Academy Transformation Trust is celebrating a trio of accolades after being shortlisted for three categories in the 2026 MAT Excellence Awards, sponsored by Optimus Education. The nominations recognise excellence in staff development, inclusion, and civic partnership across the Trust.

ATT Institute, the Trust’s professional development team, has once again been shortlisted for the Staff Development Award (13+ schools), following their win in the same category last year. The nomination highlights the team’s sustained commitment to high‑quality professional learning and the positive impact of their work across ATT’s academies.

Director of Institute Cat Rushton said:

“We are thrilled to have been short-listed for the MAT Excellence Staff Development Award, recognising our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality professional development for all colleagues in our Trust. 

After receiving the MAT Excellence Award for Staff Development last year, our efforts have gathered pace. Our role-categorisation framework, Leading, Delivering, Enabling and Supporting Education, enables increasingly bespoke development aligned with organisational priorities and individual aspirations. Through the ATT Institute, our cascaded model, Pedagogical Principles and vibrant Professional Communities ensure evidence‑informed practice reaches every classroom and role. This collaborative, inclusive approach strengthens teaching, leadership and support services, creating a culture of continuous improvement that directly benefits colleagues and learners.”

The Trust’s Inclusion Team has been shortlisted for the SEND Award (13+ schools), in recognition of the transformative impact of ATT’s SEND Core Offer. Underpinned by Judith Carter’s 7Cs and a strong focus on adaptive practice, the approach has strengthened universal provision, improved outcomes, and empowered SENDCOs across the Trust.

Christine Franklin, Director of SEND and Inclusion, said:

“We are incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for the MAT Excellence SEND Award, recognising Academy Transformation Trust’s commitment to belonging and becoming- ensuring every child feels rooted in their school community and supported to grow, achieve and thrive. Our approach reflects the direction of national SEND reform, with a clear focus on strong universal provision, early identification and building capacity within mainstream settings.

In financially challenging times, when academies faced increasing complexity of need alongside limited budgets, we responded strategically by maximising resources and building expertise. Centralising key elements of provision created economies of scale, while trust-wide CPD equipped staff to deliver adaptive practice confidently in every classroom.

This recognition would not have been possible without the dedication of our SENDCOs, Principals and Inclusion Leaders, the support of ATTI, or the strategic leadership of Becky Fuller and Abi Joachim, whose work continues to strengthen a culture of high expectations, belonging and aspiration.”

ATT Further Education College has also been shortlisted for Civic Partnership of the Year for their Stop the Bleed campaign, a major community safety initiative delivered in partnership with CitizenAid, East Midlands Ambulance Service, Nottinghamshire Freemasons and other local and national organisations.

Stop the Bleed is an essential trauma intervention and lifesaving initiative for immediate first responder bystanders in emergency incidents. It aims to train people of all ages to respond immediately and with confidence to life-threatening loss of blood situations within the first 4 minutes that make the difference between life and death before the Emergency Services arrive.

ATTFE is also pioneering a groundbreaking initiative to have full Stop the Bleed kits installed into existing Defibrillator Cabinets across Nottinghamshire. This ensures the accessibility of essential lifesaving equipment in community locations, usable with real-time online guidance from the medical services via 999 phone call.

Simon Martin, Executive Leader at ATT FE, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have been nominated as a finalist for the MAT Excellence Awards – Civic Partnership of the Year.  Stop the Bleed has been a significant partnership collaboration across the Trust’s Nottinghamshire communities.

The Project is making a major contribution towards community safety and reduction of fear of crime. It has been made possible by the outstanding work of ATTFE colleagues who have delivered training and has been tirelessly championed by ATTFE Principal Liz Barrett. It is transforming the capability of ordinary residents, within the communities that the Trust serves, to respond with confidence to life-threatening situations”.

These nominations reflect the expertise, dedication and ambition of colleagues across our Trust. Whether through exceptional professional development, sector‑leading inclusion, or powerful civic partnerships, we are immensely proud of the teams who consistently go above and beyond for the communities we serve.

The winners of the 2026 MAT Excellence Awards will be announced on Thursday 18 June at a central London Ceremony.