Who We Are

SELCAT is a Multi-Academy trust covering Catholic schools in South East London as part of the strategic plan of the Archdiocese of Southwark. SELCAT became operational in 2021.

What is a Multi Academy Trust? 

A Multi Academy Trust is a group of Academies working together within a newly constituted company. The Trust works for the good of all pupils, staff and academies within its remit and takes on the overall responsibility for educational standards, finance, and compliance. The Trust becomes the employer of all staff and provides central services to its academies as decided by them. The Multi Academy Trust takes a percentage from each school budget to fund these services. MATs take away much of the time-consuming stresses that prevent leadership teams and headteachers concentrating on what really matter – delivering the very best educational opportunities for their students.

Why is the Education commission supporting the development of our Multi Academy Trust? 

The development of our Multi Academy Trust is part of the Diocesan strategy for education, looking to group schools into geographically sensible clusters in MATs

The development of this Trust is part of the wider strategy for Southwark Archdiocese. The highest concentration of Single Academy Trusts within the Archdiocese is in the South East London boroughs. SELCAT oversees schools offering education to pupils from 3 to19 and is a multi-phase MAT.   

The SELCAT Board are therefore, committed to working with their Founding partners to create a remarkable Multi Academy Trust that enhances the work of the schools and the life chances of young people.

To do this SELCAT is committed to adding value by; 

  • Investing in staff development and school improvement  
  • Facilitating collaborative developments and activities between its schools 
  • Realising the power of economies of scale in procurement of supplies and services 
  • Reducing administrative burdens on Headteachers and Local Governing Boards to enable them to concentrate on the needs of their pupils and staff. 

The impact of these activities will be to raise standards through 

  • Greater accountability  
  • Improved strategic planning  
  • Enhanced professional development opportunities for staff
  • Funding targeted activities to improve the quality of teaching and learning and raising 
  • Standards of achievement of all young people within the Trust, regardless of background, race, home language and prior attainment.  

Building on the high aspirations and expectations, strong quality of teaching and outcomes within the SELCAT founding Academies to work, over time with less successful schools outside SELCAT for the common good of all.  

Who is sponsoring SELCAT?  

SELCAT is sponsored by a ‘Company’ owned by the members and provide a direct line of sight from Archbishop John Wilson through to pupils in schools.