LEO Trust Academy
Strategic Plan 2026
- 2027
Introduction
Working together to make our schools better and our communities stronger
At LEO Academy Trust, we are proud to serve 7000 pupils from across the London Borough of Sutton and Surrey Our Trust was formed in 2015 Since then, we have developed a family of great learning communities - formed of fifteen primary schools, grown a culture of excellence for all, while providing endless opportunities for our pupils, staff and the local communities we are part of.
With over 850 staff, our schools are empowered to support each other to improve both outcomes for our pupils and to drive performance across the wider school system. Learning, Excellence and Opportunity are at the heart of our Trust’s vision, embedded through our shared mission, values and aims.
Strategic Ambition
Our Mission Since 2015
LEO Academy Trust is committed to developing a family of great schools, where collaboration makes a real difference for our children, staff and communities.
OurVision Since 2015
Learning. Excellence. Opportunity. Great learning communities. Excellence for all. Endless opportunity.
OurAims
We are committed to developing a family of great schools, where high quaility collabouration ensures:
Children are safe and enjoy learning; Everyone feels included, respected and valued; An ambitious curriculum develops pupils for the challenges of life; Staff potential is recognised and invested in; We make a difference to the communities we serve.
LEO Pupil Outcomes
Our aim, that all children should have access to an ambitious curriculum which develops them for the challenges of life, is underpinned by our LEO Pupil Outcomes. These outcomes extend the curriculum offered at every LEO school and ensure we provide a rich, broad curriculum that prepares children for their future. This includes making sure all pupils have the fundamental skills to access the technology of the future
Active citizens in a Global Community
Self-directed, collaborative & confident learners
Innovative learners who pursue excellence
Healthy learners who make small changes with a big impact
Leaders of today: lifelong learners
LEO Explorers
Our Learner Profile - LEO Explorers - is an approach and not a curriculum. The priority is for pupils to understand the subject disciplines, as part of a knowledge-rich curriculum, as opposed to a set of generalised skills. Therefore, these skills are used to facilitate deep substantive and disciplinary knowledge, and work alongside a progressive and inclusive curriculum. Our learner profile entails the kinds of attributes and dispositions needed for all subjects. We start from the premise that key skills are grown based on knowledge, and within curriculum subjects, ensuring our pupils are prepared for both now and the future.
Mission, Vision, Values & Aims
The Trust's mission, vision and values are clearly evident across the school. A consistent approach to embedding and developing the Trust’s inclusive vision of 'Excellence for All' is clearly evident. The school supports the implementation of the Trust’s five strategic aims.
Teaching, Learning & Assessment
The Trust’s Teaching & Learning Strategy is embedded across the school.
Adaptive teaching supports the school’s inclusive approach to learning. A pedagogical approach to the use of technology is well developed across all year groups.
Curriculum
The school offers an ambitious curriculum. (At LEO, we see an ambitious curriculum as one which goes beyond National Curriculum expectations, both in terms of content and outcomes)
Leaders ensure that the school’s curriculum is coherently and progressively sequenced. The school offers a wide range of opportunities for pupils, enabling them to excel across all LEO Pupil Outcomes, ensuring that they are future ready.
People & Culture
The Trust’s People Strategy and Growing Great People Framework is embedded across the school. The school supports the Trust’s succession planning by recruiting, retaining and developing talented staff. The school clearly follows the LEO TEAM approach Staff develop collaborative and deep partnerships with other LEO schools as required, while the school supports and builds these beyond the Trust.
Inclusion
SEND (including pupil wellbeing) - The Trust’s SEND Strategy is embedded across the school. The Pupil Wellbeing Policy is in place. SEND children make good individual progress from their starting points.
Pupil Premium Children - The Pupil Premium Strategy is effective and Pupil Premium (PP) children make good progress with the gap closing.
Behaviour & Attitudes - Strong values underpin good behaviour. There is a whole-school behaviour approach which is underpinned by the LEO Behaviour Strategy.
Performance, Quality Assurance & Accountability
Positioned in the top ten, for all attainment and progress measures, within their EEF 'family' of schools.
https://educationendowmentfoundation or g.uk/tools/families-of-schools-database/ Progress and attainment outcomes for pupils exceed national averages by the end of each key stage.
The school successfully engages with quality assurance reviews (internal and external) with positive outcomes.
Governance & Compliance
Effectiveness of the Academy Committee to support and challenge the school, inline with the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation.
School meets statutory compliance requirements for: website, GDPR, Health & Safety and Risk.
Safeguarding is effective. All staff are compliant with the Trust’s
Safeguarding Policy. 360° Online Safety review is regularly updated and improved on
Overall Effectiveness
School of choice for local parents. Children attend school regularly.
Persistent Absence (PA) is effectively addressed for all groups.
Graded 'Expected standard' in all areas or better by Ofsted.
LEO 2030
Reimagining Education, Connecting Communities, Thriving People: Our Vision for 2030
2030 promises a world filled with both potential and challenge. As technology reshapes our lives, the need for a thriving society built on strong education, connected communities and thriving individuals has never been greater. LEO 2030 envisions a future where education transcends traditional boundaries, communities are connected across diverse backgrounds and individuals are equipped to reach their full potential. This vision is underpinned by the principles of innovation, inclusivity and continuous learning, extending beyond the walls of the Trust and drawing inspiration from global perspectives
Our vision for LEO 2030 outlines our strategic roadmap for the next five years, with a focus on three key pillars:
Reimagining Education: Learning will transcend traditional boundaries, developing skills for the future and utilising innovative digital tools, while developing inclusivity and global citizenship.
Connected Communities: At LEO we bridge divides, fostering collaboration and participation across diverse backgrounds, cultures and abilities
Thriving People: By leveraging local, national, and global knowledge, we will cultivate a future where our people are equipped to reach their full potential
LEO 2030 is underpinned by three core principles: Innovation: Digital technology will be harnessed creatively to unlock new learning opportunities, foster community connection and empower individuals Inclusivity: No one will be left behind. Learning and participation will be accessible and relevant to all, regardless of background or ability.
Learning Beyond LEO: LEO 2030 extends beyond the walls of our Trust. It is a continuous journey, fuelled by a collaborative exchange of ideas. We draw inspiration from local, national and global practice, trends and challenges. By embracing diverse perspectives, we will cultivate a future that is not just sustainable, but empowering for all
LEO 2030 is not just a blueprint, but an invitation for all to join in shaping a future where education, community and individual potential flourish together.
Our trust objectives for 2026/27 aim to deliver the next steps towards our vision for LEO 2030.
Our focus over the next twelve months is the development of the following areas:
Reimagining Education - Ensuring every child can achieve & thrive
Curriculum & Teaching
a) Continue to develop an ambitious Future Ready Curriculum:
- Computer Science & AI
- AI Literacy & Digital Skills
- Financial Education
- Careers & Enterprise Education
- Disciplinary Literacy & Oracy
b) Continue to open and develop Best Start Nursery Provision as part of our Strong Foundations EYFS Offer
c) Complete Y5&6 Reimagining Classrooms Project
Inclusion
SEN Strategy 2030: Inclusive Mainstream Practice
Pilot our LEO Online School for 7-18 year olds
Pilot our Flexi-Schooling offer for 4 - 11 year olds
Explore the development of a LEO Hybrid School to support pupils with SEND & / or EBSNA
Personal Development & Wellbeing
LEO Enrichment Offer (link to DfE Benchmarks)
Community Arts Project - Nature: On Your Doorstep - Your School, Your Borough, Your City / County
LEO Global Citizenship Projects (including our LEO Residential Trips Offer)
Connecting
Communities (Delivered by our LEO Foundation)
Community Hubs & Community Cafes
Mentoring Programmes for Year 5 & 6
Intergenerational Learning
Develop New Projects to Support Mental Health
Careers Lunches (partnership with local employers)
Community Lunches (AgeUK partnership)
Community Defibrillator Project
Community Radio & Community Podcast
The LEO Foundation Enterprise Challenge
Develop partnerships with businesses to support the delivery of their Environmental, Social and Governance impact in the community - generating funding for LEO
Thriving People
Inclusive Leadership & Recruitment
Ensuring our workforce reflects a diverse society and the communities LEO serves.
Individual Career Plans
Aligning personal career aspirations with LEO’s strategic goals
Strengthen Culture and Recognition
Develop a peer-to-peer recognition programme that celebrates behaviours aligned with LEO’s core vision & aims
Enhance Professional Development for Digital Skills
Conduct a comprehensive audit to identify future AI & Digital skills needed and provide proactive upskilling opportunities
Agentic AI
Develop the use of Agentic AI to build and deploy teams of digital assistants for areas such as health & safety, compliance and safeguarding
Using ClarityHub's Quality Intelligence System, enable leaders to shape, eevidence and defend quality through signals, patterns, perspectives and institutional memory. Use ClarityHub as a thinking layer that connects evidence, context and judgement so leaders can see what is emerging - and make better decisions.
Education Strategy
Our Education Strategy, and in particular the school improvement approach, is built on professional dialogue, deep partnership and genuine ambition for all children We know our schools well, with professional conversations detailing and sharing evidence. We utilise pupil, staff and parent voice, data analysis and first hand feedback including school visits, all triangulated with effective quality assurance Through this relationship and approach, priorities for continued improvement are collectively identified and owned. A one team approach ensures expertise and learning is shared at all levels. Through our Education Strategy, there is a strength of pedagogy, shared vision and collective ownership. There is ambition for excellence through our LEO Pupil Outcomes and LEO Explorer Learners framework. Teaching & Learning Strategy Curriculum Strategy
School Improvement Strategy
Business Strategy
Our Business Strategy focuses on creating a financially stable and supportive environment for all our academies. We foster a collaborative network, working alongside our academies as a dedicated team to ensure their success. This includes supporting the wider school network, addressing parental needs, and supporting a strong learning community.
By providing high-quality resources, professional development and capacity for growth, we ensure efficient resource allocation Clear compliance frameworks minimise financial risks, freeing academy leaders to focus on their core mission – delivering exceptional education. We further support academies in developing enriching pupil experiences This fosters a love of learning and contributes to long-term financial stability for both individual academies and the trust. Through this comprehensive approach, we empower each academy to thrive, allowing every pupil to reach their full potential.
Finance Strategy
People Strategy
Risk Management Strategy
Growth & Optimisation Strategy
Sustainability Strategy
Communication Strategy
Harnessing the Power of Collaboration and Partnership: Learning Beyond LEO
The educational landscape thrives on continuous improvement To achieve our ambitious vision for 2030 and beyond, we will continue to embrace the power of collaborative learning. This strategy prioritises a proactive approach to knowledge exchange, looking beyond our own Trust to identify and adopt best practices at local, national and global levels
By fostering connections with highperforming schools and trusts, we gain valuable insights into:
Innovative teaching methodologies: Learning from successful models will inspire and equip our educators with cutting-edge pedagogical approaches.
Effective leadership strategies: By studying the leadership styles of high-achieving schools and school systems, we can refine our own leadership practices for maximum impact.
Empowering student success: Examining successful student support systems implemented elsewhere will inform strategies to personalise learning and unlock every student's full potential.
This collaborative spirit extends beyond geographical boundaries. We will continue to actively seek out international best practices, exploring successful educational models from around the world. This global perspective will broaden our horizons and challenge us to think outside the box, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our MAT.
This collaborative strategy will involve:
Benchmarking: Identifying schools and trusts demonstrating exceptional results in areas aligned with our vision
Knowledge Exchange: Establishing partnerships and fostering open communication with these institutions to learn from their successes and challenges.
Adaptation and Innovation: Critically evaluating and adapting these best practices to our unique context, fostering an environment where we can innovate and develop our own leading practices.
This outward-looking approach will fuel continuous improvement, allowing us to:
Stay Ahead of the Curve: By learning from the best, we can anticipate and navigate evolving educational landscapes, ensuring our students are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in the future.
Cross-pollination of Ideas: Engaging with diverse perspectives fosters creativity and leads to the development of more effective strategies for student success
Building a Collaborative Network: Collaboration strengthens the entire educational ecosystem, benefiting not only our own schools but also the wider community
As we look to the future, LEO's commitment to continuous improvement and knowledge exchange will ensure that the Trust remains at the forefront of educational innovation, shaping a brighter future for generations to come.
