A Catholic multi-academy trust is set to grow by more than half if plans to take on 10 schools are approved this month.

Our Lady of the Magnificat currently has 19 schools across Worcestershire and Warwickshire, with 15 primaries, three secondaries and one middle-deemed secondary.

It plans to take on an additional four primaries and one secondary from The Holy Spirit Catholic Multi Academy Company, and five local authority-maintained primary schools from Warwickshire County Council.

Following the merger, expected to be completed by September, the trust will be renamed St Raphael the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust and will have around 8,000 pupils.

Sinead Smith, current chief executive of both Holy Spirit and Our Lady of the Magnificat, will lead the new trust.

The move is subject to approval by the Department for Education.

No redundancies planned

A consultation document for the merger says there will be no redundancies linked to the proposal.

The trust said it aims to charge its schools a “top slice” - the proportion of schools’ general annual grant funding directed to the trust to pay for centralised functions such as IT and HR - of no more than 5 per cent.

Our Lady of the Magnificat had an in-year surplus of £144,000 and £3.5 million in revenue reserves in 2024-25, according to its latest financial accounts.

The Holy Spirit Catholic Multi Academy Company had an in-year deficit of £362,000, and £975,000 in reserves.

Following the merger, the new trust would aim to grow again by September 2027.

The Birmingham Diocesan Education Service, which oversees the region’s Catholic schools, set out plans in 2024 to move all schools into fewer, larger MATs.

Last year, six Catholic trusts under the diocese merged to create the fourth-largest MAT in the country - St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust.

Other mergers proposed

There are proposals for four other MAT mergers across England next month.

East Midlands Academy Trust plans to merge with Evolve Church Academy Trust and Pathfinder Schools, bringing its total to 13 schools.

In the South East, Rainham Mark Education Trust (three schools) and Aletheia Academies Trust (16 schools) also plan to merge.

And in the North West, all three schools from The Wings’ Church of England Trust are set to join The Sycamore Church of England Trust, bringing its total to 10 schools.

Meanwhile, Chester Diocesan Academies Trust has also proposed taking on five LA-maintained schools in Cheshire, including one school undergoing sponsored academisation. This will bring its total to 13 schools.

St Raphael the Archangel Catholic MAT and the Diocese of Birmingham have been contacted for comment.