ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST

What ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST does

All Saints Catholic Academy Trust (ASCAT) is a Catholic Multi Academy Trust (CMAT) operating a network of 12-13 state-funded primary, infant, junior, and secondary schools across South West Hertfordshire — covering the Watford, St Albans, and Dacorum areas. Formed in 2016 as part of the Diocese of Westminster's Academy Strategy (with some sources citing founding in 2012), ASCAT functions as the destination Academy Trust for 'Family 1' of the Diocese's Catholic schools in the region. The Trust's schools retain their individual Catholic ethos, history, and local character while receiving centralised professional services. ASCAT is a not-for-profit charitable company limited by guarantee (Company Number 7943555), governed by a Trust Board of Foundation Directors appointed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, with the Archbishop of Westminster and Auxiliary Bishop (Education) serving as Members.

The Trust provides a shared services platform to member schools, including standardised HR and payroll systems, Management Information Systems (MIS), finance systems, risk assessment and audit, CPD programmes for ECTs and aspiring leaders, school improvement resources, shared executive leadership, and negotiated procurement contracts for better value. The technology stack is described as standard school management and educational technology — commodity MIS, finance, and HR/payroll systems rather than proprietary platforms. Member schools benefit from centralised expertise while operating within Trust-wide policies and processes; the Trust is organised around geographical hubs (Watford, St Albans, Dacorum) to maintain local connections.

ASCAT's business model is revenue-funded by the Department for Education (DfE) via per-pupil funding allocations as schools convert to academy status and join the Trust. Education is delivered free at the point of use; there are no tuition fees. The Trust also operates the ASCAT Hope Fund (a charitable initiative for student/family crisis support), a teacher training partnership with St Mary's University, and joint CPD events with peer Trusts such as St John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust. Admissions are managed via Hertfordshire County Council processes. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed in the source data. Leadership is headed by CEO Stephen Wheatley, with CFO Graham Young and COO Sharon Monteith among the executive team, and a Trust Board chaired by Laura Sharp.

Name

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST

Legal name

All Saints Catholic Academy Trust

Website

https://ascatonline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

All Saints Catholic Academy Trust (ASCAT) is a Catholic Multi Academy Trust operating 12-13 state-funded primary, infant, junior, and secondary schools across South West Hertfordshire (Watford, St Albans, Dacorum), formed under the Diocese of Westminster's Academy Strategy to provide centralised services and shared Catholic ethos to member schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Abbots Langley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding (DfE): As an Academy Trust, ASCAT receives direct funding from the Department for Education for running its network of schools. Schools convert to academy status and join the Trust, bringing their per-pupil funding allocation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

All Saints Catholic Academy Trust (ASCAT) operates a network of Catholic primary, infant, junior, and secondary schools across South West Hertfordshire under the Diocese of Westminster's Academy Strategy, providing state-funded education from nursery through sixth form. It delivers centralised professional services to member schools including shared executive leadership, HR and payroll, finance systems, governance, school improvement support, CPD programmes, estates management, and charitable crisis support via the ASCAT Hope Fund.

Product overview

All Saints Catholic Academy Trust (ASCAT) is a Catholic Multi Academy Trust operating a network of 13 schools across South West Hertfordshire (Watford, St Albans and Dacorum areas). The Trust provides a collaborative structure of school support and innovation for Catholic schools, offering both primary and secondary educational services. The portfolio includes 10 primary schools (including infant and junior schools), 2 secondary schools, and 1 infant school. The Trust also offers teacher training partnerships with St Mary's University, operates the ASCAT Hope Fund charitable initiative for crisis support, and provides centralized services including HR, payroll, finance, governance, estates, and school improvement support to member schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASCAT Hope Fund: Charitable arm of the trust raising money to support students and families across the trust at times of crisis.

Products and services

• Divine Saviour Catholic Primary School A single form entry Catholic primary school founded by the Sisters of the Divine Saviour in 1966, serving the parishes of Abbots Langley and Chipperfield, and one of the two founding schools of ASCAT.
• St Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School A Catholic secondary school founded by the Daughters of Jesus with the mission 'Love Christ: Inspire Others', committed to pastoral care, academic achievement and spiritual development.
• St John Fisher Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school committed to inspiring confident, independent learners with Christ's love at the heart of all they do.
• Holy Rood Catholic Primary School A two-form entry Catholic primary school opened in 1885 by Dominican sisters in North Watford, known for high standards and a dynamic curriculum.
• St Thomas More Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in Berkhamsted committed to putting Gospel Values at the centre of everything they do.
• J F Kennedy Catholic Secondary School A Catholic secondary school in Hemel Hempstead with the mission 'Inspire, Achieve, Serve', focused on drawing out the potential in each person academically, personally and spiritually.
• Pope Paul Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in Potters Bar with the mission 'Learning in the Light of Christ', where Gospel values underpin the aim to provide an outstanding, inspiring education for all.
• St John's Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in Rickmansworth, rebuilt and reopened after a major RAAC recovery project; proud of working together to create a community based on strong relationships and shared Christian faith.
• St Albert the Great Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in Hemel Hempstead promoting Catholic values and ethos with strong parish links to Our Lady, Queen of all Creation Church.
• St Rose's Catholic Infant School A Catholic infant school in Hemel Hempstead providing a friendly and supportive learning environment that nurtures each individual child.
• St Bernadette Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in London Colney with the mission 'Learning in Knowledge, Faith and Love'.
• St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Junior School A Catholic junior school in Hemel Hempstead with a vision for every child to flourish academically, spiritually, emotionally, physically and socially.
• St Dominic Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in Harpenden dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive environment with Christ at the centre, recently joined ASCAT as the 12th member school.
• St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School A Catholic primary school in St Albans with the mission to learn and grow with God every day.
• Teacher Training Partnership with St Mary's University A tailored teacher training package offered in partnership with St Mary's University to support professional development of future teachers in primary and secondary subjects including Biology, Chemistry, Computing, English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Physics, and Religious Studies.
• ASCAT Hope Fund A charitable arm of the Trust raising money to support students and families across the Trust at times of crisis, providing urgent and practical support for economic hardship, homelessness, serious illness and bereavement.
• Trust School Improvement Services Centralised professional services for member schools including HR and payroll systems, MIS and Finance Systems, Management, Risk Assessment and audit, CPD programmes for ECTs and Aspiring Leaders, School Improvement resources and support, and Shared Executive Leadership for cluster academies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple schools have achieved Outstanding judgments from Ofsted and Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Diocese of WestminsterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The Diocese of Westminster is the sponsoring diocese for ASCAT. The Trust was formed as part of the Diocese's Academy Strategy to provide a collaborative structure for Catholic schools in South West Hertfordshire. Diocese-appointed Foundation Directors serve on the Trust Board, and the Archbishop of Westminster and Auxiliary Bishop (Education) are Members of the Trust.
• St Mary's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASCAT has partnered with St Mary's University to offer a tailored teacher training package for future teachers. The partnership supports high quality teacher training aligned with the Trust's vision for Outstanding Catholic Education.
• St John Southworth Catholic Academy TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASCAT partnered with St John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust for joint CPD events for Trust Board Directors and Executive Team staff, sharing expertise and professional development opportunities.
• Hertfordshire County CouncilcoreOthersASCAT schools operate within the Hertfordshire County Council area. The Trust works with HCC on school admissions, admissions appeals timelines, and statutory education services for students in the region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Painsley Catholic Multi Academy Trust: Catholic MAC operating multiple primary and secondary schools in the Staffordshire area under diocesan sponsorship, with a comparable shared leadership and central services model — a natural structural comparable to ASCAT.
• St John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust: Another Catholic Multi-Academy Trust within the Diocese of Westminster network and an explicit CPD and governance partner of ASCAT. Directly comparable in mission, diocesan affiliation, governance structure, and shared service model.
• Loreto Education Trust: Catholic education trust running a network of schools with a faith-led, multi-academy trust structure similar in governance philosophy and central support model to ASCAT.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust: Catholic MAT operating multiple primary and secondary schools. Comparable to ASCAT in terms of diocesan oversight, K–12 mix, and centralized service delivery model.
• Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Trust: Catholic MAC operating a network of schools. Comparable to ASCAT in terms of Catholic identity, diocesan governance, and multi-academy trust operating model.
• Holy Family Catholic Academy Trust: Catholic Multi-Academy Trust operating primary and secondary schools under diocesan sponsorship, comparable to ASCAT in scope, mission, and standardized central services approach.
• Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust: Catholic Multi-Academy Trust in the North East of England formed under a diocesan academy strategy, operating a portfolio of primary and secondary schools — directly comparable in scale, mission, and operating model to ASCAT.

Broad incumbents

• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): Major national multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across England. A broad incumbent comparable in offering centralized back-office and school improvement services to member academies, though covering a far larger, non-Catholic portfolio.
• United Learning: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts, operating a broad portfolio of primary and secondary schools across the country. A broader, secular incumbent that demonstrates the scale benchmarks and shared-services operating model to which ASCAT aspires as it grows.
• Harris Federation: Large, well-established UK multi-academy trust running many primary and secondary academies. Comparable in terms of centralized professional services and standardized policies, but a much larger, secular incumbent rather than a faith-led specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ASCAT2019
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ascatonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/all-saints-catholic-academy-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/ascatonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries14 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 ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST