Partnering for Purpose: The Transformation of SJCMAT

SJCMAT’s story is one of purposeful transformation and a growing community. What began as a shared commitment to Catholic education has become an expanding family of academies, each bringing its own character, history, and local context united by a mission to help every young person flourish. Based in the Liverpool City Region, with six primary and four secondary academies, the Trust has invested in aligning its vision, raising standards, and celebrating each community’s distinct strengths. That spirit of “growing the St Joseph family” continues to shape everything they do: collaborative leadership, faith-led values in action, and a relentless focus on improving outcomes for pupils, students, staff, and families across the Liverpool region. 

Since 2021, the Trust has been on a remarkable journey of transformation, and we’ve been proud to support them every step of the way. 

Our work with SJCMAT has been guided by a shared set of strategic goals that align closely with their priorities: 

• Raising the profile of the Trust across internal and external stakeholders through clear articulation of its mission and values. 

• Positioning SJCMAT as an employer of choice, bringing clarity to its employer proposition and amplifying the voices of staff across campaigns. 

• Supporting individual schools with key challenges, including new academy onboarding, admissions campaigns, and bespoke improvement strategies. 

• Growing SJCMAT’s social and online presence with innovative content, targeted campaigns, and sustained digital engagement. 

Strategic, Creative, and Impactful

From the beginning, our support has spanned various creative and strategic services: brand development, campaign creation, film and animation production, website development, digital publishing, and content strategy. But it’s not just about volume, it’s about value. Every project is tailored to reflect and reinforce the Trust’s mission of transformation and Catholic distinctiveness. 

“Working on the initial SJCMAT websites meant we could elevate already-existing, good content, bring it more in line with the Trust branding, and ensure that the websites were both Ofsted-compliant and easy for parents/carers to navigate. The way we populated the sites has meant that we have had a base to work from whenever a new school was set to join. Most recently, it was St Charles. We got the site live for the day their joining was made official, so parents and carers could see the new branding and Trust message from Day 1.”
– Olivia, Digital Marketing Executive

Supporting School Growth and Improvement

Supporting the onboarding of new academies and addressing individual school challenges has been a key part of our remit. From driving admissions to reinforcing Catholic identity, we’ve worked alongside school leaders and central teams to ensure that every piece of communication reflects the broader SJCMAT vision.

Building a Strong, Unified Identity

A strong brand identity is more than a logo; it’s the heartbeat of how a Trust communicates. That’s why one of our priorities was developing cohesive brand guidelines that celebrate unity while allowing for school-level individuality. 

Clear Messaging, Stronger Engagement

With SJCMAT’s vision and values front and centre, our content strategy has aimed to articulate and amplify its story across all platforms. From monthly media editorials to recruitment campaigns, every piece is crafted to connect, engage, and inspire. 

“Writing the monthly editorials for the Catholic Pic has been a brilliant opportunity to spotlight the ongoing transformation across the Trust and celebrate the achievements of its schools and communities. I also regularly produce press releases for regional outlets to ensure the hard work and successes across SJCMAT are consistently visible and recognised.”
– Helen, Creative Copywriter 

Visual Storytelling with Impact

Powerful communication goes beyond words. Our media team captures and edits the Trust’s journey through film, photography, and video editing, helping stakeholders see, feel, and connect with the impact of transformation. 

“For the media team, it’s all about how we are helping them communicate their messages to the community and supporting them in bridging the gap between leadership and their audience. An annual project is bringing the school communities together to celebrate Advent and visually showcasing improvements through event coverage and data-led storytelling.”
– Kurt, Video Editor

A Partnership That Delivers

Throughout 2024–25, our partnership with SJCMAT has exceeded expectations not just in terms of service days delivered but also in how we’ve worked as a strategic extension of their team, meeting key KPIs across brand, recruitment, digital presence, and stakeholder engagement. We’ve helped raise the Trust’s profile, enhance its recruitment efforts, and support individual schools with tailored, targeted, and creative solutions. 

As SJCMAT continues to grow, welcoming new academies, celebrating strong results, and driving real change, we’re proud to stand beside them on this journey.  

If your organisation is on a similar journey and looking for creative support that truly understands your mission, get in touch with Engaging Education. We’d love to help you tell your story.