No email to parents outlining changes, no public meetings, no FAQ document. No consultation. Not even pretending to engage with stakeholders.

This feels like quite a big deal.

Three academy trusts are proposing to merge. If it goes ahead, the result will be a significantly larger organisation responsible for thousands of local children. And

…The new trust will accommodate both community and CofE schools.
…Its Articles of Association will change.
…The composition and appointment of Members and Trustees will change.
…The Diocese will have formal rights within the governance of the new organisation.

So were the people affected by this asked what they thought?

As far as I can establish, no. I’m certainly not aware of this. And as you’ve probably figured out by now, I kinda care deeply about this stuff!

 “No representations were made”

On 25 March 2026, the Department for Education’s South East Advisory Board considered: “An application from Learning Partners Academy Trust, Surrey, to merge with Learning Partners Church Academy Trust and Enlighten Learning Trust.”

The published record then says:

 “No representations were made for this project.”

Well, funny that.

Because how exactly was anyone supposed to make representations about something we didn’t know was happening?

The only mention that I have found is in a LP newsletter published in Summer 2026. And I only found it because i went looking. This is much later than the application to the DofE.

…The powers that be had already decided.
…The application had been filled in.
…And submitted.

Is it me, or does that feel, well, underhand?

What’s striking is that other academy trusts do consult their communities about mergers. Lots of examples to choose from:

• In 2026, Spring Trust and Maritime Academy Trust ran a consultation, explicitly inviting feedback before their Trust Boards made any final decisions. They published information, FAQs and provided a form for responses.
• Also in 2026, Elements Diocesan Learning Trust and Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy Trust ran a formal consultation including meetings both in person and online.

So this isn’t some eccentric idea I’ve invented.

It’s generally considered to be good practice. The National Governance Association’s current guidance on MAT mergers says that stakeholder engagement is “fundamental to the success of the merger and an essential feature of effective governance.” It recommends consulting while proposals are still formative, giving people enough information to comment intelligently, allowing four to six weeks during term time and considering the responses before the final decision is made.

Heck, our very own Learning Partners was born from the merger between GEP and Athena and a consultation did in fact take place. The webpage is still findable!

Fun fat: You know who was CEO at the time? Jack Mayhew…

So this process just seems so underhanded. A merger by stealth.

A governance change happening quietly, without any discussion with those who are affected.

Yet apparently nobody made a representation.

But how could they if no one knew.