi Academy Trust operates as a unified platform of Catholic educational institutions along the Fylde Coast. The Trust manages 20 schools (1 secondary academy with sixth form, 1 secondary school, and 19 primary schools) through a central support services infrastructure. Key offerings include the BEBCMAT Connect document portal for staff, central support services covering finance, HR, payroll, procurement, legal, estates, health and safety, governance, ICT, chaplaincy, professional development, and school improvement. The Trust's schools are organized into expansion waves (Wave One through Wave Four), with new schools joining on scheduled dates. St. Mary's Catholic Academy in Blackpool serves as a designated Research School and CPD Center of Excellence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Central Support Services
• BEBCMAT Connect

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Diocese of LancasterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of Lancaster, under Bishop Paul Swarbrick, is the founding authority behind the MAT. The Bishop has mandated that all Catholic schools in the Diocese join Multi Academy Trusts by 2026. The Diocese provides ultimate control through appointment of Members (Bishop, Episcopal Vicar for Education, Diocesan Board of Education Trustees) and majority of Foundation Directors.
• Blackpool Research SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt Mary's Catholic Academy in Blackpool is designated as a Research School and CPD Center of Excellence. Blackpool Research School provides evidence-based knowledge and training to staff across the trust, delivering outstanding education through the latest educational research.
• Catholic Education ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Catholic Education Service works with the trust on developing Catholic life in schools. The CES provides documentation alongside the Department for Education addressing key 'non-negotiable' Catholic education protections.
• Department for Education (DfE)coreOthersThe DfE, through the Education Funding Agency (ESFA) and Regional Schools Commissioner, provides direct funding to academies and oversight of academy conversion. The trust operates under Master Funding Agreement and Supplemental Funding Agreements with DfE.
• Blackpool Council / Lancashire County CouncilminorOthersLocal authorities retain statutory responsibilities for areas such as safeguarding and SEND. Local authorities handle school admission appeals and provide transition support. Playing fields owned by local authorities are expected to grant 125-year leases to the trust.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aquinas Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic multi academy trust providing shared services and governance across a portfolio of Catholic schools. Comparable as a peer diocesan-linked K–12 MAT structure.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic MAT in the Midlands operating multiple primary and secondary academies under diocesan authority. Comparable in mission, governance structure and school-improvement central services.
• Holy Family Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic MAT providing central services to a portfolio of primary and secondary schools. Comparable in operating model (faith-based K–12 MAT with shared services) and in reliance on diocesan oversight.
• Loreto Catholic Academy Trust: A Catholic MAT in the North West operating a portfolio of primary and secondary schools. Directly comparable in faith-based K–12 governance and shared central support functions.
• St Joseph's Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic MAT operating a portfolio of Catholic primary and secondary schools. Comparable in operating model, faith-based admissions and central services structure.
• Diocese of Salford Multi Academy Trust: The Catholic MAT arm of the Diocese of Salford, operating multiple Catholic schools across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Comparable as a larger diocesan Catholic MAT with shared central services.
• Mater Ecclesiae Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic multi academy trust in the Preston area operating under the Diocese of Lancaster. Directly comparable as a fellow Catholic MAT in the same diocese with a similar wave-based expansion model and central services structure.
• Carmel Education Trust: A Catholic multi academy trust operating a network of Catholic schools under diocesan authority. Comparable in operating model, central services offering and faith-based mission.
• Notre Dame Catholic Multi Academy Trust: A Catholic MAT providing education across multiple primary and secondary schools under diocesan oversight. Comparable in governance, faith-based identity and shared back-office functions.

Regional players

• Fylde Coast Academy Trust: A non-faith-based multi academy trust operating schools along the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Comparable as a regional peer operating in the same geographic catchment area and competing for the same pupil pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BlessedEdwardBamberCatholicMAT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-blessed-edward-bamber-catholic-multi-academy-trust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE BLESSED EDWARD BAMBER CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST