Carol Durrant

The Thinking Schools Academy Trust

The Thinking Schools Academy Trust is made up of a family of schools that work together to "improve the life chances" of all our children and young people. We share a common mission to nurture successful children who are confident and can think and act independently. Our cognitive approach to education defines us but does not create a "one size fits all". At the heart of The Thinking Schools Academy Trust is the belief that the work that we do must transform the life chances of students. We believe that the best way to transform life chances is to actively shape the minds, attitudes and habits of young people through a framework of cognitive education that enables them to become the master of their own destiny. "We are what we habitually do" (Aristotle); to transform life chances we have to transform habits. The ultimate goal is that every individual, child or adult, in the organisation consciously recognises their own habits, strengths and areas for development and actively seeks to improve themselves, thereby creating transformational change in each individual. From September 2016 there will be 11 academies in our Trust covering two hubs; Medway and Portsmouth. This includes four secondary and seven primary/junior academies. We are a successful Trust that has always grown through a combination of sponsorship, brokered by external agencies such as the Local Authority or the Regional Schools Commissioner, and schools wishing to join the Trust because they share the vision and values that we hold. Our success is due to our strong educational vision of fully integrated thinking schools, our outstanding and driven leaders, dedicated teachers and support staff backed by a committed team of governors. The greatest asset in our Trust is our staff and the greatest asset of our Trust is our children, young people and their families.