Church leaders are delighted with progress in their schools, which they say are committed to providing high standards of education rooted in Christian values.

The Ven Dr David Jenkins, chairman of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust (MAT), said: “It is two years since the first school joined the Diocesan MAT.

“We now have 14 church primary schools in the trust. We have enjoyed steady growth and are delighted with the progress in our schools.

“We are committed to providing a high standard of education, rooted in Christian values.

“At the heart of the MAT is school improvement and providing appropriate support for schools is key to raising standards.

“We have developed networks for heads, governors and staff to enable the sharing of good practice. At a time when school budgets are under pressure, it is vital to find ways of working collaboratively with other schools and MATs are one way of doing so.”

Sean Cornish, headteacher at Chelmondiston Church of England Primary School, which joined the MAT this summer, said: “Governors took the decision to join the Diocesan MAT because we wanted to work with like-minded schools who shared the values that were already at the core of what we do as a school.

“We have already felt the benefits as we have worked with colleagues supporting us, sharing good practice.

“The MAT offers great opportunities to us, to work together for the benefit of all the children in all of the MAT schools.

“I look forward to participating in joint ventures such as the forthcoming maths week, when children will be able to share their work with others in the MAT.

“It is good to be part of a group of schools who share values and we are excited about the school’s future within the trust.”

The church schools in the MAT are: Tudor, Sudbury; St Mary’s, Woodbridge; Sproughton; St Mary’s, Hadleigh; Nacton; Bramfield; Long Melford; Eyke; Mellis; Hartest; Stoke by Nayland; Chelmondiston; Ringsfield and Brampton.

Academies are funded by the Department for Education.

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