About Us

Leeds Diocesan Learning Trust is a Church of England Multi Academy Trust established by the Diocese of Leeds in 2022 to support its academy strategy across the whole of the diocese. Our underpinning ethos and approach is one of deep collaboration and partnership across all of the schools in the Trust to enable us to be outstanding examples of vibrant schools delivering quality education. This is exemplified in our strap line of Loving, Living, Learning Together. This language is picked up in our Vision statement and all this shapes the values that we live by as a Trust built on mutual care and support for each other.

LDLT is a separate entity to the Diocese, being a charitable company in its own right with its Board of Directors and a fully employed central team. However, the Trust is closely aligned to the Diocese, being most obvious at Member level which includes the Diocesan Bishop of Leeds and the Diocesan CEO. We work closely with the Diocesan Education Team who supports our distinctive approach in our Church Schools. We also work closely with the national Church of England Education Office and their Flourishing Trust Network.

The Trust welcomed its first 7 schools in academic year 2022/23 and the second tranche of 7 schools in 2023/24. These first 14 schools, with over 2100 children and 250 staff are located within three geographical areas: in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, in and beyond the town of Skipton and stretching over to Pateley Bridge; in Leeds, both its urban and rural communities; and within the city and local villages in and around Ripon, also North Yorkshire.

Our growth has been purposeful and planned whilst also responding to local need, including where the Diocese needs us to be working. Future growth will continue to support these areas as well as being open to working in other geographies across the Diocese. Currently all our schools are Church schools but the Trust is set up to also support schools that don’t have a religious designation.

We have a very strong Board of Directors, led by Canon Peter Foskett and a highly effective central team. Our CEO, Canon Richard Noake, was the former Diocesan Director of Education for ten years and moved from being the part time CEO to being full time in January 2024. He is ably supported by an Executive Team including Leanne Noone, CFO and Mark Foster Director of School Effectiveness. The Headteachers of the schools make up the Senior Leadership Team.

We believe in the power of collaborating schools that work in partnership to improve the education system together.