Our Partnerships

We are proud to be an outward-looking and collaborative Trust, recognised nationally for our commitment to partnership and excellence. Our relationships with leading educational organisations, dioceses, and local authorities play a central role in advancing Catholic education and supporting school improvement across England and Wales.

Proud to work in partnership

Catholic Education Service (CES)

As a Trust committed to being a national beacon of Catholic excellence, DoWAT works closely with the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales and the Diocese of Westminster Education Service to uphold the highest standards of Catholic education. We also maintain strong alliances with other dioceses and trusts across the country, including Plymouth CAST and St Patrick’s Catholic College in Salford, as well as with the Church of England. Together, these partnerships enable us to share expertise, strengthen governance and leadership, and celebrate the shared values that underpin our mission.

Our close collaboration with local authorities, including Herts for Learning and several London boroughs, ensures that we maintain outstanding school improvement partnerships. This joined-up approach delivers tangible benefits to our schools, pupils, and communities. Many of our Trust leaders also represent DoWAT at a national level, frequently invited to share insights and best practice as keynote speakers at conferences and sector events.

CATtColl

DoWAT is an active member of CATtColl, the national network of Catholic CEOs and senior leaders dedicated to strengthening Catholic education across England and Wales. Supported by the Bishops and in partnership with the Catholic Education Service, CATtColl drives a unified ‘One Church’ strategy. The network represents 47 CEOs across all 22 dioceses, serving schools that educate 9% of England’s pupils and contribute over £5 billion to the sector annually.

Through CATtColl, DoWAT contributes to national conversations on leadership, formation, and mission, sharing best practice across Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts (CMATs). The network plays a key role in shaping large-scale leadership development, teacher training, and collaborative research, reinforcing the impact and profile of Catholic education nationwide.

St Mary’s University, Twickenham 

DoWAT is proud to be a Lead Partner of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, in delivering Initial Teacher Training (ITT). This valued partnership supports the formation of exceptional teachers equipped to lead and inspire within Catholic schools and beyond. Our collaboration extends to academic research, with DoWAT headteachers and senior leaders contributing to university colloquiums, and St Mary’s experts supporting Trust-wide best practice groups in Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Religious Education.

Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership (CEFEL) 

Our partnership with the Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership (CEFEL) reflects our shared commitment to developing ethical, reflective, and faith-informed leaders. Together, we have successfully delivered National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) to more than 100 teachers and leaders across our Trust, strengthening leadership capacity and ensuring our schools are guided by confident, capable professionals.

Flourishing Leadership - in partnership with CEFEL 

Building on this success, DoWAT is launching a new suite of Flourishing Leadership professional development courses, co-designed with CEFEL. These programmes are designed to nurture holistic growth - spiritual, personal and professional—among teachers and leaders. This next phase of collaboration deepens our commitment to empowering leaders who embody faith, integrity and excellence across all our academies.