Due Diligence When Joining a MAT
What governors and headteachers should examine before a school joins a multi-academy trust.
Why due diligence matters
Joining a multi-academy trust is one of the most consequential decisions a school can make. The trust takes on legal responsibility for the school's operation, finances, and outcomes. Once a school joins, leaving is difficult. Governors owe it to their community to examine the trust's track record thoroughly before committing.
Financial health
Review the trust's consolidated accounts and the individual school accounts of existing members. Key questions: Are reserves adequate? What is the staff costs percentage? Is there an in-year deficit? What is the centralisation rate (how much does the trust top-slice)? How is central spending allocated? MATpulse surfaces all of this data on trust profile pages.
Academic performance
Look at the performance trajectory of schools that have been in the trust for several years. Are KS2 and KS4 results improving? How does the trust's average Progress 8 compare to national? Are there schools in the trust with declining performance? The Trust League Table on MATpulse allows direct comparison.
Ofsted outcomes
What proportion of the trust's schools are rated Good or Outstanding? Have any schools been downgraded since joining? What do inspection reports say about trust-level support? Be aware that legacy grades may be out of date — check inspection dates.
Governance and leadership
Review the trust's board on Companies House and on MATpulse's governance panel. Is there high director turnover? Is the board sufficiently large and diverse? How long has the CEO been in post? Are company accounts filed on time? These are signals of organisational stability.
Cultural fit
Data can tell you a lot, but not everything. Visit existing trust schools, speak to headteachers already in the MAT, and understand the trust's educational philosophy, approach to school autonomy, and how decisions are made. A financially healthy trust with poor cultural alignment may still be the wrong choice.