A school for
Every Child

A Future FOr
Everyone

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Let's introduce ourselves!

Welcome to Connect Academy Trust – it’s great to meet you.

As an established and growing Multi-Academy Trust in Devon, we prioritise the things that really matter. Everything we do is for the good of the pupils and staff at our family of amazing primary schools.

Discover the aspirations and values that unite our schools and drive us to succeed.

Why Connect?
Eden Vet
Eggbuckland Firefighter
Widey Cartoonist
Thornbury Fashion Designer
Trustees & Governors Wanted!
Trustees & Governors Wanted!

Calling anyone looking to share their ideas, insights and ambitions with an ambitious Academy Trust!

We're looking for Trustees to join us. This is a great way to be part of a Board as part of your development, or because you'd like to be part of our community.

Discover more
Our Ocean Conservation Curriculum!
Our Ocean Conservation Curriculum!

Empowering young people with an awareness of how and why our sealife should be protected.

Discover our unique marine learning project based in Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City.

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Our School Staff!
Our School Staff!

Creating a positive environment for our teams of school professionals.

Find out how supporting and valuing our school staff enables them to do their best for our children.

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Our Friends!
Our Friends!

Connecting with our partners to expand and enrich our pupils’ education.

See the benefits of our collaborations with organisations beyond our schools.

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OUR FAMILY OF SCHOOLS!

Each school in the Connect Academy Trust is proud to be individual – but also made stronger by our shared network of support, leadership and experience.

Explore our schools

“Our vision is for all children to receive an outstanding education, to receive the very best teaching and support to achieve our best together.”

SCHOOL NAME

"The most important thing we can do is to ensure that each child is happy and feels safe and secure."

Leigham Primary School

"We believe that every child can do amazing things and it’s our job to help make this potential a reality."

Manadon Vale Primary School

"We believe that in working together, we can give children the best possible foundation to help them grow into happy, independent adults of the future."

Thornbury Primary School

"We greatly value the relationships between home and school as a way of promoting the very best for your child."

Eggbuckland Vale Primary School

"We are very proud of our inspiring curriculum, built on excellence in the craft of teaching and on purposeful and engaging learning experiences."

Cockington Primary School

"Our purpose is to prepare children for a future that we cannot yet envisage."

Widey Court Primary School
The connect Effect!

Our achievements in numbers.

Find out more
3300+

of our pupils had the opportunity to take part in enriching activities such as swimming, forest schools or field trips

100%

of our 8 schools are values based and focussed on enabling every child to succeed.

50+

collaborations with partners throughout the South West to deliver unique experiences for our pupils

550+

staff dedicated to the growth and development of the next generation

our PEOPLE!

The Connect Academy Trust is powered by the energy and talents of our team – working together to make a positive difference across each of our schools.

Lisa Braund

Lisa Braund

Health and Safety Manager

Giles Freathy

Giles Freathy

Trustee

Jon Kestell

Jon Kestell

Trust Wellbeing Consultant

Andrew Swainson

Andrew Swainson

Headteacher

Shaun Nicholls

Shaun Nicholls

Headteacher

Anamaria Avasilcai

Anamaria Avasilcai

Management Accountant

Steve Collins

Steve Collins

Maintenance Operative

Hanne Knight

Hanne Knight

Trustee

Liz Bennett

Liz Bennett

School Operations Lead and Shared Services Support

Jane Orchard

Jane Orchard

School Operations Lead - part-time

Becky Brookes

Becky Brookes

School Operations Lead - part-time

Julie Drew

Julie Drew

HR Manager

Melissa Oliver

Melissa Oliver

Headteacher

Jon Whittam

Jon Whittam

IT Technician

Sam Jones

Sam Jones

Trustee

Rachel Field

Rachel Field

Chief Operating Officer

Paul Osborne

Paul Osborne

Vice Chair of Trustees

Lee Atkinson

Lee Atkinson

Facilities Manager

Kate Reeves

Kate Reeves

Trustee

Tamsin Lamb

Tamsin Lamb

Trustee

Susie Wilson

Susie Wilson

Headteacher

Emma Wilkins

Emma Wilkins

School Operations Lead - part-time

Ian Mitchell

Ian Mitchell

Chair of Trustees

Nicola Bridge

Nicola Bridge

Member

Phil Taylor-Jones

Phil Taylor-Jones

Desktop Support Engineer

Christian Jenkins

Christian Jenkins

Chair of Members

Stuart Bellworthy

Stuart Bellworthy

CEO & Trust Leader

Sarah Ryder

Sarah Ryder

School Improvement Lead

Sarah Goodman

Sarah Goodman

Finance Officer - part-time

Sarah Fowler

Sarah Fowler

Member

Josh Hughes

Josh Hughes

IT Area Manager (Torbay)

Lee LeMarquand

Lee LeMarquand

Trustee

Sonia Blandford

Sonia Blandford

Member

Hayley Gilbride

Hayley Gilbride

Headteacher

Adele Clayton

Adele Clayton

Acting Headteacher

Louise Hudd

Louise Hudd

Finance Officer - part-time

Adam Hedley

Adam Hedley

IT Area Manager (Plymouth)

Sam Barker

Sam Barker

Headteacher

Claire Dixon

Claire Dixon

School Operations Lead - part-time

Andrea Price

Andrea Price

Facilities Administrator

Emma Mantell

Emma Mantell

Headteacher

Georgia Dingley

Georgia Dingley

School Operations Lead

Sammy Johnson

Sammy Johnson

Senior School Operations Lead

Steve Widdecombe

Steve Widdecombe

Member

Adam Losonczy

Adam Losonczy

IT Technician

Stephanie Bulley

Stephanie Bulley

Executive Assistant - part-time

April Hopkins

April Hopkins

Trustee

Kim Shannon

Kim Shannon

Finance Officer - part-time

Nikki Graham

Nikki Graham

School Operations Lead

Stuart Bellworthy

"By sending your children to Connect Academy Trust school, they will receive a nurturing and truly exciting education, make great progress from their starting points and have access to an inspiring curriculum in a range of subjects, including knowing why the 7 Principles of Ocean Literacy matter so much to all of us, our future and our planet."

Stuart Bellworthy

CEO