Succession planning in multi-academy trusts (MATs)

Strong MATs have good succession planning in place in order to manage changes in leadership. Here's how to get started with this in your trust.

Last reviewed on 9 July 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 44213
Contents
  1. Develop a career framework 
  2. Identify risks and potential future needs
  3. If your trust is planning to grow
  4. Identify talent
  5. Develop talent

It's important to have a succession plan in place to address anticipated and unexpected changes in executive leadership, so that the trust can continue to deliver its strategy (see section 5.3 of the academy trust governance guide).

Develop a career framework 

Clear development pathways help you to develop people, and help people to see their career progression within your trust. Include both teaching and non-teaching staff in this framework.

Don’t just think about schools in isolation, but think about the trust as a whole, including staff in your central team.

Trust examples

Ark Academy Trust, a trust with 39 schools across London, Birmingham and Sussex, sets out career stages and what development people can expect at each stage on its website.

Greensands Academy Trust, a trust