The role of Catholic multi-academy trusts (CMATs) within the Church’s mission is currently the subject of a university research project.
St Mary’s, in Twickenham (pictured), is one of four Catholic universities in England and will look into the effectiveness and distinctiveness of CMATs, their leadership formation, and how CMATs fit in with the Church’s structures.
The aim is to help inform the Church as it accompanies Catholic educational leaders in their vocational and spiritual formation. It promises to assist in the development of CMATs, and the structures for their support, to positively impact staff and students.
Funded in its first phase by the Sisters of the Holy Cross Charitable Incorporated Organisation, the research will be carried out with the support of the CES; Formatio partnership of dioceses, CMATs and universities; and the Catholic Academy Trust Training Collaborative (CATtColl).
Direct oversight of the research will be undertaken by Professor Stephen Parker, Director of the university’s Centre for Catholic Education, Research and Religious Literacy (CERRL), with the support of Dr Mary Mihovilović, and CMAT Research Fellow, Dr Jakub Kowalewski.
Professor Parker said: “St Mary's is responding to the call of CEOs themselves for knowledge which assists them in fulfilling their vocational roles in providing Catholic education which makes a difference to young lives in line with the Church's mission, at a point of significant change in Catholic education in England.”
Broadly, the research will investigate:
- the effectiveness and distinctiveness of CMATs
- the current experiences of CMAT leaders, their professional and spiritual formation and likely future need in a period of great organisational and educational change
- the current and future positioning of CMATs within the wider mission of the Church and its existing educational and ecclesial structures of support and governance
The Formatio partnership supports the CES and diocesan schools commissions to work with the four Catholic universities and Catholic multi-academy trusts in implementing strategies for school leadership and governance, as commissioned by the Bishops in 2017.