A turnaround academy trust launched by the government to take on schools nobody else wants is set to be shut down. Ministers unveiled Falcon Education Academies Trust, as part of a pilot called EdMAT in 2019, with the original remit of absorbing the most challenging primaries and secondaries in the north. Even though the trust was later given the go-ahead to branch out nationwide, it now has just four schools 鈥 spread across Stockton-on-Tees, Leeds, Birmingham and Swadlincote 鈥 on its books. Schools Week can reveal it will now close in the 2023-24 academic year, after the Department for Education decided not to extend the trial. Government ‘no longer needs’ academy trust A DfE spokesperson said: 鈥淭he EdMAT pilot has supported schools facing a variety of challenges and has delivered benefits to pupils, parents and staff and the communities those schools serve. 鈥淭he trust landscape has changed since the launch of the pilot, with the growth of the sector and high-quality trusts, and we no longer need a chain focused exclusively on schools requiring intervention.鈥 Falcon accounts published in March said it was established to 鈥渢ake on and turn around very challenging schools鈥 which MATs have been unwilling鈥 to run. This is usually because the establishments 鈥渉ave significant sustainability and infrastructure issues that present too great a risk鈥 to a prospective trust. The DfE-backed chain was intended to secure the long-term viability of the academies, before transferring them to 鈥渁nother successful MAT鈥. It was hoped this would free Falcon up to then turn around more schools. Covid blamed for missed targets Prior to the outbreak of Covid, it was initially planned that the trust would have three academies under its wing by the end of August 2020. However, it did not reach this mark until last April. It took on its last school 鈥 William Allitt Academy in Swadlincote 鈥 in September. Schools Week revealed two years ago that 贵补濒肠辞苍鈥檚 trustees believed its pilot status and small size might 鈥渋nhibit applications鈥 to become its new chief executive, suggesting its government-backed status failed to tempt recruits. Applicant numbers for the role were 鈥渄isappointing鈥, despite an executive search as well as an advertising campaign. 贵补濒肠辞苍鈥檚 鈥 which showed it had 鈥渇ree reserves鈥 of 拢1 million at the end of August 鈥 noted the delays 鈥渨ill impact levels of funding and lengthen the time before [it] achieves capacity鈥. They also mentioned one of its 鈥減riorities鈥 was 鈥渢o ensure it is able to build capacity to support further schools鈥 this year. Another aim was to 鈥渆ffect a successful transfer of one [academy] out of the trust to another鈥. Three schools set for new academy trusts But the DfE confirmed it has 鈥渘otified Falcon we do not wish to continue the pilot鈥. It is 鈥渨orking jointly with the trust to agree what will happen to each school鈥, before taking 鈥渢he steps necessary to close鈥 it. Falcon CEO Anne Marie Holdsworth Falcon stressed three of its three secondaries 鈥 Oulton Academy in Leeds, Thornaby Academy in Stockton-on-Tees and the William Allitt 鈥 are 鈥渟trong enough鈥 to join another chain. Meanwhile, a decision 鈥渉as not yet been reached鈥 on its fourth site, the King Solomon International Business School in Birmingham. Anne-Marie Holdsworth, who heads Falcon, stated her team has transformed academies 鈥渕any thought could never be improved, whether because of financial, building or academic issues鈥. 鈥淲e will ensure each of the three schools join new trusts that will continue their upward trajectories for the benefit of their students.鈥