ParentPay Group to host free online summit for school leaders on MAT strategy, staffing, and student outcomes
Running next week, the UK-based virtual event will offer practical guidance for Multi-Academy Trust leaders managing funding, retention, and performance challenges.
ParentPay Group, a UK-based EdTech provider, is launching a three-day virtual summit to support leaders of Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) as they address issues around sustainability, staffing, and educational outcomes. The event, called MAT Forward, will take place from 16th to 18th June 2025 and is free to attend.
Multi-Academy Trusts are groups of publicly funded schools in England that operate under a single governing body. ParentPay Group delivers EdTech solutions including cashless payments, parental engagement tools, and school management systems.
Daily themes focus on sustainability, workforce, and outcomes
Each day of the summit will feature two hours of focused content from 16:00 to 18:00 BST. The structure is intended to minimize disruption to the school day while offering senior leaders access to targeted sessions. The daily topics are:
Day 1: Trust sustainability and growth – including financial strategy, scalability, and long-term planning
Day 2: Effective teams and collaboration – focusing on staff recruitment, retention, and building trust-wide culture
Day 3: Improving outcomes for students – with a focus on attainment, SEND strategies, and evidence-based practice
Speakers include EdTech CEO and MAT chair Al Kingsley MBE; former Ofsted inspector David Meades; Ben Whitaker of the Edufuturists podcast; James Darnley, COO at Samphire Star Education Trust; Stephen Steinhaus, CEO of Solihull AP MAT; Laura Grainger, Head of Curriculum at Anthem Schools Trust; author and AI specialist Matthew Wemyss; and Oliver Burwood, CEO of Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust.
Phil Roberts, group commercial director at ParentPay Group, says: “MAT leaders are under pressure to deliver more with less. MAT Forward is about helping them make confident, informed decisions—whether that’s around scaling, improving outcomes, or building more cohesive teams. This event is about actionable solutions, not just theory.”
He adds: “We know that leaders are stretched—so we’ve designed MAT Forward to be focused, relevant and immediately useful.”
Registration is now open: www.parentpay.com/mat-forward
