Our aims are summed up in the Aquila values:-

Collaborate, enrich, trust, innovate, aspire, nurture.

We have created an environment in which all our schools can flourish; our aim is to embed this in all our schools.  Aquila schools are committed to working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for all our pupils.  We also work effectively with other organisations including local and national government to create the very best opportunities for the children in our care. 

The Board of Directors and staff of Aquila ensure that:

• The quality of education in our academies depends on the quality of our teachers

• Strong leadership is needed at all levels to drive and sustain improvements

• We need to build openness, trust and respect across our academies

• We can offer development opportunities to good and outstanding schools to develop their strengths beyond the confines of a single organisation

• We should welcome into the Trust community schools who share our vision of high quality, inclusive education which will change the lives of children and young people across all communities

• We have the drive and capacity to sponsor church schools which are directed to academy status by the DfE

• We will operate a simple, efficient low-cost organisation

• We operate an effective and strong governance framework

We are likely to face significant requests to convert into the Trust, but we need to be clear that our priority must be to schools already in Aquila and any expansion must be of benefit to those already in the Trust. We cannot solve fundamental issues of financially unsustainable schools and need to remain mindful of this, especially as the pressure on school budgets increases. We have to focus on building a brand recognised for excellence and the highest level of core Christian values.

We need to ensure that all local schools understand the solution we offer so we become the sponsor of choice for all Church schools in the Diocese and are considered a strong sponsor by community schools wishing to convert. We are developing clear messages for schools at risk of being forced to convert as to the benefits of joining the Trust, but are also clear on the problems we cannot solve. We are developing a strategy and capacity that builds on the model of targeted intervention, leading to self-supporting groups of schools and developing a clear and attractive offer to schools graded good and outstanding.