Associate College
Celebrating Excellence: 糖心logo Shortlisted for Four MAT Excellence Awards
3rd March 2026
At 糖心logo, our mission is to unlock the academic and personal potential of every child in our care. This week, we are incredibly proud to share that this collective effort has been recognised on a national stage.
We are delighted to announce that 糖心logo has been shortlisted for four MAT Excellence Awards. This is the most we have ever been shortlisted for in a single year, reflecting the dedication and hard work taking place across our entire family, from our 15 thriving schools and 1,200 inspiring staff to the 10,000 students who sit at the heart of everything we do.
Following our week-long reveal on social media, we are taking a moment to reflect on what these nominations mean for our family of schools and the communities we serve.
Reflecting on this milestone, our CEO, Dawn Haywood, said: "I am filled with a deep sense of pride and gratitude that our collective efforts have been recognised on this national stage. These nominations are a celebration of the incredible talent, hard work and care shown by our students, staff and school communities every single day. Our shared moral purpose remains unwavering: to unlock the academic and personal potential of every single child, ensuring they are known, supported and inspired to thrive. By co-creating brighter futures together, we are not just improving schools, we are acting as a civic anchor to transform the lives of our children and the communities we are so privileged to serve."
Our Shortlisted Categories
Each nomination represents our commitment to being a high-performing, civic-minded family of schools that puts children first.
1. Civic Partnership of the Year
This nomination recognises our collaboration with the NHS to address health and education inequalities. Through the Co-creating Healthy Futures Framework, we have established school-based community health hubs and created new pathways into the future NHS workforce, ensuring our schools act as true anchors for their communities.
2. Digital Innovation Award
Our EmpowerED strategy is a key driver of social mobility. By embedding digital accessibility as a non-negotiable student entitlement, we are closing the gap for our most vulnerable learners. This approach has been recognised as a global Apple case study, proving that technology is a powerful tool for equity and inclusion.
3. Staff Development Award
We are committed to boosting careers in the best organisation to work and grow. Our bespoke 鈥榃hat Makes a WAT Leader鈥� framework ensures our staff have access to regular coaching, secondments, and National Professional Qualifications. We aim to build a pipeline of empowered leaders who drive school improvement and system-wide excellence.
4. Transformation and Impact Award
By systemically embedding a research-informed metacognition and self-regulation framework, we have significantly enhanced student attainment and self-efficacy, particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. This nomination highlights our success in creating a high-impact, replicable model for trust-led improvement.
One Family, One Mission
While we are honoured to be finalists in these categories, the true reward remains the progress we see in our classrooms every day. Whether it is through digital innovation, staff growth, or civic action, we remain dedicated to ensuring every student can thrive and make a difference in their world.
Thank you to our entire community for your continued support as we continue this journey together.