National Recognition for Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust’s Commitment to Wellbeing
We are proud to share that Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust (FMAT) has been shortlisted for Wellbeing Trust of the Year at the MAT Excellence Awards 2026. This nomination reflects the culture of care we have built together here at Smith’s Wood Academy, where wellbeing and mental health are woven into everyday practice. Students and staff across all four FMAT academies are supported, valued and encouraged to thrive.
Smith’s Wood Academy
This national recognition comes at a milestone moment for our school. Our latest Ofsted report (January 2026) confirms that Smith’s Wood Academy no longer requires special measures. Inspectors praised our “reinvigorated” leadership and noted that:
- Safeguarding is a priority: Leaders have established an open culture where pupils are made safer and feel safe.
- Support is effective: Pupils who struggle with their emotions benefit from a “layered approach” that helps them reflect and adjust their behaviour.
- Inclusion is key: Staff receive extensive training to support pupils with SEND, ensuring they can access learning successfully.
- Attendance is rising: Work to improve attendance has been “particularly effective,” with rates rising swiftly.
A Culture of Care
As a Trust, wellbeing is central to our identity. At Smith’s Wood, we are proud to offer mental health support, on-site mentors, and student-led wellbeing ambassador schemes. A culture of care is central to Smith’s Wood Academy, where leaders have fostered a “happy and collaborative place to learn and work” that makes staff feel their wellbeing “matters deeply to leaders”. Our staff “celebrate with pride their work and how far the school has progressed” and they highly “value the training that they receive and the opportunities that they have to pursue leadership qualifications”.
Trust CEO Simon Jones added:
“A strong culture of care is what enables young people, and those who work with them, to achieve their very best now and in the future.”
We look forward to celebrating this nomination at the awards ceremony in London on Thursday 18 June 2026.
