Welcome from the
Trust Chair

Ian Dolben

Chair of the Board of Trustees

It is an honour and privilege for me to Chair the South York Multi Academy Trust (SYMAT). Firm foundations and effective collaborations have been a feature of SYMAT since its establishment in 2018, and the importance of strong Academy Trusts is becoming increasingly clear in the ever-changing educational landscape.

 

We have a strong base to build on; all the schools which joined the trust were good or outstanding and we are fortunate that we have dedicated, talented and committed teaching and support staff. The MAT enables us to harness their energy and creativity and provide high quality school to school support to drive improvement in all our schools.

 

Our governance arrangements developed since the inception of the Trust have worked well to date in ensuring that the interests of the Community and Church of England schools were fully considered in every decision made. The involvement of York St. John University as a member of the trust is invaluable in reflecting our links with higher education. We continue to work closely in partnership with the City of York Council and other organisations to ensure our plans and the services we provide align with local needs.

 

The Members and Trustees (whose details you can find on this website) are all drawn from the communities served by the trust and represent a highly skilled and committed group with expertise and professional backgrounds covering the wide range of disciplines needed for a successful MAT. They all share a passion to provide the best possible education for the community.

 

We aim to be open and transparent in the way we do business and to be accountable to the people we serve. We are committed to robust local governance for our schools having delegated responsibility as far as possible, consistent with good governance and prudent use of resources. Schools will always need committed, skilled and enthusiastic governors! If you are interested in supporting the work of our schools by becoming a governor, or want to find out more about the Trust I would be very happy to hear from you.

Vision & Values: Our Trust Vision Statement

SUPPORT – INSPIRE – ACHIEVE – FLOURISH

 

We are a strong and inclusive partnership of schools working together to support and inspire all children, young people and families in our communities to achieve and flourish.

 

We hold our schools and ourselves to account to a set of values. Our schools are always:

  • Inclusive – our schools work tirelessly to meet the needs of every child and young person and overcome disadvantage. We embrace diversity in our communities, and we promote distinctiveness in our schools.
  • Aspirational – our schools have high expectations for every learner and member of staff. We want our children and young people to make the most of every opportunity in life.
  • Responsible – our schools have a social responsibility to serve the community first and foremost. We always use our resources responsibly and transparently.
  • Collaborative – our schools work in equal partnership with one another, and with their school communities. We devolve control and responsibility to the appropriate level, encouraging the participation of those we serve and those who work for us.

Policies

Legal, Financial and Statutory Information

The Academies Financial Handbook includes a requirement for academy trusts to publish financial statements for the last two years. There is also a requirement to publish the relevant business and pecuniary interests of members, trustees and local governors.

 

For information about governance, members, trustees and local governors please click here.

 

The accounts and other key documents are below:

 

Trade Union Facility Time

During the period the Trust had no employees who were relevant paid Trade Union officials. To provide employees who are members of Trade Unions with access to union representation, the Trust procured outsourced services from City of York Council at a cost of £6,687.

​Higher Paid Staff The number of employees whose employee benefits (including employer pension costs) exceeded £100,000 was:
2023 2022
£140,001 – £150,000 – 1
£150,001 – £160,000 1 –

Admissions Arrangements and Consultations

Information about admissions can also be found on the websites of our member academies.

 

Admissions policies for the current year (2022-23) and next year (2023-24) can be found on the Policies area of this website, under the ‘Admissions’ tab.

 

Key Dates for Secondary School Admissions in September 2023

  • 12th September 2022 – Applications open
  • 31st October 2022 – Deadline for applications
  • 1st March 2023 or the next working day – National Offer Day
  • 31st March 2023 – Appeal forms to be returned
  • May-July 2023 – Admission appeals heard
  • September 2023 – Applications for the 2024 entry into Year 7 expected to open

 

Key Dates for Primary School Admissions in September 2023

  • 12th September 2022 – applications open online for September 2023 entry to Reception
  • 15th January 2023 – Deadline for applications
  • 16th April 2023 or the next working day – National Offer Day
  • 21st May 2023 – Appeal forms to be returned
  • June-July 2023 – Admission appeals heard
  • September 2023 – Applications for the 2024 entry into Reception expected to open

Admission Policies for 2024-25

 

Published Admissions Numbers

The Published Admission Number (PAN) is the number of pupils it is intended to admit into the first year group of school. This number differs for each school and for 2024 – 2025 these PANs are:

  • for Archbishop of York’s CE Junior School (Year 3), 60 places
  • for Bishopthorpe Infants (Reception), 50 places
  • for Dunnington CE Primary School (Reception), 30 places
  • for Escrick Primary School (Reception)
  • for Fulford School (Year 7), 300 places
  • for Fulford School (Year 12), 35 places
  • for Wheldrake with Thorganby CE Primary School (Reception), 30 places

Data Protection & Privacy