A multi-academy trust (MAT) is a group of academies in partnership with one another.

• Governors and trustees can work together to formulate strategies.
• Schools can create common policies.
• Schools in MATs benefit from economies of scale.
• Teachers have more opportunities for professional development.
• Schools in partnership have access to a broader pool of knowledge and expertise. Senior leadership teams and teachers can consolidate their knowledge and work on solutions together.
• Staff can switch between schools more easily.

For the admissions process for Clapham and Patching CofE School, please visit: https://www.claphamandpatching.co.uk/page/?title=Admissions&pid=29

For the admissions process for Worthing High School please visit:

https://www.worthinghigh.net/page/?title=Admissions&pid=85

The South Downs Education Trust (SDET) board of trustees understands its statutory duties and has ultimate accountability for safeguarding.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and it is the duty of the trust to safeguard and promote the welfare of all our pupils. This is our core safeguarding principle. The Trust Board must ensure that they comply with their duties under legislation and have due regard to the guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education, ensuring that the trust and academy policies, procedures and training are effective and comply with the law at all times.

Operationally, the responsibility for safeguarding is delegated to the Headteacher/s and Designated Safeguarding Leads who ensure the day-to-day care and safety of pupils and manage child protection issues within their individual school. Safeguarding policies are accessible to all staff and parents through the SDET and school websites. Contextualised safeguarding information is also available on each school's website. This includes, for example, the names of the Designated Safeguarding Leads and how to raise a safeguarding concern.

SDET is committed to creating a culture of safe recruitment and, as part of this, adopts recruitment procedures in our schools that help to deter, reject or identify people who might present a risk to children. We meet statutory requirements in relation to the Disclosure & Barring Service as outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education. All staff, members, trustees, governors and volunteers who meet the ‘regulated activity test’ are required to undergo an enhanced DBS and online check prior to employment or engagement. Each school’s Single Central Record (SCR) details safer recruitment checks and DBS information. Across SDET all staff are consistently reminded of the systems, policies and procedures used to support child protection and safeguarding. These are also explained as part of staff induction and reviewed by all staff at the start of every school year.

Please contact Tracy Reed on the following email address to raise concerns or complaints: clerktogovernors@worthinghigh.net