The Role of Marketing in Successful MAT Expansion

When a school begins exploring MAT options, the first thing they do isn’t read your strategy, it’s Google you. Over the past decade, many multi-academy trusts (MATs) have grown rapidly through academy conversions and mergers, supported by government policy and financial incentives. However, the landscape has become increasingly complex, with trusts facing greater scrutiny and stronger competition as they seek to expand. As a result, MAT expansion is no longer just a question of scale, but of standing out – an increasingly important consideration of trust growth strategies.

Why does growth matter?

Growth remains a strategic priority for many trusts across the sector, offering a number of significant benefits:

• Greater financial resilience through economies of scale.
• Stronger central services and specialist expertise.
• Increased capacity to deliver school improvement.
• Enhanced opportunities for staff development, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• More consistent educational outcomes for pupils through shared best practice.

Yet, the withdrawal of growth funding, rising staffing costs, and changing pupil demographics have all made MAT expansion more challenging. Support for MAT expansion has become more targeted following changes to government growth funding programmes, while many trusts are also navigating increasing staffing costs and, in some areas, falling pupil numbers. Together, these factors are placing greater emphasis on sustainable growth and careful strategic planning, making it increasingly important for trusts to clearly demonstrate the value they can offer prospective partner schools.

Together, these changes are increasing competition for growth, where schools have greater choice and often higher expectations of potential partners. Strong educational outcomes, effective leadership and sound governance will always be at the heart of trust growth. However, in a sector where schools have more choice and are carrying out increasingly thorough due diligence, trusts also need to be able to clearly communicate what they stand for and the support they can offer.

What is marketing?

When people hear the word marketing, they often think of websites, social media, prospectuses and promotional materials. Whilst these are all important, effective marketing is about much more than the channels you use to communicate.

At its core, marketing is about helping people understand who you are, what you stand for and why they should place their trust in your organisation. For MATs, that means communicating your vision, celebrating the impact of your schools and building confidence among the communities you serve.

• Know your audience

Before you can communicate effectively, it is important to understand who you are trying to reach. For MATs, that audience extends far beyond prospective schools and includes headteachers, governors, trustees, parents, staff and the wider community.

Each audience brings different priorities and questions. A headteacher may be looking for reassurance around school improvement and leadership support, while governors may be focused on governance arrangements and long-term sustainability. Parents, meanwhile, want confidence that their child will receive the best possible education.

Effective marketing recognises these differences. It is about providing the right information to the right people at the right time, whilst consistently reinforcing the trust’s vision and values.

• Coordinate your communications

For MATs, this also requires a collaborative approach. Whilst individual schools should retain their own identity, history and connection to the communities they serve, they are also ambassadors for the wider trust. Every website, social media account, newsletter and prospectus contributes to the overall perception of the organisation.

It is not uncommon for me to see trusts with excellent schools, strong outcomes and a positive reputation where the quality of communications varies significantly across the trust. A school considering joining the trust may visit several school websites before ever engaging with the trust directly. If some of those websites are difficult to navigate, contain outdated information or feel disconnected from the wider organisation, it can create an impression that does not reflect the quality of education and leadership being delivered.

The most effective trusts strike a balance between consistency and individuality. Schools should remain true to their own vision, values and local context, whilst also reflecting their place within the wider trust family. When schools work together to maintain high standards of communication and a shared sense of identity, they strengthen the reputation of the trust as a whole.

This is particularly important because schools considering joining a trust are increasingly encouraged to undertake thorough due diligence, assessing areas such as governance, culture, school improvement capacity and strategic fit before making any decision. Trusts therefore need to be able to clearly articulate not only what they offer, but also how their values and ways of working align with those of prospective partners.

• Define your value proposition

Once you understand your audience, the next step is to consider what you want them to know about your trust. In marketing, this is known as a value proposition; it showcases all the positive qualities that make your trust the preferred choice for prospective partners.

Ask yourself:

• What does our trust stand for?
• What makes our approach to education stand out?
• Why would a school choose to join our trust rather than another?

The answers to these questions will help to form the foundation of your value proposition. It may be your track record of school improvement, high-quality professional development, or strong links with your local communities. More often than not, it is a combination of these factors.

• Building trust and recognition

If your value proposition defines what makes your trust distinctive, then your brand is how those qualities are perceived by others. In other words, your brand is the face of your organisation – so it should be instantly recognisable to everyone who engages with your trust.

Building a strong brand comes down to consistency. Every interaction with your trust should reinforce the same ethos, values and vision. Whether a prospective school is visiting your website, reading a prospectus, or hearing your CEO present at a conference, each interaction contributes to the overall impression of your organisation.

This doesn’t mean communicating exactly the same message every time. As we’ve discussed, different audiences are often looking for different things. However, the underlying principles of your MAT should remain consistent across every channel and conversation. This helps audiences gain a clear understanding of who you are, what you stand for, and of course what benefits you can bring to them.

Marketing for the future

Too often, marketing only comes into focus when trusts are under pressure to attract more schools, recruit more staff, or respond to another challenge. But the reality is that reputation isn’t built overnight. It develops gradually through every interaction people have with your trust – the stories you share, the achievements you celebrate, the positive impact you make in the lives of your pupils. These small moments inform how your MAT is perceived long before any conversations about expansion take place.

This is why marketing should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a short-term solution. Consistently communicating your vision and engaging with the wider education community is essential to build trust in your MAT over time. Then, when opportunities for growth arise, your trust is already recognised as a credible, established partner – not one trying to make a first impression.

Ultimately, marketing can help your trust build a reputation that supports sustainable growth, a strong brand that is shaped by clear communication, consistent messaging, and credibility. As the education landscape continues to evolve, MATs that invest in these foundations today will be best placed to seize the opportunities of the future. 

Find out how our Marketing Team can support your marketing efforts and MAT expansion.