Dear Parents/Carers,

 

PROPOSED VOLUNTARY MERGER OF CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY EDUCATION TRUST WITH CAMBRIDGE MERIDIAN ACADEMIES TRUST

 

I am writing to you about the future of Cambridge Primary Education Trust (CPET) and a proposal for the Trust to voluntarily merge with another successful multi-academy trust, Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT).

 

This proposal would see CPET and its five primary schools – Hatton Park Primary School, Histon & Impington Brook Primary School, Histon & Impington Park Primary School, Somersham Primary School and Trumpington Park Primary School – merge with CMAT.

 

If accepted, a new Trust (comprising CPET and CMAT) with a new name would be created. This would be a significant step for CPET.

 

Within the proposals, I would be Deputy CEO, with responsibility for all aspects of Primary Education and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub. The Headteachers and staff at our schools will remain the same. This is an opportunity to share our excellent practice more widely, as well as learning from our colleagues in the newly-formed Trust.

 

What the proposed merger would mean is the end of CPET as a standalone organisation and I therefore want to take the opportunity to outline to you why this proposal has arisen and what it will mean for CPET schools.

 

CPET’s Board of Trustees made the decision earlier this year to explore the voluntary merger with CMAT. Our Board agreed that it would be beneficial to explore the merger as an option to ensure a successful future for the Trust and its schools. This decision also arrived at a time when our Chair of Trustees, John Frost, announced that he would be retiring from the role. We all thank John for his tremendous input to the growth and development of CPET.

 

Both I and CPET’s Trustee Board believe this voluntary merger would bring excellent benefits to both Trusts and be a real recipe for further success. We strongly believe that there is a great amount of common ground between CPET and CMAT both in terms of values and ethos and our ambitions for our children, students and staff. Both Trusts have a clear commitment to providing an outstanding education in the heart of their local community. This would be a merger where both Trusts are equally successful at what they do and collectively bring improved opportunities for children and communities.

 

CMAT is currently made up of 23 schools including 9 primary, 2 special and 12 secondary across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. The schools educate approximately 14,000 pupils which would be reinforced by the 1,733 pupils within CPET schools. The proposal would allow CMAT to strengthen their primary leadership base within the new Trust, thanks to the huge amount of expertise we have within CPET.

 

There would also be increased opportunities for our staff, who would transfer over to the new entity and be able to benefit from wider career development opportunities and the sharing of best practice, all in the best interests of our children.

Both Trusts already have a long-standing collaboration; Mark Woods, CEO of CMAT, and I sit on each other’s Board of Trustees. CPET’s primary schools enjoy a strong relationship with CMAT’s secondary schools in Cambridgeshire, including North Cambridge Academy and Northstowe Secondary College, with pupils moving up from primary into these schools.

 

Other aspects of the merger include the transfer of the Teaching School Hub for Cambridge and Peterborough schools based at Histon & Impington Brook Primary School to the new Trust. In

essence, we strongly believe the proposed merger would strengthen our provision of high-quality education for our children.

 

The proposal is for the merger of CPET and CMAT to be fully completed by the end of the Spring Term 2022 following a thorough and comprehensive period of consultation and due diligence. We will shortly be opening a period of public consultation, to end on Wednesday 1st December, through which we would really value your views.

 

Existing schools across the trusts:

CMAT: https://www.cmatrust.co.uk/cmat-academies/

CPET: https://www.cpetrust.co.uk/topic/our-schools

 

Virtual Live Events

There will be two virtual live events where you will have the opportunity to hear from both CPET and CMAT, and to raise any questions. The links to these events are below:

• Wednesday 10th November from 6:30 – 7:30pm – JOIN HERE
• Thursday 11th November from 6:30 – 7:30pm – JOIN HERE

 

In-Person Events

If you would like a more personal discussion regarding the above proposal please do get in touch via consultations@cpetrust.co.uk or book a space at one of the three smaller in-person consultation meetings detailed below. Please note spaces will be limited at these in-person consultation meetings due to Covid-19 measures.

 

• 15th November via Microsoft Teams (Find link on EventBrite page) at 4pm (Has been moved online, was originally at Histon & Impington Park Primary School) – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192215410467
• 19th November at Hatton Park at 9:15am – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192355669987
• 29th November at Northstowe Secondary College at 6pm (Has been rescheduled, was originally 24th November) – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/192357104277
•  

 

Online Survey

We have set up a survey to formally gather your views and we would really value your time in completing this by 1st December. Please click on the following link to access the survey https://forms.office.com/r/aTwpNq5aEP

 

We understand the significance of what is proposed and will continue to keep you informed and offer the opportunity for you to speak to senior leaders from both CPET and CMAT to answer any questions you may have.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Lesley Birch

CEO, Cambridge Primary Education Trust

 

John Frost

Member/Chair, Cambridge Primary Education Trust