Sigma Trust

The Sigma Trust is a partnership of schools located in North East Essex covering both Colchester and Tendring.

Sigma was formally established in September 2016 and has grown to become the largest multi-academy trust working solely within Essex.

The Sigma Trust now consists of over 11,000 pupils, approximately 1600 staff and annual income of over £50 million and trains around 60 primary and secondary NQTs. The size of the Trust allows extensive joint working to take place and provides huge opportunities for staff and students alike. We have been able to build a wide range of secondment opportunities linked to staff development and can ensure students have equal curriculum entitlement regardless of the size of school that they attend. The approach taken within The Sigma Trust is unique in this area. There is no lead school, the Trust is built around the belief that best practice becomes shared practice and that every school can become a giver and receiver of support.

In January 2019, Colne Community School and College and Philip Morant School and College were re-brokered into The Sigma Trust. New leadership was appointed in both schools and they are being rapidly turned around after facing a turbulent period. The creation of such a large group of secondary schools in close proximity to each other has provided significant opportunities for collaborative working, which is at the heart of our vision as a trust.

This expansion was followed in the same year with the re-brokering to Sigma of Alton Park Junior School and Holland Park Primary School in Clacton, from the Premier Learning Trust with support from the Learning Pathways Academy Trust (LPAT).

It incorporates schools that share the same mission, vision and values and have a strong history of working collaboratively. The schools that form this partnership are as follows:

• Alton Park Junior School
• Clacton County High School
• Colne Community School and College
• Harwich & Dovercourt High School
• Holland Park Primary School
• Monkwick Infant School and Nursery 
• Monkwick Junior School
• Paxman Academy
• Philip Morant School and College
• St Helena School
• The Stanway School
• Thomas Lord Audley

Our Vision

Our vision is to ensure that all of our academies are at least ‘Good’ with strong and improving outcomes and are able to demonstrate outstanding provision.

We will achieve this by:

• Establishing a local family of academies that fully embrace the mission, vision and values of the Trust.
• Ensuring that best practice becomes shared practice so that no school is left behind.
• Recognising the uniqueness and achievements of each academy.
• Enabling every school to be a giver and receiver of support.
• Developing a relationship where autonomy and accountability go hand in hand.
• Creating a centre of educational excellence and innovation within the area.
• Working in collaboration with others to enhance the educational experience of children in the community.
• Training, recruiting and retaining teachers, leaders and support staff through high quality professional development.
• Requiring that services are delivered efficiently and represent outstanding value for money.

Our Values

The Sigma Trust values the following attributes:

Integrity: be honest, transparent, trustworthy and true to your beliefs.

Passion: be positive and enthusiastic about what you are trying to achieve.

Aspiration: aim for your best and set high, realistic goals.

Resilience: never give up and strive to improve.

Accountability: take responsibility for your words, thoughts and actions.

Respect: for yourself, your environment and other people.