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Two Catholic multi-academy trusts are set to take on 14 primary schools in the North West.

Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust is set to take on eight local authority-maintained Catholic primaries across Sefton and Lancashire, under plans tabled this month.

The trust currently has four primaries and three secondaries; the expansion will more than double its number of academies to 15.

Meanwhile, St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust has applied to take on six maintained Catholic primary schools in St Helens.

It currently runs six primary and four secondary academies, meaning it will grow to 16 schools.

Catholic schools joining MATs

The proposals follow the launch of the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s in April.

The archdiocese’s schools will be invited to join Pope Francis, St Joseph or a new trust expected to be established in 2027.

The moves are by the Department for Education.

In Greater Manchester, four other Catholic primary schools have applied to convert to academies.

St Margaret Ward Catholic Primary School in Sale has applied to join Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust, while Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust plans to take on three Manchester primaries.

The developments are part of a wider consolidation of Catholic schools across England, with the Catholic Education Service aiming to academise all of its schools.

Meanwhile, also in the North West, Vantage Church of England Academies Trust is to take on two primary schools.

Three trusts to close

Elsewhere in the country, several small MATs are expected to merge with larger trusts under new plans.

In the , it is proposed that all three schools run by South Gloucestershire and Stroud (SGS) Academy Trust move to new trusts.

SGS Forest High School, a secondary, and the 14-19 school SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College are set to transfer to Greenshaw Learning Trust.

SGS Pegasus School, a special school, is due to move to Enable Trust.

In Shropshire, there is plan for the two primary schools operated by Mighty Oaks Academy Trust to transfer to Windsor Academy Trust.

And three local authority-maintained Church of England primaries in Shropshire have applied to join the Trusted Schools Alliance.

Meanwhile, Thrive Education Partnership is set to take on all three special schools run by Herefordshire-based Accordia Academies Trust.

All of the above proposals are subject to approval by the DfE.

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