Transforming learning, lives and communities
Welcome to the Education Partnership Trust
Thank you for your interest in the Education Partnership Trust. The EPT is a well-established and successful Multi Academy Trust, focussed on improving the outcomes of pupils across our inclusive schools.
Pupils are at the centre of all decision making and ensuring they achieve the highest academic standards is key to their future life chances. Raising the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is of particular importance to us.
As our name suggests, we understand the benefits of working in partnership to improve outcomes and work closely with local authorities, schools and other key stakeholders. Our schools are aligned for much of our key work, although we do not believe in a āone size fits allā model. We recognise that each school has its own identity, strengths and areas for development.
Our highly qualified and approachable central team are dedicated to securing the long-term success of our schools enabling school leaders to focus on the core business of teaching and learning.
We hope you find all the information you need to believe that whether you are a parent, prospective employee or school considering joining the EPT, your next steps should be taken with us.
Mark Cocker Chief Executive Officer
Our Vision
To raise achievement through creating ambitious inclusive schools which transform learning, lives and communities
Our Values
High Expectations of ourselves, our pupils and our school community
Commitment
we are dedicated to raising standards and improving opportunities
Ambition we constantly strive to improve by setting ourselves challenging goals
School Improvement
Our schools benefit from support and services that are tailored to their individual needs, enabling the schools to focus on the teaching and learning of pupils.
ā¢ Bespoke school improvement support provided by our Director of Education, Ofsted Inspector and former Headteacher of Pleckgate High School
ā¢ Ofsted preparation, support during and post inspection
ā¢ Quality Assurance Framework including support and challenge visits as appropriate
ā¢ Quality Assurance of Self Evaluation Form (SEF) and School Improvement Plan (SIP)
ā¢ Primary & Secondary ā Specialist Support SLE, LLE and NLE
ā¢ Training, coaching and mentoring
ā¢ Leadership, management and governance
ā¢ Assessment, tracking and use of data
ā¢ Access to central CPD and training
ā¢ Teaching and learning network group
ā¢ School to school support
ā¢ Annual Safeguarding audit
ā¢ Performance management support
ā¢ Website compliance
āFor schools contemplating entering into a MAT partnership, I recommend to choose the EPT. An organisation that strives to drive improvement for the pupils and staff across their schools.ā
Our Structure
Members
Members have ultimate responsibility for the trust achieving its charitable objectives. They sign off the articles of association and have power to appoint and remove the Board of Directors (Trustees).
Members
Board of Directors (Trustees)
Local Governing Body
Local Governing Body (LGB)
The board will establish, for each school, a Local Governing Body (LGB), whose governance role is to oversee the running of the school on behalf of the trust. The board will determine the level of delegation and membership of the LGB. The LGB has a key role in the overall system for school accountability and raising standards; ensuring that resources are used effectively to provide every child with the best possible education.
Board of Directors (Trustees)
The Board of Directors (BoD) must ensure compliance with company and charity law and with the trustās funding agreement with the Secretary of State. The directors are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of the trust in accordance with the provisions set out in the memorandum and articles of association. The board is accountable for the performance of all schools within the trust and as such must:
1 Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
2 Hold the executive to account for the educational performance of the schools and their pupils, and the performance management of staff
3 Oversee the financial performance of the trust and make sure its money is well spent
A full list of Directors is published on the EPT website www.ept-uk.com
Operations Executive
Operations Executive
The Operations Executive is the operational arm of the Trust. This team supports all the schools with their operational functions, including; School Improvement, Finance, HR, Health & Safety, Estates, Data Protection, ICT, Marketing & Communication, Public Relations and Project Management.
Collaboration
We believe passionately in the power of collaborative working and actively promote school to school support. Our network groups include School Business Managers, Teaching & Learning, SENCOās, Health & Safety, and core subject moderation.
Our Services
The strength of a Multi Academy Trust is the ability to offer so much more. Examples of our tailored support and specialisms include:
HR
ā¢ A dedicated, responsive & professional CIPD qualified HR Team
ā¢ Consultancy, Advice & Support
ā¢ Recruitment Administration Software
ā¢ Onsite Training & Development in EPT HR Policies & Procedures
ā¢ Absence Management Software & Monitoring System
ā¢ Health, Wellbeing & Engagement Staff Survey
ā¢ HR Policies Design and Implementation (Statutory & Non-Statutory)
ā¢ Union Negotiations (Recognition Agreement) and Policy Development Meetings
ā¢ TUPE Process
ā¢ Employment Contracts and Offer Letters
ā¢ Freedom of Information Requests
ā¢ Redundancy, Redeployment & Restructure Support and Guidance to Headteachers
ā¢ Extranet internal communication system
ā¢ Employment Law Advisory Service
ā¢ Legal services for conversion
Finance, Compliance and Payroll
ā¢ A dedicated, responsive & professional finance team through qualified accountants
ā¢ Financial advice, guidance and support to Governors, Headteachers and School Business Managers
ā¢ Budget review, follow up and consolidation
ā¢ Monthly management accounts review, follow up and consolidation
ā¢ DfE/ESFA financial returns
ā¢ VAT Returns and other HMRC matters
ā¢ Preparation for year-end external audit
ā¢ Preparation of Annual Report and Accounts
ā¢ Bank services and mandates
ā¢ Provision of software licences and ongoing training and support on financial system
ā¢ Accounting requirements around Capital Assets and ESFA Capital Grants
ā¢ Review and monitoring of internal controls
ā¢ Internal Audit Service
ā¢ Risk Management Register
ā¢ An ongoing programme of procurement services to realise economies of scale across the Trust, with a view to achieving value for money
ā¢ Arrangement of adequate insurance cover across the Trust
ā¢ Onsite training and development
ā¢ Payroll Services/Management
ā¢ TPS & LGPS Pension Administration, EOYC and Annual Returns
ā¢ Salary Statements & Pension Banding Statements (LGPS)
ā¢ Point of contact for payroll escalation
Governance
ā¢ Governance Scheme of Delegation
ā¢ Clerk to Local Governing Bodies and Committees
ā¢ Policy Framework, Development and Review
ā¢ Self-evaluation and Review
ā¢ Recruitment of Governors
ā¢ Training & Development of Governors
ā¢ Website compliance review
Information Technology (IT)
ā¢ IT support āBreak Fixā support (Business as Usual)
ā¢ Ticket system for faults
ā¢ IT systems advice & guidance
ā¢ IT audits
ā¢ Reprographics advice
ā¢ ISP management
ā¢ VOIP management
ā¢ Procurement of equipment, licences and consumables
Health & Safety
ā¢ H&S Policies
ā¢ H&S guidance and support including incident investigation
ā¢ Annual H&S audit
ā¢ Quarterly compliance checks
ā¢ Risk assessment templates
ā¢ RIDDOR reporting
All schools will receive a Trust Annual Safeguarding audit.
All employees have free access to our first class facilities including training and meeting rooms, Simply Health Cash Back Plan, Cycle to Work Scheme and both teachersā and local government pension schemes.
āItās right that schools should be able to focus on the key role of teaching, learning and school improvement. Our Trust provides the support they need to enable them to do that.ā
Our Schools
We believe it is important that our schools retain and promote their own identity within the overall vision of the EPT.
The Heights Blackburn
The Heights Blackburn is an alternative provision school which provides personalised programmes and support, to develop academic, vocational, personal and social skills.
theheightsfreeschool.org
Eden School
Eden is a SEMH Special School which engages pupils and develops positive attitudes to learning by providing life transforming education.
edenschool.org.uk
Coal Clough Academy
Coal Clough works in partnership with its local school communities to provide a stimulating learning environment, tailored to individual needs.
coalclough.org
Pleckgate High School
Pleckgate High School is a multi cultural community of pupils, staff, parents and carers. The purpose of the school is learning, and all members are entitled to experience success.
pleckgate.com
The Heights Burnley
The Heights, Burnley is an alternative provision school: helping students to grow, develop and create their own future through providing an alternative curriculum, working in partnership and instilling our PRIDE values in each student.
theheightsburnley.com
Atherton High School
Atherton High School opened in September 2012 and caters for pupils from Year 7 to 11, Atherton joined the Trust on the 1st April 2020.
Burnley High School
Burnley High School is a secondary school based in the Padiham area of Burnley, the school caters for pupils from Year 7 to 11, Burnley High School joined the Trust on the 1st April 2020.
Carr Hill High School
Carr Hill High School is a secondary school based in Kirkham, the school caters for pupils from Year 7 to 11. Carr Hill High School joined the Trust on the 1st September 2024.
Parklee Primary School
Parklee is a mainstream Primary school with a Nursery for pupils aged 3-11. The school embrace and celebrate every kind of achievement and are committed to inclusion. On 1st April 2025, Parklee became the first Primary school to join the Trust. athertonhigh.com
Our People
Whether working within our central team, or directly within our schools, the people who work within the EPT play an integral role in delivering our vision.
Since joining the EPT, Pleckgate High School has become part of a dynamic, forward-thinking multi academy trust.
As a School Business Manager the conversion to academy status was daunting but with the help and support of the professionals at the EPT the transition was smooth.
Beyond the benefits for my own practice and knowledge, the school has gone from strength to strength. The highlights being an improvement in progress in each of the last two years which now places Pleckgate in the top 18% of schools nationally.
I recommend other schools contemplating entering into a MAT partnership to choose the EPT. An organisation that strives to drive improvement for the pupils and staff across their schools.
David Clark School Business Manager Pleckgate High School
Our transfer to the Education Partnership Trust was seamless.
I have found the trust to be a fantastic organisation to work for and feel 100% supported in everything that I am doing in my role.
I enjoy the collaborative work involved in my role, where we can work across the MAT developing, coaching and mentoring staff.
From the moment I joined the EPT I have felt empowered to thrive in a role that suits my skills, I thoroughly enjoy coming to work every day and feel passionate about developing the staff, students and myself in the process of education.
Holly Clarke Headteacher Coal Clough Academy
They visited us and worked hard to get to know us as individuals and as a school. Then the support they offered us was absolutely fantastic. From supporting individual staff through to the team as a whole, they made sure we had had everything we needed in order to grow under the EPT umbrella and be a really successful school.
The Central Team offer us an answer to every question weāve got and support us in mapping out our future. They work with us to set small term milestones and long term goals, all of which helps us to understand what we can do better - and to celebrate our successes.
Emma Starkey Headteacher Burnley High School
First Class Facilities
Our schools benefit from free access to a wide range of first class facilities.
Our rooms are ideal for off-site group work, training, interviews, or larger conferences with a room available for 80 delegates. Our facilities are based in an excellent location with easy access to motorway networks (M65, M6 and M61). Sat Nav BB1 8QA, with car parking to the side of the building.
All rooms have free Wi-Fi access and have state of the art 90ā Samsung touch screen technology to accommodate your event.
Venue Features
ā¢ Great location
ā¢ Kitchen and break-out facilities
ā¢ Room capacities up to 80 delegates
ā¢ Versatile room layouts
ā¢ Fully accessible
ā¢ Room controlled air-conditioning
ā¢ Free Wi-Fi
Training Room
80 delegates for theatre style, or 40 delegates for cabaret style
ā¢ 90ā Interactive Samsung touchscreen
ā¢ free Wi-Fi
ā¢ flip chart
ā¢ break-out area
ā¢ kitchen facilities
Board Room
16 delegates
ā¢ 65ā Interactive Samsung touchscreen
ā¢ free Wi-Fi
ā¢ flip chart
ā¢ break-out area
ā¢ kitchen facilities
Contact
Are you considering becoming an academy but still unsure of the process and what is involved?
If so, please contact us by either registering your interest on our website or by contacting us directly by email or telephone. We would be delighted to meet with you on an informal basis to discuss both our organisation and the wide range of benefits available to your school.
Call 01254 790026
Email contact@ept-uk.com
Visit Education Partnership Trust, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QA
The EPT is a not-for-profit Multi-Academy Trust and approved academy sponsor
