MAT Merger

The proposed merger between The STAR MAT and South York MAT

Since our formation in 2018, The STAR Multi-Academy Trust has worked collaboratively for the best interests of our pupils and wider community. We are so proud of the work we have done and our achievements to date. The strength all our schools gain from working together, sharing best practice and benefiting from our central offer and educational provision is very real. In a turbulent educational world, the level of support that we are able to give to each other has proven invaluable.

Our values and the inclusive nature of our trust are fundamental to what we do. Serving our communities is of the highest importance to us all.

We know that to continue to develop the work that we feel so passionately about, we should look to appropriate growth and connections. Our work is based on collaboration, and we have always looked to work with likeminded schools and trusts.

Over recent months our Trust Board has been in discussion with South York MAT (SYMAT), who share the same ambitions for their young people. Both Trusts have a clear commitment to providing an exceptional education in the heart of our local communities. We both value the unique qualities and strengths of all our schools.

Collectively our Trust Boards believe the best way forward to further enhance our work is to bring our Multi-Academy Trusts together in a formal merger. All our schools would work closely together within a combined new Multi Academy Trust.

Both boards have resolved to continue to progress merger discussions and in March 2025, the Department for Education has approved our application. We are now working hard towards the ambition of YLT being in place for autumn 2025.

Our new Trust will be led by an experienced team who have already been working together on the formation of Yorkshire Learning Trust, for over a year:

Chief Executive Officer: Ian Yapp (current CEO, STAR)

Director of Education: Steve Lewis (current CEO, SYMAT)

Chief Finance Officer: Melissa Boyes (current CFOO, STAR)

Chief Operations Officer: Sam Bradford (current CFO, SYMAT)

Our aspiration is that our new merged Trust is in place for the beginning of next academic year, but there is much to do. As ever, our most important focus through the transition to Yorkshire Learning Trust will be our continued focus on the education and wellbeing of all of our young people, though we will of course take opportunities to enhance this further through the new collaborations and partnerships our new Trust family brings even before the formal merger date.

For Yorkshire Learning Trust, our vision and values will be continuous from our legacy organisations and always focused on our young people and staff, aspiring for great outcomes and life chances through high quality inclusive education.

A Values and Principles Led Organisation

With inclusion as a core value we will really look to secure BELONGING as a key theme as we move towards the launch of Yorkshire Learning Trust. It is vital that every single young person and adult continues to have a strong sense of personal identity and feels that they belong as part of their local school community. But we also want to build on this and harness the power of collaboration so that people also feel part of something bigger, an organisation which works with its community at all levels to ensure the best possible outcomes.

We will of course communicate steps taken along the way to realise this exciting proposal.

Should you have any questions please send them to us via enquiries@starmat.uk.