Two Esteemed Christian Brothers Schools Join Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust
Date: Monday 2nd June 2025
St Ambrose College, Altrincham, and St Anselm’s College, Birkenhead — two highly respected Catholic Grammar Schools founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers — have formally joined the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust as of 1st June 2025. This significant development marks a new chapter in the schools’ shared mission to provide outstanding Catholic education rooted in the values of Blessed Edmund Rice.
The Laetare CMAT is a new family of Religious Order schools committed to delivering high-quality Catholic education rooted in Gospel values and faithful to the unique charism of the founding Religious Order. The Trust brings together Religious Order schools united in their commitment to academic excellence, faith formation, and social justice. The Laetare CMAT is the only national Catholic Multi-Academy Trust and warmly welcomes both schools into its growing family.
Mr Andrew Bridson, Interim CEO of Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, commented:
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome St Ambrose College and St Anselm’s College into the Laetare Trust. These are schools with proud traditions and a clear Catholic ethos, and we are honoured to be working in partnership with their communities to help realise an even stronger future. Their shared commitment to the values of the Christian Brothers aligns perfectly with our Trust’s vision of joyful, faith-filled learning and opportunity for all.”
Brother Dominic Sassi (Trustee), Mr Andrew Bridson (Laetare CEO), Mr Dermot Rainey (principal), Dr Peter Goodwin (Chair of Governors)Mr
Dermot Rainey, Principal of St Ambrose College, said:
“Joining Laetare is an exciting step forward for St Ambrose College. It allows us to collaborate more deeply with like-minded Religious Order schools and benefit from shared expertise while preserving the unique charism of Edmund Rice education. Our mission remains the same: to form young men of faith, integrity and compassion.”
Max & Henry (Executive Prefects), Mrs Serena Cubbin (Headteacher), Bother Dominic Sassi (Trustee), Mrs Pam Green (Chair of Governors), Mr Andrew Bridson (Laetare CEO)
Mrs Serena Cubbin, Headteacher of St Anselm’s College, added:
“We are proud of our heritage and excited about our future. Joining Laetare gives us the opportunity to enrich our provision, widen our support networks, and further embed Gospel values at the heart of everything we do. It is a move that strengthens our commitment to excellence in all areas.”
Br Dominic Sassi, Trustee of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, said:
“This partnership is a natural progression for our schools. Laetare shares a deep understanding of the Christian Brothers’ mission and brings a forward-thinking approach to Catholic education. I have every confidence this step will enrich the lives of students, staff and the wider community.”
Both colleges will retain their distinctive identities while embracing the collaborative opportunities and strategic support available within the Trust. Together with Laetare, they will continue to nurture the faith, character and academic potential of every young person entrusted to their care.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Bridson
Interim CEO of the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust
abridson@laetarecmat.co.uk
• St Ambrose College and St Anselm’s College are Catholic Boys’ Grammar Schools founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers.
• St Ambrose College and St Anselm’s College both have a strong tradition of academic achievement and spiritual formation.• The Laetare Catholic Multi Academy Trust serves schools founded by Religious Order across England.
• Edmund Rice was the founder of the Christian Brothers, whose legacy continues in the educational mission of both Colleges.
This is a truly unique opportunity to become the CEO of the newly formed Laetare CMAT, a national CMAT for Religious Order schools, offering a distinctive but complementary option for schools under the Trusteeship of Religious Orders in addition to Diocesan CMATs.
The Laetare CMAT is an exciting project and the first national Catholic MAT with the first wave of schools being in the Northwest followed closely by schools in London and the Southeast.
Details and Application Process:
CEO Advert FEB2025
Please
see link to TES advertisement for the details of an upcoming Headship at St Anne’s, part of the Gaudete Schools Trust. Please circulate this information amongst your Networks.
Closing date: Mon 17 Feb.
The Members & Trustees of the Gaudete Trust are looking to appoint a Charism Development Officer for their schools.
We are looking for somebody with excellent experience of leading spiritual development in school or parish and someone who has worked with Religious Orders. Closing date: Mon 10 June 2024
Application form and job description:
The Gaudete Trust Charism Application Form
Gaudete Trust Charism Dev Officer JD
On 11th July, we came together for the Commissioning of the Gaudete Trust. Kindly hosted by St Paul’s School for Girls, Birmingham, Headteachers and Chairs of Governors gathered with Trustees and Members for a spiritual ‘handing over’ ceremony where trusteeship of the schools was ceremonially passed to the Gaudete Trust. Trustees committed to administering the responsibilities of trusteeship and honouring the charism of the founding Orders. Headteachers and Governors committed to working as a family of schools which honours the Gaudete Trust’s Vision of Education.
A further ‘launch’ event is scheduled for school staff and Trust members to be held on 19th October.
Watch the Gaudete Trust video here.
Euston station on June 27th this year was as noisy and as busy as usual. But walking down a side street for a few hundred yards brings you to St Aloysius Parish Centre, a place of peace for about 50 school chaplains to meet at the end of a busy year. They were gathered by ROE, Religious Orders in Schools, to talk about how to reimagine chaplaincy in the light of religious charisms and the new framework for Catholic school inspections.
A wide spectrum of chaplains attended from all over the country and from many religious order schools. It was interesting to see the instant energy the group developed as they recognised both known faces and strangers as kindred sprits in chaplaincy. Icebreakers were planned but were hardly needed as the joy of meeting like-minded chaplains began to feed into a strong sense of belonging and an openness to share experience.
In the morning, after a time of prayer, the group explored the elements of school chaplaincy and where their own strengths might lie. Later they took the same elements and reflected on what the whole school expectations might be for each of those elements. Finally, they surveyed their own school staff to identify how far these elements were already being engaged by adults and young people in the school community. Finally, they used posters around the walls to get a sense of where the whole group stood on the strengths and needs of chaplaincy.
After a wonderful buffet and time to chat the group took up the challenge of exploring how charism informed their chaplaincy work and how articulate they were at integrating the charism into school life. The chaplains explore how far the charism was opening a spiritual pathway for students that would sustain them in the years ahead. They also were able to share what their school charism meant to them as chaplains. They spent time looking at how the schools policies and systems were underpinned by the charism so that the whole school could live out common spiritual values.
The day ended with prayer and some rapid exits to get trains at Euston. Those of us who stayed behind were able to take away some of the lovely food from the buffet. Everyone involved seem to take away a lot of positive feelings, ideas and contacts from this meeting and we hope that they will continue to draw on the resources of the ROE chaplaincy padlet. Religious Orders in Education (ROE) hope that this work will continue to strengthen and develop the charismatic identity of Catholic schools across the country and continue the crucial tradition of religious orders in the educational mission of the church in England and Wales.
The Charism Group will continue to support Chaplaincy in our schools through the online ‘Chat’ meetings termly, dates and themes on flyer.
