Welcome to The Ascension
Catholic Academy Trust (ACAT)
A message from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Burke

I am delighted to welcome you to the Ascension Catholic Academy Trust (ACAT).

With Christ at the centre and children at the heart of all we do, our mission is simple: to make Christ known and loved.  We are determined to improve the lives of our young people by nurturing their ambition, striving for excellence and enriching their lives so that they can make the world a better place as the people God created them to be.

ACAT seeks to be a beacon of excellence, with Jesus Christ’s teaching placed at the centre of everything.  Our shared values of Love, Excellence and Service shape how we teach, how we lead and how we relate to one another and our communities.  They are lived out in inclusive classrooms, evidence‑informed leadership, high expectations for all, and a strong commitment to pastoral care, community engagement and service to others.

We are part of the Diocese of Westminster, and our schools currently serve the communities of Sunbury, Ashford, Staines and Twickenham.  Established in December 2022, ACAT currently comprises six schools - four primary and two secondary - and we continue to grow as more schools explore joining our family.

The Diocese of Westminster’s Academy Strategy invites all Catholic schools that are not yet academies to consider, through its “Family of Schools” model, the benefits of working in closer collaboration as part of a Catholic academy trust.  ACAT is the destination trust for Catholic schools in the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames.

This is an exciting time for our trust.  We are blessed with a committed and talented group of headteachers, working with equally committed and talented colleagues in each of our schools.  I have every confidence that they would be the first to say that our school communities are so much stronger, together in ACAT.

Together, we are building a strong, supportive and outward‑facing collaborative culture that will continue to strengthen the quality of Catholic education for the young people we serve, so that Love, Excellence and Service are visible in every classroom, every corridor and every community we reach.

I hope you find our website helpful and that it gives you a clear sense of who we are, what we value and how we serve. If you would like to know more, please contact us at admin@ascensioncat.org.

Richard Burke
Catholic Executive Officer (CEO)