St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan MAT

What St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan MAT does

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust is a charitable Multi Academy Trust, established in 2015 and registered in England and Wales (Company Number 09499496), that operates 21 Church of England primary schools across Suffolk, serving nearly 3,000 pupils aged 4-11 in both rural and urban communities. The MAT functions as a school-to-school support network providing centralised governance, school improvement infrastructure, professional development, and shared services to member academies while preserving significant school-level autonomy. Its vision is to deliver the highest possible quality of education underpinned by a Christian ethos drawn from the Church of England's Vision for Education (wisdom, hope, community, dignity).

Name

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan MAT

Legal name

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust

Website

https://cofesuffolkmat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan MAT is a charitable Church of England Multi Academy Trust operating 21 primary schools in Suffolk, UK, serving nearly 3,000 pupils with centralised school improvement, governance, and shared financial and assessment systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAC

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYBPAGAJAD

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Primary education services
• Multi academy trust
• School improvement support
• Church school governance
• Teacher professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipswich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (GAG): The MAT receives the majority of its funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) via the General Annual Grant (GAG). Schools set their own balanced budgets which are approved by the MAT board. The MAT retains a top slice of GAG funding (currently 6%) for central running costs including central staff employment and procured services.
2. Condition Improvement Funding (CIF): The MAT has enjoyed considerable success obtaining Condition Improvement Funding from the ESFA for building projects that improve learning environments. This is project-based capital funding rather than recurring revenue.
3. Third-Party Grants: The MAT has received grants from organisations such as Eastern Counties Educational Trust (ECET) to fund specific initiatives including mental health provision through YMCA Trinity Group.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust operates 21 Church of England primary schools in Suffolk, delivering primary education to nearly 3,000 pupils aged 4–11. It provides member schools with shared school improvement infrastructure (standardised Insight assessment tracking, PS Financials financial management, SOAP reporting), centralised governance and safeguarding oversight, school-to-school peer support through regional hubs, mental health provision via YMCA Trinity Group, catering through Aspens, and Church of England National Professional Qualifications (NPQH, NPQSL, NPQSEND) for teacher and leader development.

Product overview

St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust operates as an educational organization consisting of Church of England primary schools in Suffolk. The MAT provides educational services through its network of academies, offering primary education to approximately 3000 pupils across 21 schools. The organization focuses on school improvement, professional development, and supporting member schools while maintaining Christian ethos and values.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Church of England Primary Education Membership (21 Schools)

Quantifiable outcome

• All schools that have been inspected by Ofsted since joining the trust have been judged Good or maintained a previous Good standard.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Aspens CateringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2023Aspens is the MAT's catering provider, offering healthy, seasonal, and nutritious meals across all schools. The partnership includes chef teams that engage in selecting suppliers and creating recipes showcasing seasonal produce, aligning with the trust's vision for student wellbeing.
• YMCA Trinity GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT has commissioned YMCA Trinity Group for mental health support services, providing predominantly one-to-one therapy for individuals with additional group work. Therapists work on site at each school. The partnership has been running for three years, with additional funding from ECET enabling its continuation.
• Myland English HubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT is involved with the Myland English Hub, a government-designated English hub supporting the teaching of early language and reading.
• The Angles Maths HubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT is involved with The Angles Maths Hub, a government-designated maths hub supporting the professional development of maths teachers.
• The Suffolk Computing HubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT is involved with the Suffolk Computing Hub, supporting computing education across the trust's schools.
• Church of England (Diocese of Norwich)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT works in partnership with the Church of England Diocese of Norwich to deliver NPQH (Headship qualification). The trust offers Church of England NPQs including NPQH, NPQSL, and NPQSEND. Courses combine online webinars, self-study, and face-to-face sessions held in Norwich, Ipswich, or Wetheringsett.
• Church of England Diocese of St Edmundsbury and IpswichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MAT operates under the umbrella of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese. The Diocesan Director of Education (Jane Sheat) established the MAT in 2015. The trust's Christian ethos is underpinned by the Church of England's Vision for Education (wisdom, hope, community, dignity). The Diocese provides governance oversight through members including the Venerable Robin King.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Peterborough Diocese Education Trust: Diocesan MAT operating Church of England schools in the Peterborough area. Comparable regional diocese-based school trust structure and Christian ethos.
• Birmingham Diocesan Multi Academy Trust: Large diocesan MAT operating CofE schools in the West Midlands. Comparable in faith-based positioning and centralised school-improvement infrastructure, though operating in an urban-dominant geography.
• Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Education Multi Academy Trust: Diocesan education arm in Essex operating CofE schools as academies. Comparable East of England faith-based trust with similar governance and ethos.
• Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST): One of the UK's largest diocesan MATs operating CofE schools across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. Directly comparable operating model with centralised school-improvement support and similar faith-based positioning.
• Diocese of St Albans Multi Academy Trust (DSAMT): Diocesan MAT serving CofE schools across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. Directly comparable diocesan MAT model and structure.
• Bath and Wells Diocesan Multi Academy Trust: Diocesan MAT serving CofE schools across Somerset under the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Directly comparable model with hub-based school improvement and shared central services.
• Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust (DEMAT): Diocesan MAT operating Church of England schools across Cambridgeshire, with a comparable mix of rural and urban primary schools and similar school-improvement focus under a diocesan governance umbrella. Closest direct comparable in scale and faith-based positioning.
• Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust: Diocesan MAT serving CofE schools in Norfolk and Suffolk; partners with the St Edmundsbury MAT on NPQ delivery. Highly comparable structure, region, and faith-based mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SuffAcadTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/CofEsuffolk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-edmundsbury-ipswich-diocesan-mat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan MAT