Exceed Academies Trust has a successful track record of welcoming new schools into our highly effective partnership. If you are interested in a conversation or finding out more, please do not hesitate to contact us. We have experience in welcoming new schools that choose to convert, and sponsorship. We are open to conversations with schools, academies and trusts that opt to join or merge with us, and those in need of support to secure rapid school improvement.

We would be delighted to engage in informal conversations with the Department, schools and/or trusts interested in exploring the potential for this.

Exceed Academies Trust is a highly experienced, system-leading trust that has led national priority school improvement programmes for the Department for Education in Bradford and West Yorkshire, including:

• Priority Education Investment Area (PEIA): Between March 2023 and April 2025, Exceed Academies Trust led the School Support and Attendance Offer for 24 Bradford schools. We brokered support for each school from system leaders, including other trusts. This £1,533,000 commission involved Exceed Academies Trust brokering, commissioning and quality assuring the support, utilising our established systems and process, to secure improvements in English and Maths in primary and secondary schools and academies. Our CEO also chaired the PEIA Board for Bradford.
• Trust and School Improvement Offer (TSIO): Exceed Academies Trust was commissioned to provide direct strategic support to a Multi-Academy Trust (Autumn 2024/Spring 2025), Single Academy Trust (Spring/Summer 2024) and a number of LA-maintained schools in previous years.
• Opportunity Area (OA): Exceed was commissioned by the DfE to lead and quality assure a wide range of large-scale, multi school and trust programmes across the Opportunity Area, including the School-to-School Support Programme (two rounds), two Parental Engagement Projects (programme 1 and programme 2), and research into the one-to-one deployment of iPad to pupils in a disadvantaged community. The School-to-School Support Programme involved the brokerage, commissioning and quality assurance of support to improve English and Maths outcomes.

We would be delighted to support more schools and trusts in the future.

Exceed Academies Trust is an accredited Initial Teacher Training Provider operating as Exceed SCITT. Graded as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, we train the next generation of primary and secondary school teachers for the region, including via salaried, fee-paying and apprenticeship pathways. Exceed SCITT has training hubs in Bradford, Leeds and Craven (Skipton) plus regional partner schools in North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Kirklees.

We would be delighted to support members of a school's workforce or prospective trainee teachers to apply to train to teach with Exceed SCITT, including guaranteed interviews for suitable applicants.

As a Trust with Primary, All-through, Special and Alternative Provision academies, we have expertise in all phases and types of education.

DfE Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) level performance measures based on revised results data for pupils who completed key stage 2 in the summer of 2024 demonstrate:

• Pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in Exceed Academies Trust is 76%, compared to an England average of 61%

• Progress in both Writing and Maths is Above Average and Reading is Average

• 51% of the pupil population have English as an Additional Language (EAL) compared to an England average of 23%

• 26% of pupils have Special Educational Needs (SEN) compared to an England average of 21%

We are ready and able to support other schools to improve pupil outcomes and to enhance inclusive practice.

Exceed Academies Trust's innovative workload reduction strategy through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been nationally recognised, with the Trust leading workshops for the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) and Westminster Insights. Our own AI journey has been showcased at our regional conference at the University of Leeds in February 2025 and again in June 2025. These events were attended by 180 delegates from over 60 Multi-Academy Trust plus LA-maintained schools. We have published a wealth of resources to support other schools and trust to begin or advance their AI journey.

We are delighted to offer support to schools, trusts and partnerships seeking to reduce teacher and leader workload.

Exceed Teaching School Hub, led by Harden Primary School and part of Exceed Academies Trust, partners with Ambition Institute to deliver the full suite of National Professional Qualifications, including the National Professional Qualification for Headship and National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Annually, the Hub has received an allocation of fully funded NPQ scholarships for school staff. The Hub is Bradford's largest provider of NPQs, and one of the largest in the region.

We are ready to support the onboarding of leaders and teachers to these programmes.

Exceed Academies Trust via Holybrook Primary School (Ofsted: Outstanding) is a leading school in the use of digital technology (especially iPad) for teaching and learning. Over 50% of the staff are accredited as Apple Teachers. Our partnership with Apple includes access to national and international expertise and regular visits to Apple's European Headquarters at Battersea Power Station, London. The Trust was also invited to spend a week in San Francisco at Apple Park and benefitted from vision and values (North Star) days in London with Apple's Executive Team.

We are able to support schools in considering the potential benefits of educational technology.

Exceed Teaching School Hub is an Appropriate Body (AB) for quality assuring the induction of Early Career Teachers (ECT) plus the Early Career Teacher Entitlement in partnership with Ambition Institute. The programme includes conferences for ECTs and Mentors, plus twilight training (clinics), online self-study, and instructional coaching. The Hub is Bradford's largest provider of Appropriate Body and teacher development support and designated as the Bradford's DfE accredited and funded Teaching School Hub,

We are able to advise and support schools to provide ECTs with their statutory entitlement.

Exceed Academies Trust includes Bradford Alternative Provision Academy (Ofsted: Outstanding) and Park Aspire Alternative Provision Academy (Ofsted: Good).

Exceed Academies Trust is Bradford Council's preferred partner for 6-day provision.

Bradford Alternative Provision Academy (BAPA) supports secondary-aged young people who live in Bradford and have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools. The Academy aims to re-engage these students in education and, where possible, facilitate their return to mainstream schooling. A small number of key stage 4 students remain with BAPA to complete their qualifications before transitioning to further education, apprenticeships or employment. BAPA also offers tier 2 placements for students vulnerable to permanent exclusion, for short-term placements.

Park Aspire Alternative Provision Academy caters to students (primary and Key Stage 3) who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools.

Bradford AP Academy also leads Bradford's Alternative Provision Taskforce. This has introduced new and innovative approaches to providing the very best support for students that have been permanently excluded. This is a multi-professional team with colleagues from education, health and care who work together to support the most vulnerable students. This support is across all three tiers, aiming to provide an alternative to permanent exclusion, and also increase the likelihood of success for those returning to mainstream or special schools following a permanent exclusion.

Our Trust has expertise in supporting some of the region's most vulnerable learners and supporting them to have success in education.

Oastlers School (Ofsted: Outstanding), part of Exceed Academies Trust, is a lead school for the West Yorkshire Music Hub, specialising in music education in special school settings.

Our Trust's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion moves beyond the basics and is rooted in the deep emotions of equality, diversity and belonging. Exceed Academies Trust is establishing Education 4 Change (Yorkshire) in collaboration with the school-led partnership Education 4 Change (Newham, London). Through study visits to London schools and the application of educational resources in classrooms, plus a commitment to enhancing the Trust as an employer of choice, we are working to promote belonging in education by tackling issues such as racism, sexism, and unconscious bias.

We can support other schools and trusts on or commencing a similar journey.

Exceed Academies Trust delivers training, working groups and networks for its own school plus signposts and delivers other programmes, sometimes in conjunction with our high-quality partners, including Ambition Institute. Our CPD offer is continually evolving and is dynamic to respond to emerging needs. In recent years, Exceed Academies Trust has facilitated and/or delivered training programmes, including:

• Instructional Coaching
• Leading the Professional Development of Teaching Assistants
• Adaptive Teaching
• Yorks100 (aspiring headteacher programme)
• Team Teach

The Trust's Continuous Professional Development and Support Prospectus for 2024-25 includes a variety of events for leaders, teachers, and support staff. This includes training, networks, working groups, programmes, and conferences. Some of the new additions for 2024-25 include:

• Exceed Attendance Network
• Exceed InnovAItors Networks, which focuses on developing the use of Artificial Intelligence for teaching, learning, leadership, and administration.

The Trust is able to facilitate and deliver a wide range of training and development activities for schools and trusts.

Exceed Academies Trust has invested in supporting our workforce to access and engage with the latest educational research and supported them to apply it in leadership and in the classroom. The Trust's Research Champion supported schools to use lesson study; our Teaching School Hub team has supported the application of instructional coaching, including a bespoke programme for 38 Bradford schools funded by the DfE Opportunity Area. We have contributed to education and health research, including Born in Bradford and Child of the North with the Centre for Applied Educational Research (CAER) and the Northern Power House. Our system-leading innovation with Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the catalyst for new research undertaken in partnership with the University of Leeds, exploring helping teachers to apply pedagogical research to their next lesson.

Our teams are up-to-date with the latest educational research and how it can be applied in school, as well as leading in new research fields. This informs everything we do.

Oastlers School, part of Exceed Academies Trust, is a fully registered Trauma Informed School UK, supporting students with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Over 96% of their learners have experienced one or more ACEs. The school employs the PACE (Play, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy) approach to create a safe and supportive environment. They offer various therapeutic interventions, including the use of music, to address the needs of the whole child. Oastlers provides training on ACEs and trauma-informed practices to other schools, covering topics like domestic abuse and child exploitation. They offer bespoke support for managing behaviour and supporting students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs. The school collaborates with various support agencies and families to achieve shared goals and continuously improves through regular audits and peer reviews. Their comprehensive approach ensures a nurturing environment where students can thrive.

We are able to support other schools and trusts in relation to this best practice.

Exceed Teaching School Hub is a conduit for schools seeking to access support from DfE-funded and accredited curriculum and subjects hubs, including Maths and English hubs. Annually, the hubs that support Bradford collaborate to host an annual hubs conference to help schools connect with each of the hubs in order to access the support they need. This builds on Hub Network Meetings established by Exceed Teaching School Hub, helping to coordinate activity around common priorities.

Exceed Academies Trust is well positioned to add capacity so that schools are able to benefit from the national support offer and golden thread of teacher development.

Exceed Academies Trust's HR team offers a range of training and professional development opportunities for staff across the Trust.

The HR team provides leadership training designed to enhance the leadership skills of staff and is scheduled regularly.

The Exceed HR team also provides a professional HR consultancy service to key stakeholders within the Trust. This includes strategic and operational HR support and guidance to Headteachers, Senior Leaders, Trustees, and Governors.

Exceed Academies Trust are able to extend training and consultancy to schools beyond our own and other trusts.

Exceed Academies Trust's finance service is highly effective and well-regarded. The Finance Team provides regular performance reporting to individual academies and the Trust Board. This includes supporting academies with capital investment spend and managing all regulatory financial returns. The Trust uses the Schools Financial Benchmarking Service to ensure transparency and accountability in financial management. The Trust's financial statements and reports are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook and other regulatory requirements. For example, the 2024 Annual Financial Report confirms that the Trust remains a going concern and that fund accounting is accurately managed. The Trust's finance service supports strategic financial planning, including the preparation of 3-year budgets and management accounts. This ensures that the Trust can effectively manage its financial resources and plan for the future. 

Exceed Academies Trust's finance service is also recognised for its transparency and adherence to good governance practices.

Exceed Academies Trust is able to support other schools and trusts with their financial procedures and policy.

Exceed Academies Trust is committed to ensuring effective governance at all levels of the organisation. The Trust provides a comprehensive programme of training and development for Members, Trustees, and Local Governors. This includes access to the National Governance Association (NGA) Learning Link, which offers high-quality, flexible e-learning to support the ongoing development of governance knowledge and skills for all governance volunteers, including Chairs and those with specified link roles.

The Trust also delivers regular Governance Development and Networking Sessions that bring together those involved in governance across the Trust. These sessions provide strategic updates and practical input on a range of topics such as reducing workload through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), initial teacher training & early career framework, health and safety, estates and compliance, the role of governance in supporting workforce wellbeing, and the operation of HR panels.

All new Members, Trustees, and Local Governors receive a tailored induction offer that takes account of their prior experience and individual development needs. This includes informal induction conversations, access to a recommended development pathway, and enrolment on the NGA Learning Link.

The Trust regularly reviews the skills, capacity, and effectiveness of its governance structures in line with the Academy Trust Handbook, the Department for Education’s Academy trust governance guide, and guidance from the NGA, Confederation of School Trusts (CST) and other sector leaders.

The performance of governance is actively monitored across all tiers – Members, Trustees, and Local Governors. Where necessary, the Trust implements targeted support, intervention, or restructuring to ensure that governance remains robust and aligned with the Trust’s strategic priorities and legal responsibilities.

The Trust is able to support other schools and trusts to enhance their governance arrangements.

Appleton Academy, Exceed Academies Trust's all-through school and T&A Secondary School of the Year 2025, is designated as the lead organisation for the Bradford's SAFE Taskforce.  The nationally celebrated DfE accredited Taskforce strategically commissions evidence-based, preventative interventions aimed at supporting young people and reducing their risk of involvement in serious youth violence and exploitation across the city. 

Exceed Academies Trust would be delighted to support schools and trusts to access the services we commission or to learn from our experiences. 

Exceed Academies Trust has a robust and effective approach to managing estates, compliance, and health & safety.

• Estates Management: The Trust has invested significant funding in its school and academy estates, transforming them into high-quality learning environments. This includes strategic investments in areas such as IT infrastructure, external play areas, compliance, heating, carbon reduction, classroom environments, redecoration and safeguarding/security.

• Health & Safety Compliance: The Trust's Chief Estates Officer and Estates, Safety and Compliance Officer ensure effective health, safety, and compliance practices throughout the Trust. They provide advice and guidance on implementing health and safety policies, procedures, and best practices across all sites.

• Regular Audits and Training: The Trust conducts regular health, safety, and compliance audits across all settings. They have established a structured programme of health & safety training throughout the Trust.

• Compliance with Legislation: The Trust ensures that all health and safety legislation and approved codes of practice are met and continuously improved.

Exceed Academies Trust is able to support other trusts and schools with estates and health & safety-related issues.

Exceed Academies Trust has expertise in a wide range of operational aspects of our schools and trust, including:

• Procurement and formal tender processes, including catering, cleaning, and management information systems (MIS)
• Data protection, including contact with ICO
• Internal Audit
• Risk registers
• Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Legal advice and guidance
• Marketing and branding
• Sufficiency planning and analysis

Exceed Academies Trust can support other schools and trust in relation to these essential services.