Just recently at Co-op Academies Trust we celebrated our ten year anniversary. Back in 2010 Co-op Academy Stoke and Co-op Academy Manchester became the first two academies to form Co-op Academies Trust.

Roll on ten years later and we are now sitting at twenty-six academies, with two new free schools ( both in partnership with the respective local authorities) in Leeds and Manchester confirmed to make a total of twenty-eight. It’s been a journey of rapid successful growth with all our academies now in a much better position in all educational areas than before they joined the Trust.

The differences that the Trust has made to so many communities is something to be really proud of and reflects the success cooperation can bring to education.

Our academies serve some of the most deprived communities in the North West and West Midlands, raising hopes and aspirations to those children who previously had very little. To all the staff, governors and parents you should be very proud of your contribution to this truly successful story, a massive thank you.

What makes us such a special organisation with currently over 17,000 students and nearly 2500 staff is the incredible support from being part of the Co-op. I personally can’t think of a commercial organisation in the UK that is a better fit for education. The focus on communities is so very strong that there is a perfect alignment and is just one of the reasons why we are so very proud and privileged to be part of the Co-op.

The consistent vision and values that we share together reflect the perfect examples of moral and social responsibility that are so badly needed within education making us a very unique organisation.The Rochadle pioneers would be so very proud of the Co-op and our achievements within education over the last ten years.

There have been so many challenges along the way; school buildings to build, schools and communities to transform and new starts for all our academies. Within the ten years there have been many successful achievements but what is also so important is how we achieved that success. With a methodology of putting students first looking to build sustainable academies and completing all of this adhering to all the Co-op values at all times.

Even in the most difficult of times we look forward with optimism and positivity to our next ten years. Building on the foundations that have been created we can really become even more successful. Making a huge difference to education, communities and students in the north west and west midlands regions by expanding the number of schools even further so more students benefit from cooperation.

Thank you everyone and well done, here is to the next ten years.

Chris Tomlinson, CEO