News

This year’s MAT Excellence Awards, hosted by Optimus Education, welcomed more than 600 trust leaders, educators and sector partners on 11 June to celebrate excellence across the trust sector.

What an incredible evening celebrating the achievements, innovation and dedication taking place across the education sector at this year’s awards.

Optimus Education’s MAT Excellence Awards celebrate the organisations and individuals making a lasting impact across education.

Optimus Education is delighted to announce that acclaimed broadcaster Jason Mohammad will return as host of this year’s MAT Excellence Awards.

We’re delighted to reveal the trusts and companies shortlisted for the MAT Excellence Awards 2026. There was a record number of submissions, with 80 trusts and 22 companies making it to this year’s shortlists.

In this piece, Andy Mellor, National Wellbeing Director at Schools Advisory Service (SAS), explores how embedding wellbeing at trust level, rather than relying on tick-box initiatives can drive stronger leadership, improved teaching and learning, and sustainable improvement across MATs.

This year’s MAT Excellence Awards, hosted by Optimus Education, brought together more than 450 attendees on 19 June to recognise the incredible work happening in the sector.

Last night, we celebrated the outstanding achievements of schools across the region at our MAT Excellence Awards. With more than 440 guests in attendance, the evening was filled with celebration.

As the MAT Excellence Awards approach in June, the Civic partnership of the year award, presented by Optimus Education in partnership with CST, will recognise school trusts working with civic organisations such as the NHS, local authorities and universities to tackle social challenges and enhance education.

Optimus Education is thrilled to announce that acclaimed television and radio presenter Jason Mohammad will be hosting this year’s MAT Excellence Awards, a prestigious event celebrating the dedication, innovation, and impact of multi-academy trusts across the country.

We’re thrilled to announce the shortlisted trusts and companies for the MAT Excellence Awards 2025. With an incredible response this year, 72 trusts and 21 companies have made the shortlist.

Optimus Education’s MAT Excellence Awards celebrate the dedication, innovation, and impact of multi-academy trusts across the country. Each year the judging panel, comprising sector leaders and experts, carefully review submissions to recognise outstanding practice and inspire others across the education community.

Optimus Education, in partnership with the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), has launched the new Civic partnership of the year award as part of the 2025 MAT Excellence Awards.

Nominations are officially open for the 2025 MAT Excellence Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements within multi-academy trusts (MATs) and educational businesses across the UK. This prestigious event, now in its third year, continues to recognise exceptional contributions to the sector.

In an inspiring ceremony, the MAT Excellence Awards celebrated the exceptional contributions of multi-academy trusts and educational organisations across the UK. The event was a night of recognition, joy, and heartfelt reflections from winners who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to education. Here are some highlights from the evening.

Last night, we celebrated the outstanding achievements of multi-academy trusts and organisations across the country at our MAT Excellence Awards. The awards ceremony and gala dinner highlighted the significant impact trusts and organisations have had on pupils, staff, and their communities. With over 350 guests in attendance, the evening was filled with joy and celebration.

Exploring what excellence means and looks like in trusts across the country is a central part of the MAT Excellence Awards process. We want to share effective, high quality and innovative practice, in order to provide examples which trusts across the country can consider and adapt for their own context.

58 trusts and 13 companies have made the shortlist for the MAT Excellence Awards 2024. Congratulations! With more than 15 submissions in some categories, getting down to a shortlist has been a challenge. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and shared the commitment, hard work and successes of your trust or company.

The shortlist for MAT Excellence Awards 2024 will be announced early February, so keep an eye out! The awards are a prestigious event celebrating excellence and innovation in MATs. As the shortlist announcement approaches, delegates from last year explain the significance of participating in this esteemed event.

MAT Excellence Awards are presented by Optimus Education and are an esteemed recognition of excellence in the education sector. Businesses can now officially nominate their organisation for four different categories.

The MAT Excellence Awards concluded with resounding success, honouring exceptional individuals and organisations across various categories.

The highly anticipated highlights video from the MAT Excellence Awards 2023 has been released, capturing the essence of an unforgettable evening celebrating educational excellence. The video showcases the display of talent, dedication, and innovation exhibited by the shortlisted trusts and winners.

Our inaugural MAT Excellence Awards took place last week, recognising the wonderful work of multi-academy trusts up and down the country. 

We’re very excited to be celebrating the fantastic work of multi-academy trusts from across the country at our inaugural awards ceremony in a few weeks.

With just six weeks to go until our MAT Excellence Awards, two members of the judging panel tell us what they’re looking for in the winners.

The MAT Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to build relationships, network and showcase your products with MAT leaders. Two of our sponsors tell us why they’re proud to be part of the awards and why it’s important to them to recognise and celebrate the work of trusts.

Congratulations to all the academy trusts shortlisted for the 2023 awards! Check out the shortlist for each of the 12 categories to see if your trust is included.

Our judging panels have read every entry, considering the scope, impact and evidence shared in the submissions, and the shortlists compiled based on their feedback.

We’re thrilled to confirm that Shappi Khorsandi will be hosting the inaugural MAT Excellence Awards. Shappi is well known as a comedian, regularly appearing on shows such as Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You, Mock the Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats. Her stand-up experience is sure to help in keeping us all on track during the excitement of the awards ceremony!

The deadline for submissions is coming up fast. All completed nomination forms must be submitted by 5pm on Friday 2 December, 2022. Don’t delay and miss out on the opportunity to be one of our first award winners!

Exploring what excellence means and looks like in trusts across the country is a central part of the MAT Excellence Awards process. We want to share effective, high quality and innovative practice, in order to provide examples which trusts across the country can consider and adapt for their own context.