CJK mergers webinar
Greater than the sum — what every trust needs to know about MAT mergers
Recorded on Thursday 3rd July 2025
Growth can unlock economies of scale or unleash turmoil. Join Chris Kirk, John Murphy and Mandy Coalter for a candid, data-driven look at how to merge trusts without making people’s lives harder.
John Murphy
Education leadership mentor
Chris Kirk
Director, CJK
Mandy Coalter
People transformation
Overview
​With more mergers on the horizon, the question isn’t if trusts will combine, but how they can do it while protecting culture, performance, and staff wellbeing. Drawing on recent live projects, Chris Kirk (CJK) and John Murphy (former CEO, Oasis Community Learning) share sector trends, cautionary tales, and proven tactics for turning two (or more) trusts into one team with one mission.
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You’ll learn:
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Why growth matters—but only if you’re truly “greater than the sum of your parts”.
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The soft stuff that becomes the hard stuff: vision alignment, leadership behaviours, and trust.
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Synergy vs. overload: how to ensure a merger makes people’s lives easier, not harder.
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Governance & operating-model pitfalls that can derail even well-intentioned mergers.
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Change-journey playbook: bringing staff, governors, pupils, and parents along from day one.
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Who should attend
CEOs, CFOs, trust boards, regional directors, school improvement leads, and anyone tasked with shaping merger strategy.
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