Our trust is a vibrant, diverse and ambitious group of five academies in west Peterborough. Formed in 2018, we are a relatively young trust, which emerged from a strong but loose alliance of primary schools working with our large Jack Hunt secondary school. I joined the trust as its first full-time CEO in September 2022 and have led work to create our Strategic Plan 2023-26.

Our schools serve communities which have many similarities but also significant differences, due to the cultural and economic diversity of the city. We celebrate these differences and ensure that each school retains a distinct identity within the trust. This is an important consideration for us as we continue to welcome new schools into PKAT.

Working together as a multi-academy trust has allowed us to use the expertise across our 5 schools to meet our common goals to give our pupils and students an inclusive, innovative learning community that respects and benefits everyone and has aspirational plans for the future. Our goal is to unlock the potential and create strong life chances for all the children we educate.

Our iLearn Project is an important pillar in our educational provision both in the classroom and at home. Through the supply of personal iPads to staff and to children in years 5, 6,10,11,12 and 13, we can leverage the significant enhancement to teaching and learning afforded by technology.

To ensure the transition from Primary to Secondary school we are proud of our Year 7 ‘My World’ curriculum. This has been carefully planned to support the best outcomes for students and encourage independent and reflective learners, through the development of exhibition standard project work.

The PKAT Young Explorers programme replicates the Duke of Edinburgh scheme for all Year 5 pupils across the Trust and forms part of the Year 5 curriculum. Our rich offer for all the children in our Trust also includes a wide range of sporting activities and undertaking sports leadership courses; University visits in both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 5; day trips, educational visits and residentials; theatre groups in school and educational visits to theatre productions; and a wide of competitions where pupils and students can showcase their talents.

All in our trust have high aspirations for, and high expectations of, every single pupil and student. We want them to be well-rounded, confident, caring young people with leadership skills who are motivated to achieve their best in lessons and beyond the classroom. We want them to be involved in the school, local and global community and leave us as life-long learners, equipped to build on their success and contribute positively to our future.

Dr Ian Young, CEO, Peterborough Keys Academies Trust.