Leigh Academies Trust Ambition
The first Ambition cohort was recruited in Summer 2025 and there are currently fifteen students on the programme, representing Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy, Mascalls Academy, Strood Academy, Leigh Academy Minster and Hundred of Hoo Academy.
Through the programme, we will foster access to cultural capital, support students to develop a wide range of skills, and create a community of like-minded students.
Aims
In July 2025 Sevenoaks School and Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) launched a ground-breaking partnership. Ambition is a unique five-year programme designed to significantly enhance the life chances and career aspirations of ambitious students across five LAT academies.
The programme, which is fully funded by the LAT academies, focuses on providing essential targeted support, including an annual residential experience, 1:1 mentorship from Sevenoaks School alumni and university students and access to unique cultural and academic opportunities.
Background
Leigh Academy Trust assumed responsibility for Leigh Academy Minster, formerly OASIS Isle of Sheppey, a Kent Academies Network (KAN) school. The Trust’s CEO expressed a strong interest in developing a similar programme to Sevenoaks School's KAN programme tailored specifically for LAT. Around the same time, Sevenoaks School approached LAT to explore the possibility of continuing the KAN programme at Leigh Academy Minster. Through collaborative discussions, both organisations shaped a shared vision for a new initiative, Ambition. This partnership was formally established in July 2025.
Resources
There is dedicated support from the Director of Institute of Service and Partnerships at Sevenoaks School and the Principal of Leigh Academic Minster who also serves as the designated Trust Lead.
All five Ambition schools have demonstrated strong commitment, each appointing a designated teacher lead. They are actively involved in the programme’s design, the identification of participating students, and ongoing reflection on the programme’s effectiveness. We work to maximise impact and identify opportunities for further improvement.
Meet Up Days are largely held at Sevenoaks (albeit we have also hosted events at LAT schools). The annual residential is onsite at Sevenoaks and makes use of a boarding house and school facilities.
The programme is designed and delivered by teaching staff with non-teaching staff providing coordinated support and facilitating events.
LAT covers the cost of the programme while Sevenoaks School funds the salaries of staff working on the programme.
Impact
The programme is currently assessed primarily through qualitative measures, which allow us to capture the depth and nuance of participant experience. This includes:
-Participant feedback and reflective conversations that highlight personal development, enjoyment, confidence, and wellbeing.
-Staff and facilitator observations, providing insight into engagement levels, social interaction, and behavioural changes.
As the programme matures, we will incrementally introduce quantitative measures to strengthen our evidence base and demonstrate impact over time.
Through ongoing assessments, the programme is expected to increase ambition and confidence among participants, broaden their cultural capital through enriched experiences, improve understanding of post‑18 pathways, and raise overall aspirations for future learning and careers.
Pupil Involvement
Student from Sevenoaks School are not involved in the Ambition programme however one of the Ambition mentors is an Old Sennockian. The first cohort of Ambition pupils are currently Year 10 students but once the programme is fully rolled out, students will range from Year 10-13.
Frequency
Each year, the academies identify Year 9 students to begin the application and interview process. Up to three students are selected from each school, making a total of 15 students in a cohort.
Every academic year of the four year programme there are:
• Termly online mentoring sessions
• Two meet-up days, at either Sevenoaks School or a university
• The Spring residential event at Sevenoaks School.
The mentoring relationships and the peer-to-peer support network, fostered by the small, close-knit cohorts, are hugely important to Ambition.
