PACT Educational Trust

PACT Educational Trust was founded in 1993 by a group of Catholic parents and educators to establish schools and other means of supporting families whose deepest desire is that their children grow into men and women of integrity committed to living their lives in a way which is based on traditional Catholic principles; men and women who, among the exhilarating, and challenging opportunities that the future presents, are resolved to be the exemplary citizens and inspirational leaders that our society needs. The Trustees and founders believe that parents should be at the heart of the education of their children and that it is the role of schools to be of service to the family in trying to achieve this goal. PACT set up Oakwood School in Purley, Surrey in 1996. In September 2013 PACT launched two secondary schools, The Cedars for boys and The Laurels for girls, which moved to their current site in Crystal Palace in 2021. PACT is governed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom give their services without any financial reward. The PACT Board is the governing body of Oakwood, The Cedars and The Laurels. They meet regularly to discuss all aspects of school life, and the meetings are also attended by the CEO of the charity and the Headteachers of each school. The three schools are on the same campus in Crystal Palace on the former Virgo Fidelis site. Since they moved there, the grounds and the buildings have undergone an extensive refurbishment program, which is ongoing. Pupils attend the schools from a wide catchment area and school transport is provided, if required. An all-through education for boys and girls means that it provides the best of both worlds: the Prep School, Oakwood, is co-educational; The Laurels provides education for girls between 11 and 16; and The Cedars provides education for boys between 11 and 16. The Sixth Form is co-educational.