Following the launch of his vision for the future of Catholic education across the Archdiocese of Liverpool in April, Archbishop John Sherrington reflects on the progress made so far, what has been learned along the way, and the journey that still lies ahead.

It is incredible that six months have passed since I joined colleagues from the Archdiocese's Education Department and leaders from our Catholic Multi Academy Trusts to meet headteachers and chairs of governors and share a new vision for the future of Catholic education across our Archdiocese under the A Family in Christ: Our Future Together strategy. This vision recognises that Catholic education is a mission of the Church in the Archdiocese, and that we are better working together for the good of all children and students in our schools and colleges.

The launch came 12 months after the publication of the Drawing New Maps of Hope Apostolic Letter, in which Pope Leo XIV reminded us: "In every renewal of educational structures, the Church is called not to preserve buildings but to animate hearts; not to defend systems but to open paths where communion, formation, and mission meet. The school, in all its forms, must remain a living sign of the Church's maternal wisdom, able to reform itself so that the Gospel may reach every generation."

It also followed the Government’s Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, which set an expectation that every state-funded school will join or form a strong school trust, recognising the benefits of schools working together to improve outcomes for children and families.

In my keynote address at the launch, I reflected on the challenges we know our 221 Catholic schools are facing and why this vision provides opportunities, and outlined the importance in renewing and building together a strong future for Catholic education across our Archdiocese.

I said: "I believe we are better together, working together to serve the mission, providing greater support for staff and retaining stewardship of our educational future for generations of Catholic children and young people to come. Together, we are a constellation of stars offering hope throughout our Archdiocese."

Six months later, this message is still the foundation of our vision.

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Progress since the launch

Turning a vision into reality requires commitment and collaboration. Over the past six months, significant progress has been made across the Archdiocese.

Senior leaders and governors from Wave 1 schools have had meetings with representatives from the Education Department and CMATs. These sessions have provided opportunities to meet support teams, ask questions, share any concerns, and prepare collaboratively for the next stage of the process.

We have also continued to develop the support available to schools. A dedicated Project Lead is now in post within the Archdiocese, working with school leaders to coordinate the programme and support its implementation.

I’m pleased that, within a relatively short timeframe, 14 schools have already completed the conversion application process, with applications currently being considered by the Department for Education. This includes eight schools joining Pope Francis CMAT and six schools joining St Joseph CMAT, and at the time of going to print, we expect the schools to gain approval shortly.

A number of schools have expressed interest in joining an earlier implementation wave as they would like to start their journey. This builds upon the valuable experience of the 19 schools already operating within St Joseph and Pope Francis CMATs.

Alongside preparations for school conversions, work is progressing to establish Our Lady of Lourdes North West CMAT.

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Learning through change

Our children and future generations deserve the highest quality Catholic education possible. Achieving this requires collaboration and a shared commitment to continuous improvement.

Our confidence in this direction is not based on structure alone, but on a growing body of evidence about what can be achieved when schools work together in strong trusts. Recent research from the Confederation of School Trusts and ImpactEd, drawing on national data over many years, provides encouraging evidence on pupil outcomes, school improvement, and workforce development. This is particularly important for us as a Catholic family of schools and our commitment to the common good, delivering good outcomes for all pupils. Working together enables us to share expertise, build capacity, and create greater opportunities for every child and member of staff.

We were prepared for the launch to bring questions, challenges, and a variety of opinions and perspectives.

Of course, there has been learning along the way, and this provides us with an opportunity to adapt and strengthen our approach. We have listened carefully to feedback and have refined our processes where necessary to improve our support to schools.

We continue to welcome open and constructive dialogue and remain committed to working collaboratively with all those involved.

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Looking ahead

As we move beyond this six-month milestone, we will continue to:

• Listen to feedback from staff, governors, parents, and wider stakeholders and use their insights to shape our processes

• Enhance our support and guidance so that school communities feel further informed, prepared, and confident about their next steps

• Strengthen our communications and engagement activity to ensure transparency and enhance our communication throughout the process

• Take a pragmatic approach to implementation, reviewing timelines where appropriate.

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A shared journey

We recognise that many people will still have questions about the process and what it means for their school community and we welcome that dialogue.

What has been most encouraging over the past six months is the spirit in which schools, governors, trusts, and archdiocesan colleagues have engaged with this work. While there may be different perspectives, there is a shared commitment to continue to offer the very best Catholic education for the young people in our schools.

The journey ahead is significant, but together we can build A Family in Christ: Our Future Together.

If you have any feedback or questions, we welcome you to scan the QR code and complete the online form,  which informs our Frequently Asked Questions.

Headteachers reflect on their Family in Christ journey

Sinead Walsh is the Headteacher of Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School and interim Headteacher at Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, both in St Helens.

The two schools are in Wave 1 and are preparing to join St Joseph’s CMAT.

She said: “We’re really excited to be joining the St Joseph’s family and have felt incredibly welcomed by the Trust from day one.

“We know our staff will benefit from the excellent CPD opportunities available through the Trust, and we see this as a fantastic opportunity for both schools to continue to grow and thrive.

“I’ve visited schools that are already part of the Trust and have seen first-hand the positive impact it has had. In many ways, it already feels as though we are part of the St Joseph’s family, which is a testament to the Trust’s strong family ethos and the sense that we are all on this journey together as one Family in Christ.”

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Stuart Holland, Headteacher of St Cuthbert’s Catholic Academy, St Helens

“Joining St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust in September has been an important step in the journey of St Cuthbert’s. As we continue to develop our partnership, we are already seeing the Trust’s values put into action through the support, collaboration and shared opportunities offered across our family of schools.

“The Trust Awards have been a particular highlight in celebrating success together, and the support we have received reinforces our belief that we are stronger together. We look forward to building on these foundations, united in our shared Catholic mission, to ensure every one of our young people can flourish and live life in all its fullness.”

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Headteacher Clare McKenna, St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Academy, Whiston

“As a new Headteacher, I was welcomed into the family of the Pope Francis Trust and felt that my views, values, and beliefs were listened to from the start.

I have felt both supported and challenged to ensure that my school makes significant progress so that our pupils receive the education they deserve. Being in the Trust provides a formal professional network, meaning that both leaders and staff can support each other in improving their practice. We have on hand support for HR, finance, legal and PR & marketing, which has proved incredibly useful and means that the job feels more collaborative.

Importantly, the Trust encourages us as school leaders to promote our uniqueness whilst working together to support all children within the Trust.”

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Headteacher Angela Blacoe, St James’ Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale

“We are really excited to be joining Pope Francis CMAT. From the outset, we have felt like we belong and welcomed as part of the family of schools. The expertise within the Trust has already benefitted our team. We feel like we are starting from a strong position, and through collaboration, will go from strength to strength.

The support from the Primary Team has surpassed all expectations and nothing is too much trouble for colleagues within the Trust. The shared values and ethos mirror what we want for our children and staff, and we look forward to Pope Francis CMAT walking alongside us on our continued journey as we constantly strive to give our pupils an outstanding education.”