The education trust that brings together Everton Alternative Provision Free School, Everton Football College and four other schools across Merseyside, Wirral and Cheshire has been renamed Everton Multi-Academy Trust (EMAT).
The change in name from The People’s Learning Trust signifies a strengthening in the Trust's association with Everton - one that dates back to Everton Free School becoming the first institution of its kind to be opened by a Premier League football club in 2012.
Minister and player visits
Ahead of the announcement, Labour MP and Minister of State for School Standards, Georgia Gould, visited Goodison Park on Wednesday (September 3) to learn more about EMAT's provision. She was also shown how former hospitality and broadcast spaces in the stadium's Park End stand have been redeveloped into modern classrooms for Everton Football College, creating a new Further Education facility in L4.
In a separate visit, Everton midfielder Merlin Rohl joined pupils at Oldfield Primary School in Chester – another of EMAT’s schools – to discover the educational aims of its after-school chess club.
Inspirational visits planned
Schools within EMAT are set to receive more visits from Everton and Everton Women players throughout the season, with a focus on inspiring youngsters to engage in reading and other valuable enrichment activities that are proven to enhance literacy, oracy and secondary school readiness.
Reflecting on the name change, Steven Baker OBE, CEO of Everton Multi-Academy Trust, said: "This is a proud day for our Trust, and an exciting day for our future."
"Our association with Everton goes back to the opening of Everton Free School and Football College 14 years ago. Since then, we've converted from a single academy trust to a multi-academy trust and grown to have six schools sit within our remit."
Outstanding ratings and awards
"More importantly, across those schools we have been able to combine the power of football and the Everton crest with our award-winning approach to education, helping all children to thrive, while having a particularly positive impact on those from disadvantaged backgrounds, those who have previously disengaged from education, and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) pupils."
In 2024, Everton Free School and Everton Football College were jointly awarded an ‘Outstanding’ rating by Ofsted. Inspectors described the transformation in pupils’ behaviour and engagement over their time at the Free School as "remarkable", while the delivery of curriculum at the Football College was labelled "exceptional".
The trust’s success to date was further underlined when it was recognised as the country’s leading trust comprising nine schools or fewer at the prestigious TES Schools Awards in June.
New facilities and legacy
The new facilities at Goodison Park will now allow Everton Football College to offer up to 250 students across the region access to sport-based learning and qualifications, including a full honours degree programme. The move is part of Everton's ongoing commitment to building a legacy for the iconic stadium, which has also become a dedicated home for Everton Women since it hosted its final Premier League fixture in May 2025 when the men's first team beat Southampton 2-0.
Alison Haynes, Everton's Chief Tax and Sustainability Officer and Chair of the EMAT Trustees, said: "As a football club, we embrace our role in supporting local people and have a long-standing commitment to education and inclusion in L4 and across our region."
"The new Football College facilities are fantastic and will be a truly inspirational setting for students to learn, to gain qualifications and to carve out a successful path for themselves."
"Beyond that, the change to Everton Multi-Academy Trust underlines that the Trust is a valued and proud part of the football club, alongside our charity Everton in the Community."
"As has been proven with Everton Free School and Football College, the Everton name has the power to inspire, to promote change and to bring people together. We look forward to seeing the Trust go from strength to strength under its new name and provide even more opportunities to local children, from their first steps in infant school through to degree-level education."
Baker added: "We aim to give every child the best possible start in life and ensure they are equipped with the foundational literacies and character qualities to go on and excel in secondary education and beyond. We have seen how being part of the Everton family opens doors that allow us to do that more effectively, while also bringing an important sense of belonging and unity to all the schools, pupils and families in our network."
More schools are expected to join EMAT as part of future expansion plans. Alongside Everton Free School, Everton Football College and Oldfield Primary School, they will join Bidston Avenue Primary School in Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port's Meadow Community Primary School and Waterside Academy in Netherton as part of the network.
Further renovations and phases of development are planned for the Football College site at Goodison Park. The college will also retain its premises at Vauxhall Motors FC in Ellesmere Port.
