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18 April 2026

Tag: United Learning

England’s largest academy trust gives up struggling school

England’s biggest multi-academy trust is set to hand a struggling Leeds school to another chain, ending a seven-year effort to turn around its fortunes. United Learning will transfer John Smeaton Academy to The Gorse Academies Trust (TGAT) in September. Sir John Townsley, TGAT’s chief executive, told parents in a letter that pupils would benefit from […]

Edtech demonstrator programme phase 2: What schools need to know

The Department for Education has confirmed plans for the second phase of its edtech demonstrator programme. Guidance published today gives more details of the scheme, including a list of 43 “demonstrator” schools and colleges, and how funding will be allocated and spent. It comes after Schools Week revealed that academy trust United Learning had been […]

DfE keeps edtech demonstrator conflicts ‘action plan’ close to its chest

The government has an “action plan” to address potential conflicts of interest in its edtech demonstrator contract with United Learning, but is refusing to publish it. Schools Week revealed last month that England’s largest academy trust had been awarded the contract to run the scheme for its second year. The programme in “demonstrator” schools helps […]

Major MAT’s edtech demonstrator contract exposes potential governance pitfall

The government insists it has a “robust governance process” for its edtech demonstrator scheme after the selection of a major academy trust to deliver its second phase prompted conflict of interest warnings. Schools Week revealed this week that United Learning, England’s largest academy chain, had been awarded an £850,000 contract to run the next year […]

United Learning to take over edtech demonstrator programme

England’s largest academy trust United Learning has been awarded an £850,000 contract to run the government’s edtech demonstrator scheme for the next year, Schools Week can reveal. The Department for Education will shortly name the trust’s sponsor, United Church Schools Trust, as its delivery partner for phase two of the programme, set up to help […]

Private school furlough claim not ‘in spirit of scheme’

The country’s biggest academy trust furloughed staff across its private schools for the Christmas holiday, a tactic one law firm advises is “unlikely to be within the spirit of the scheme”. United Learning, which has 74 academies and 14 private schools, applied for public funds to pay teacher salaries from December 12 to January 4, […]

Trust embroiled in £2m contract legal row amid move to the cloud

England’s largest academy trust is entangled in a High Court legal dispute with a major software supplier that lost out on a £2 million contract to move the trust to a cloud-based data system.  Bromcom Computers claims United Learning breached procurement law by awarding rival Arbor a five-year contract to provide its management information system […]