Word from the Chair

It is an honour and a challenge to be the Chair of the DEMAT Board of Trustees: an honour because we have a Board which brings together people who are committed, experienced and dedicated, a challenge because DEMAT is one of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the country with a rich diversity of schools serving many different communities. A decade ago, the first DEMAT school came into existence, and since then – under three committed and faithful CEOs – we have established a thriving and multi-faceted MAT to serve all children, regardless of faith, culture and background in this area of East Anglia.

At DEMAT we work together to offer a high-quality education to all children in our schools. We aim to celebrate and develop the talents of every child in our care and to deliver a learning experience which is liberating, stimulating and fun. Crucially, we strive to offer a spiritual dimension to the lives of young people by providing an education which is both deeply Christian, yet also inclusive, recognising the nature of the society in which we live and respecting freedom of faith and belief. Our core values of Love, Community, Respect, Trust and Ambition – expressed in the DEMAT Promise – capture all these aspirations and motivations.

As trustees, it is our hope that our schools are underpinned by the search and exploration for ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10). This means creating school environments where all children flourish, both academically and in their ability to live as well-rounded human beings who positively impact the world around them. This aspiration also means creating working environments where all adults flourish too. I am incredibly grateful to every member of staff working across the Trust and hope that we can maximise the huge potential of all our employees, our volunteer governors, and our trustees. Seeking collaboration and consensus and accommodating change while maintaining our core values and responsibilities is never easy, but this is at the heart of the mission as go we go forward, together, in these exciting times.

Helen Jackson Chair of the Board of