Trust Key Documents
Articles of Association
Organogram
Framework for Continuous School Improvement
Strategic Objectives
Master Funding Agreement
Trade Union Facility Time data
Gender Pay Gap Report
Modern Slavery Statement 2023-2024
Kent Catholic Schools Partnership
Modern Slavery Statement 2023-2024
“Today, as a result of a growth in our awareness, slavery, seen as a crime against humanity, has been formally abolished throughout the world. The right of each person not to be kept in a state of slavery or servitude has been recognised in international law as inviolable. Yet, even though the international community has adopted numerous agreements aimed at ending slavery in all its forms, and has launched various strategies to combat this phenomenon, millions of people today – children, women and men of all ages – are deprived of freedom and are forced to live in conditions akin to slavery.
This immense task, which calls for courage, patience and perseverance, deserves the appreciation of the whole Church and society. Yet, of itself, it is not sufficient to end the scourge of the exploitation of human persons. There is also need for a threefold commitment on the institutional level: to prevention, to victim protection and to the legal prosecution of perpetrators. Moreover, since criminal organisations employ global networks to achieve their goals, efforts to eliminate this phenomenon also demand a common and, indeed, a global effort on the part of various sectors of society.”
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the celebration of the World Day of Peace regarding the abolition of slavery – 1st January 2015
Our Statement
This Modern Slavery Statement (‘the Statement’) is made on behalf of the Board of the Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership (’the Trust’) with regards to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (‘the Act’) which requires large employers to be transparent about their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking in their supply chain. It summarises how the Trust operates, the policies and processes in place, risks identified and how we monitor them and train our employees.
This statement is published in accordance with section 54 of the Act and relates to the financial year August 2023 to July 2024.
About the Trust
The Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership is a multi-academy trust (’the Trust’) established under the Academies Act 2010, and subject to the provisions of Company, Canon and Charitable law.
As a company limited by guarantee, the Trust’s structure of governance is laid down in published Articles of Association and, through its Board, is accountable to its Members, and the Department for Education (DfE).The Trust is fully supportive of the government’s objectives to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking and is committed to acting ethically when acquiring goods and services for its use. Currently, our activities take place solely in the Local Authority area of Kent and our contractors and suppliers are predominantly UK based.
Organisational structure
The Trust is currently responsible for the leadership, governance, and performance of 25 primary and secondary academies in Kent.
The Board of Trustees is the strategic Board with accountability for all Academies within the Trust. The Trust has over 1400 employees and 10,000 pupils.
Academies within the Trust are listed below;
More Park Catholic Primary, West Malling | St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary, Tonbridge |
Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary, Gravesend | St Mary’s Catholic Primary, Deal |
St Anselm’s Catholic Primary Secondary, Canterbury | St Mary’s Catholic Primary, Whitstable |
St Augustine’s Catholic Primary, Tunbridge Wells | St Peter’s Catholic Primary, Sittingbourne |
St Edmund’s Catholic Secondary, Dover | St Richard’s Catholic Primary, Dover |
St Edward’s Catholic Primary, Sheerness | St Simon’s Catholic Primary, Ashford |
St Gregory’s Catholic Primary, Margate | St Simon’s Stock Secondary, Maidstone |
St Gregory’s Catholic Secondary, Tunbridge Wells | St Teresa’s Catholic Primary, Ashford |
St John’s Catholic Primary, Gravesend | St Thomas’ Catholic Primary, Sevenoaks |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Aylesham | Stella Maris Catholic Primary, Folkestone |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Broadstairs | The Holy Family Catholic Primary, Maidstone |
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, Northfleet | Ursuline College, Westgate |
St Augustine’s Catholic Primary, Hythe |
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Our Suppliers
The Trust has identified that the areas which carry the biggest risk are pupil uniform supply, cleaning and catering services. However, this list is non-exclusive.
Respecting Human Rights and environmental issues in the supply chain is ultimately our suppliers’ responsibility. However, as customers, the Trust accepts that it has an active role in clearly communicating our expectations to suppliers and challenging suppliers to provide information on their supply chain.
When procuring goods, works and services in higher risk categories the Trust will ensure that suppliers are required to demonstrate their methods of corporate social responsibility during the tendering and selection process, details of which may vary according to the project.
Policies to resist modern slavery and human trafficking
We are confident that our policies promote good behaviour among our colleagues at work across our Trust. Our policies and procedures are kept under review to make sure they reflect the changing needs of the Trust, changes to legislation and the needs of the employees, children & young people and the communities it serves.
The Trust has a Whistleblowing Policy which is principally aimed at our employees but is also available to our suppliers that encourages the reporting of any wrongdoing which extends to human rights violations like Modern Slavery. In addition, the Trust has the following policies which incorporate ethical standards for our staff and suppliers;
- Conflicts of Interest;
- Codes of Conduct;
- Equality Information and objectives
- Disciplinary dismissal and grievance procedures;
- Health and Safety;
- Information security
- Data Protection;
- Child protection and safeguarding
- Whistleblowing;
Key actions to date
Over the last year, the Trust has:
- Issued written communication of our Statement to all the Trust’s employees;
- Continued to be compliant with the Living Wage Foundation Rates;
- Continued to seek assurances from suppliers as to their avoidance of modern slavery and human trafficking;
- Continued to review existing contracts/suppliers that represent a potential risk of modern slavery and work with suppliers to ensure that they monitor their supply chains and take appropriate action;
- Continued to identify policies which require references to the risk of modern slavery or human trafficking to be included.
Next Steps
The Trust plans to continue monitoring and reviewing existing contracts and polices along with the following;
- Roll out face to face training/online presentations to relevant employees to aid awareness
- Include as part of contract management arrangements discussion of action main contractors/suppliers take to avoid modern slavery/human trafficking.
Approved by the Board
Mike Powis, Chair of the Trust Board
Diversity of Governance
‘'Diversity is important, and we want governing boards to be increasingly reflective of the communities they serve’. - (DfE 2024)
In line with Department of Education non statutory guidance we are pleased to publish our anonymised, combined diversity data, reflecting the constitution of the KCSP Trust Board and twenty-six Local Governance Committees.
This information is published with the permission of respondents to the KCSP Trust Governance Skills Audit, January 2024 and will be used to inform the future advertising and recruitment of Directors and Local Governance Committee members.
March 2024
